Amos 7

Vision of Locusts

¹Thus 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.

²When 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.”

³The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.

Vision of Fire

⁴Thus 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.

⁵Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

⁶The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.

Vision of the Plumb Line

⁷Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

⁸The 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.

⁹The 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.”

Amaziah's Opposition and Amos's Response

¹⁰Then 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.

¹¹For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”

¹²Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,

¹³but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”

¹⁴Then 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;

¹⁵and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

¹⁶Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach against the house of Isaac.’

¹⁷Therefore 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.’”

Previous Amos 6

Next Amos 8

Amos receives three visions from God, each revealing different aspects of divine judgment. In the first two visions of locusts and fire, Amos intercedes for Israel and God relents, showing His mercy. However, the third vision of a plumb line indicates that God's patience has limits—He will measure Israel against His standard of righteousness and will no longer overlook their sins. When Amaziah the priest tries to silence Amos, the prophet boldly defends his divine calling and pronounces judgment on his opponent.

Context

This chapter marks a turning point from the series of judgment oracles in chapters 1-6 to the vision narratives that dominate the remainder of the book.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Vision of Locusts God shows Amos devastating locusts, but relents when the prophet intercedes for small Israel
4-6
Vision of Fire God reveals judgment by fire that would consume the land, but again shows mercy after Amos's plea
7-9
Vision of the Plumb Line God demonstrates His standard of righteousness and declares He will no longer pass over Israel's sins
10-13
Amaziah's Accusation The priest of Bethel reports Amos to the king and orders him to stop prophesying in Israel
14-17
Amos's Defense and Counter-Prophecy Amos affirms his divine calling and pronounces severe judgment on Amaziah and his family

Vision of Locusts

7:1–7:3

prophecy vision hopeful

Amos receives a vision of locusts that would destroy Israel's crops, but intercedes for the people citing their weakness. God relents and promises this judgment will not occur.

structural

Amos's intercession uses the rare Hebrew phrase "how will Jacob stand" (mah yaqum ya'aqob), appearing only here and in verse 5, creating a rhythmic plea that emphasizes Israel's fragility.

Vision of Fire

7:4–7:6

prophecy vision hopeful

Amos sees a vision of divine fire that would consume the land and sea, but again intercedes for Israel's survival. God shows mercy and cancels this judgment as well.

structural

Amos's second vision uniquely depicts divine fire consuming both "the great deep" (tehom rabbah) and land, reversing creation's separation of waters in Genesis 1:6-10.

Vision of the Plumb Line

7:7–7:9

prophecy vision solemn

God shows Amos a plumb line representing divine standards of righteousness, declaring he will measure Israel and no longer spare them. The vision promises destruction of sanctuaries and the house of Jeroboam.

person_contrast

Amos receives his only vision where God physically stands "beside" rather than speaking from above, emphasizing divine proximity in this final act of measured judgment.

Amaziah's Opposition and Amos's Response

7:10–7:17

prophecy dialogue defiant

Amaziah the priest opposes Amos and tries to silence his prophecies, but Amos defends his divine calling and pronounces judgment on Amaziah's family. The confrontation highlights the conflict between religious establishment and prophetic authority.