Yahweh Will Rise Up Against Israel

1Thus Lord Yahweh showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm [†]when the spring crop began to come up. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s [†]mowing. 2And it happened [†]when it had completed eating the vegetation of the land, that I said,

“Lord Yahweh, please pardon!

[†]How can Jacob rise up,

For he is small?”

3Yahweh [†]relented concerning this.

“It shall not be,” said Yahweh.

4Thus Lord Yahweh showed me, and behold, Lord Yahweh was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the [†]farm land. 5Then I said,

“Lord Yahweh, please stop!

[†]How can Jacob rise up, for he is small?”

6Yahweh [†]relented concerning this.

“This too shall not be,” said Lord Yahweh.

7Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing [†]by a wall made with a [†]plumb line, and in His hand was a [†]plumb line. 8And Yahweh said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“Behold, I am about to put a plumb line

In the midst of My people Israel.

I will pass over them no longer.

9The high places of Isaac will be desolated

And the sanctuaries of Israel laid waste.

Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

Amos Accused

10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. 11For thus Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’” 12Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and there do your prophesying! 13But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal house.”

14Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a [†]grower of sycamore figs. 15But Yahweh took me from [†]following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16So now, hear the word of Yahweh: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel, nor shall you drip out words against the house of Isaac.’ 17Therefore, thus says Yahweh, ‘Your wife will play the harlot in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be divided up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die [†]upon unclean land. Moreover, Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”