< Amos 7 >

1 Thus has the Lord God shewed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog.
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.
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.
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.”
3 Repent, O Lord, for this. And this shall not be, saith the Lord.
The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.
4 Thus has the Lord shewed me; and, behold, the Lord called for judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and devoured the Lord's portion.
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.
5 Then I said, O Lord, cease, I pray thee: who shall raise up Jacob? for he is small in number. Repent, O Lord, for this.
Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
6 This also shall not be, saith the Lord.
The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.
7 Thus the Lord shewed me; and behold, he stood upon a wall of adamant, and in his hand [was] an adamant.
Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
8 And the Lord said to me, What seest thou, 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.
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.
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 desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
10 Then Amasias the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos is forming conspiracies against thee 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 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.
11 For thus says Amos, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive from his land.
For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
12 And Amasias said to Amos, Go, seer, remove thou into the land of Juda, and live there, and thou shalt prophesy there:
Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,
13 but thou shalt no longer prophesy at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.
but do not prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
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.
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;
15 And the Lord took me from the sheep, and the Lord said to me, Go, and prophesy to my people Israel.
and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
16 And now hear the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not to Israel, and raise not a tumult against the house of Jacob.
Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
17 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be measured with the line; and thou shalt die in an unclean land; and Israel shall be led captive out of his land. Thus has the Lord God shewed me.
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.’”

< Amos 7 >