Judgment of Locusts, Fire, and Plumbline

1Thus has the Lord GOD showed unto me; and, behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.

2And it came to pass, that when they had finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech you: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

3The LORD relented concerning this: It shall not be, says the LORD.

4Thus has the Lord GOD showed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part of the land.

5Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech you: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

6The LORD relented concerning this: This also shall not be, says the Lord GOD.

7Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what see you? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them anymore:

9And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Amaziah Opposes Amos

10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

11For thus Amos says, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

12Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O you seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

13But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the king's house.

14Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit:

15And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

16Now therefore hear you the word of the LORD: you say, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not your word against the house of Isaac.

17Therefore thus says the LORD; Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by a survey line; and you shall die in a defiled land: and Israel shall surely go forth into captivity from his land.