Amos 7

1 This is what the Lord Yahweh showed me. Look, he formed a locust swarm when the spring crop began to come up, and, look, it was the late crop after the king's harvest.

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 When they finished eating the vegetation of the land, then I said, “Lord Yahweh, please forgive; how will Jacob survive? For 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 Yahweh relented concerning this. “It will not happen,” he said.

The Lord relented. This will not happen,” said the Lord.

4 This is what the Lord Yahweh showed me: Look, the Lord Yahweh called on fire to judge. It dried the vast, deep water under the earth and would have devoured the land, also.

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 But I said, “Lord Yahweh, please stop; how will Jacob survive? For he is so small.”

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

6 Yahweh relented concerning this, “This also will not happen,” said the Lord Yahweh.

The Lord relented. “This will not happen either,” said the Lord.

7 This is what he showed me: Look, the Lord stood beside a wall, with a plumb line in his hand.

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 Yahweh said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Look, I will put a plumb line among my people Israel. I will spare them no longer.

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 The high places of Isaac will be destroyed, the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam 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 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you in the middle of the house of Israel. The land cannot 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 this is what Amos said, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile away from his land.'”

Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.’”

12 Amaziah said to Amos, “Seer, go, run back to the land of Judah, and there eat bread and 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 do not prophesy anymore here at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary and a royal house.”

but don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.”

14 Then Amos said to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet nor a prophet's son. I am a herdsman, and I take care of sycamore fig trees.

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

15 But Yahweh took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to 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 Now hear the word of Yahweh. You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not speak 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 this is what Yahweh says, 'Your wife will be a prostitute in the city; your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword; your land will be measured and divided up; you will die in an unclean land, and Israel will surely go into exile from his 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.’”