< Amos 7 >
1 Thus did the Lord Eternal show unto me: and, behold, he was forming locusts in the beginning of the sprouting up of the latter groweth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings [was over].
This is what the LORD showed me: And look, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and look, it was the latter growth after the king's harvest.
2 And it came to pass, when they had made an end of eating up the herbs of the earth, that I said, O Lord Eternal, forgive, I beseech thee: how should Jacob be able to endure, since he is so small!
It happened that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, "Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you. How could Jacob stand? For he is small."
3 The Lord bethought himself of this: It shall not be, said the Lord.
The LORD relented concerning this. "It shall not be," says the LORD.
4 Thus did the Lord Eternal show unto me: and, behold, the Lord Eternal called forth the punishment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and consumed the ploughed field.
This is what the LORD showed me: And look, the LORD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
5 Then said I, O Lord Eternal, forbear, I beseech thee: how should Jacob be able to endure, since he is so small!
Then I said, "LORD, stop, I beg you. How could Jacob stand? For he is small."
6 The Lord bethought himself of this: Also this shall not be, said the Lord Eternal.
The LORD relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," says the LORD.
7 Thus he showed unto me: and, behold, the Lord was standing upon a wall [made] by a plumbline, and in his hand was a plumbline.
This is what the LORD showed me: And look, he was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
8 And the Lord said unto me, What dost thou see, 'Amos? 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 farther indulge them any more.
And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the LORD said, "Look, I have set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid in ruins: and I will rise up against the house of Jerobo'am 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 sent Amazyah, the priest of Beth-el, to Jerobo'am the 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.
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus hath 'Amos said, By the sword shall Jerobo'am die, and Israel shall surely be led away into exile out of their own land.
For Amos says, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"
12 And Amazyah said unto 'Amos, Seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and eat there [thy] bread, and there prophesy;
Amaziah also said to Amos, "You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 But at Beth-el prophesy not farther any more; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal residence.
but do not prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house."
14 Then answered 'Amos, and said to Amazyah, I am no prophet, nor am I a prophet's son; but I am a herdman, and a gatherer of wild figs;
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 But the Lord hath taken me away from behind the flocks, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto 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 thou the word of the Lord, Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and preach not against the house of Isaac.
Now therefore listen to the word of the LORD: 'You say, Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not proclaim against the house of Isaac.'
17 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Thy wife will play the harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided out by the line; and thou shalt die in an unclean land; and Israel shall surely be led forth into exile out of their land.
Therefore thus says the LORD: '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.'"