Amos 7

1 Thus has the Lord God showed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog.

This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts just after the king’s harvest, as the late spring crop was coming up.

2 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.

And when the locusts had eaten every green plant in the land, I said, “Lord GOD, please forgive! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”

3 Repent, O Lord, for this. And this shall not be, says the Lord.

So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said.

4 Thus has the Lord showed me; and, behold, the Lord called for judgement by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and devoured the Lord's portion.

This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land.

5 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.

Then I said, “Lord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”

6 This also shall not be, says the Lord.

So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen either,” said the Lord GOD.

7 Thus the Lord showed me; and behold, he stood upon a wall of adamant, and in his hand [was] an adamant.

This is what He showed me: Behold, the Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand.

8 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.

“Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD. “A plumb line,” I replied. “Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them:

9 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.

The high places of Isaac will be deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with My sword.”

10 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.

Then 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 cannot bear all his words,

11 For thus says Amos, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive from his land.

for this is what Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”

12 And Amasias said to Amos, Go, seer, remove you into the land of Juda, and live there, and you shall prophesy there:

And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.

13 but you shall no longer prophesy at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.

But never prophesy at Bethel again, because it is the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom.”

14 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.

“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees.

15 And the Lord took me from the sheep, and the Lord said to me, Go, and prophesy to my people Israel.

But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’

16 And now hear the word of the Lord: You say, Prophesy not to Israel, and raise not a tumult against the house of Jacob.

Now, therefore, hear the word of the LORD. You say: ‘Do not prophesy against Israel; do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

17 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.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”