Amos 7

1 This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that he was preparing a swarm of locusts just when the spring crops began to grow. (Spring crops begin to grow right after the time when the king's hay is cut.)

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

2 And so when the locusts finished eating every green plant in the fields, I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please forgive your people! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”

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 So the Lord changed his mind. “It won't happen,” said the Lord.

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

4 This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that the Lord God was calling for a judgment of fire. The fire burned up the depths of the sea and destroyed the farmland.

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.

5 I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please stop! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”

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 So the Lord changed his mind. “This too won't happen,” said the Lord.

This also shall not be, says the Lord.

7 This is what he showed me. I saw the Lord was standing beside a wall that had been built with a plumb line. He was holding 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 And the Lord asked me, “Amos, what do you see?” I replied, “A plumb line.” And the Lord God said, “I am placing a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I won't ignore their sins anymore.

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 the descendents of Isaac will be torn down, and the holy places of Israel will be destroyed. Sword in hand, I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam.”

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, priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, “Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. What he's saying is unbearable!

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 he's saying Jeroboam will be killed by the sword, and the people will be taken away from their land into exile.”

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

12 Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away prophet! Run away to the land of Judah. Go and prophesy there to earn your bread.

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 ever prophesy again at Bethel, for this is where the king worships, the national Temple.”

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

14 But Amos replied, “I'm not a trained prophet, or the son of a prophet. I was just a shepherd, and also took care of fig trees.

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 The Lord took me from following my flock, and the Lord told me, ‘Go, and give my message to my people of Israel.’”

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

16 So now hear what the Lord is telling you: You say, “Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the descendants 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 But this is what the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city; your sons and daughters will be killed by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a foreign land. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from the land and go into exile.

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.