7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 1 him making locusts just as the crops planted late 2 were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest. 3 ) 7:2 When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said,
“Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel! 4
How can Jacob survive? 5
He is too weak!” 6
7:3 The Lord decided not to do this. 7 “It will not happen,” the Lord said.
7:4 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 8 the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. 9 It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.
7:5 I said, “Sovereign Lord, stop!
How can Jacob survive? 10
He is too weak!” 11
7:6 The Lord decided not to do this. 12 The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”
7:7 He showed me this: I saw 13 the sovereign One 14 standing by a tin 15 wall holding tin in his hand. 7:8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “Tin.” The sovereign One then said,
“Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel.
I will no longer overlook their sin. 16
7:9 Isaac’s centers of worship 17 will become desolate;
Israel’s holy places will be in ruins.
I will attack Jeroboam’s dynasty with the sword.” 18
7:10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel 19 sent this message 20 to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! 21 The land cannot endure all his prophecies. 22 7:11 As a matter of fact, 23 Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile 24 away from its land.’”
7:12 Amaziah then said to Amos, “Leave, you visionary! 25 Run away to the land of Judah! Earn your living 26 and prophesy there! 7:13 Don’t prophesy at Bethel 27 any longer, for a royal temple and palace are here!” 28
7:14 Amos replied 29 to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. 30 No, 31 I was a herdsman who also took care of 32 sycamore fig trees. 33 7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending 34 flocks and gave me this commission, 35 ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’ 7:16 So now listen to the Lord’s message! You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel! Don’t preach 36 against the family of Isaac!’
7:17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets 37
and your sons and daughters will die violently. 38
Your land will be given to others 39
and you will die in a foreign 40 land.
Israel will certainly be carried into exile 41 away from its land.’”