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 God showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts, when the late spring grass began to come up after the king’s share had been harvested.

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!

And when they had finished devouring all the land’s vegetation, I said: ‘Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?’

3 The Lord bethought himself of this: It shall not be, said the Lord.

The Lord relented. This will not happen,’ said 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 he showed me: the Lord God was giving command to execute judgment by fire. It burned up the great deep, and had begun to devour the fields, and I said:

5 Then said I, O Lord Eternal, forbear, I beseech thee: how should Jacob be able to endure, since he is so small!

‘Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?’

6 The Lord bethought himself of this: Also this shall not be, said the Lord Eternal.

The Lord relented. ‘This will not happen either,’ said 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 God showed me: the Lord 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, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ And I answered, ‘A plumb line,’ Then the Lord said, ‘Watch: I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel, I will no longer overlook their crookedness.

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.

And the high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste, and I will rise up 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, chief priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: ‘Amos has conspired against you right in the heart of Israel. The country cannot survive 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.

Amos has said, “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be led away captive out of their 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;

And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘Leave, you who see visions, go to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there 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 don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.’

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;

‘I am no prophet,’ Amos answered Amaziah, ‘nor trained as one. I am a shepherd and a keeper of sycamores fig trees.

15 But the Lord hath taken me away from behind the flocks, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

But the Lord took me away 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 Lord’s message: “You say not to prophesy against Israel, nor to preach 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.

But the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be divided up, you will die on unclean soil, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.”’