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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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.

“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 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.”

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 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 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 Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of 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 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, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.

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

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

“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 following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, 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 Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

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 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 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.’”