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.

These things the Lord God has revealed to me. And behold, the locust was formed at the beginning of the germination during the latter rains, and behold, the latter rains came after the thundering of the king.

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 happened, when they had finally eaten all the grass in the land, that I said, “Lord God, be gracious, I beg you. Who will raise up Jacob, for he is little?”

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

The Lord has been merciful about this. “It will not be,” said 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.

These things the Lord God has revealed to me. And behold, the Lord God called for judgment unto fire, and it devoured the manifold abyss, and it consumed simultaneously in every direction.

5 Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

And I said, “Lord God, cease, I beg you. Who will raise up Jacob, for he is little?”

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

The Lord has been merciful about this. “And even this will not be,” said the Lord God.

7 Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

These things the Lord revealed to me. And behold, the Lord was standing near a plastered wall, and in his hand was a mason’s trowel.

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 do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A mason’s trowel.” And the Lord said, “Behold, I will place the trowel in the midst of my people Israel. I will no longer plaster over them.

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 heights of the idol will be demolished, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be desolate. 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.

And Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: “Amos has rebelled against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to withstand all his sermons.

11 For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”

For Amos says this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be taken captive out of their own 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 Amaziah said to Amos, “You, seer, go out and flee into the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there.

13 but do not prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”

And in Bethel, do not prophesy any longer, because it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.”

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 responded, and he said to Amasias, “I am not a prophet, and I am not the son of a prophet, but I am a herdsman plucking from wild fig trees.

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, when I was following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

16 Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

And now, hear the word of the Lord: You say, “You will not prophesy about Israel, and you will not rain your words upon the house of the idol.”

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.’”

Because of that, the Lord says this: “Your wife will fornicate in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, and your soil will be measured with a string. And you will die on polluted land, and Israel will be taken into captivity out of their land.”