Amos 7

1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shown to me; and behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and lo, [it was] the latter growth after the king's mowings.

Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.

2 And it came to pass, [that] when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he [is] small.

When they finished 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 repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.

4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shown to me: and behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.

Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.

5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he [is] small.

Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.

7 Thus he showed me: and behold, the LORD stood upon a wall [made] by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand.

Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

8 And the LORD said to me, Amos, what seest thou? and I said, A plumb-line. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will not again pass by 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.

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 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.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the middle 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 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 Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou seer, go flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee 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 chapel, and it [is] the king's court.

but don’t 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 Amaziah, I [was] no prophet, neither [was] I a prophet's son; but I [was] a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit:

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 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, Go, prophesy to 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 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not [thy word] against the house of Isaac.

Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach 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 shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go from his land into captivity.

Therefore the LORD says: ‘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.’”