< Amos 7 >

1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.
Thus has the Lord God showed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog.
2 When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
And it came to pass when he had finished devouring the grass of the land, that I said, Lord God, be merciful; who shall raise up Jacob? for he is small in number.
3 The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.
Repent, O Lord, for this. And this shall not be, says the Lord.
4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
Thus has the Lord showed me; and, behold, the Lord called for judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and devoured the Lord's portion.
5 Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
Then I said, O Lord, cease, I pray you: who shall raise up Jacob? for he is small in number. Repent, O Lord, for this.
6 The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.
This also shall not be, says the Lord.
7 Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
Thus the Lord showed me; and behold, he stood upon a wall of adamant, and in his hand [was] an adamant.
8 The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
And the Lord said to me, What see you, Amos? And I said, An adamant. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I appoint an adamant in the midst of my people Israel: I will not pass by them any more.
9 The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
And the joyful altars shall be abolished, and the sacrifices of Israel shall be set aside; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the middle of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
Then Amasias the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos is forming conspiracies against you in the midst of the house of Israel: the land will be utterly unable to bear all his words.
11 For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
For thus says Amos, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive from his land.
12 Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,
And Amasias said to Amos, Go, seer, remove you into the land of Juda, and live there, and you shall prophesy there:
13 but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
but you shall no longer prophesy at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;
And Amos answered, and said to Amasias, I was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruits.
15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
And the Lord took me from the sheep, and the Lord said to me, Go, and prophesy to my people Israel.
16 Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t proclaim against the house of Isaac.’
And now hear the word of the Lord: You say, Prophesy not to Israel, and raise not a tumult against the house of Jacob.
17 Therefore the LORD says: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
Therefore 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 measured with the line; and you shall die in an unclean land; and Israel shall be led captive out of his land. Thus has the Lord God showed me.

< Amos 7 >