Amos 7

1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me; and, behold, He formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.

2 And if it had come to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land — so I said: O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech Thee; how shall Jacob stand? for he is small.

3 The LORD repented concerning this; 'It shall not be', saith the LORD.

4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me; and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.

5 Then said I: O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech Thee; how shall Jacob stand? for he is small.

6 The LORD repented concerning this; 'This also shall not be', saith the Lord GOD.

7 Thus He showed me; and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me: 'Amos, what seest thou?' And I said: 'A plumbline.' Then said the Lord: Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people Israel; I will not again pardon them any more;

9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: 'Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.

11 For thus Amos saith: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos: 'O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there;

13 but prophesy not again any more at Beth-el, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.'

14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah: 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdman, and a dresser of sycamore-trees;

15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said unto me: Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.

16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest: Prophesy not against Israel, and preach not 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 divided by line; and thou thyself shalt die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'