1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto 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.
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.
3 The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.
7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? 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 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.
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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.
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto 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.
17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an 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 into captivity forth of his land.
The seventh chapter of the Book of Amos in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a profound chapter that explores the themes of divine judgment, mercy, prophetic calling, and the conflict between prophecy and the established religious order. It is a chapter that presents a vivid picture of the divine-human interaction, and the prophetic task of mediating between God and the people. This chapter is divided into three distinct visions of impending judgment, an autobiographical narrative, and the confrontation between the prophet Amos and the priest Amaziah.
Amos chapter 7 opens with the first two of three visions of judgment. In the first vision, Amos sees the Lord forming a swarm of locusts to devour the land after the king's mowings. This signifies a severe famine that would devastate the land following the royal harvest. However, in a display of prophetic intercession, Amos pleads for Jacob (representing Israel) who is small and unable to withstand such a calamity. The Lord, moved by Amos's plea, relents from this judgment (Amos 7:1-3).
In the second vision, the prophet sees the Lord calling for judgment by fire, which would devour the great deep and part of the land. Once again, Amos intercedes, pleading for Jacob who is too small to withstand it. The Lord, in His mercy, relents from this judgment as well (Amos 7:4-6).
The third vision is of a plumb line, a tool used by builders to ensure a structure is upright. The Lord stands on a wall made by a plumb line, indicating that He is measuring or testing Israel's uprightness. This time, there is no intercession from Amos, implying that the judgment is certain. The symbolic plumb line signifies that Israel has been found wanting in righteousness and justice (Amos 7:7-9).
Amos 7:10-17 shifts from the visions to an autobiographical narrative, detailing the encounter between Amos and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amaziah, threatened by Amos's prophecies, reports him to Jeroboam, the king of Israel, accusing the prophet of conspiracy. He misrepresents Amos's words, claiming that he prophesied the death of Jeroboam and the exile of Israel (Amos 7:10-11).
Amaziah then advises Amos to flee to Judah, to prophesy there and earn his bread there, essentially trying to silence him and dismiss his prophetic mission (Amos 7:12-13). But Amos, asserting his prophetic calling, responds that he was no prophet or prophet’s son by profession, but a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees. He was called by God from his ordinary life to prophesy to Israel (Amos 7:14-15).
This confrontation between Amos and Amaziah has significant implications. It underscores the tension between the prophetic voice that speaks truth to power and the established religious order that often aligns with the political power. Amaziah represents a religious system that has compromised its prophetic role, while Amos embodies the uncompromising voice of divine judgment and mercy. This confrontation culminates in a prophetic pronouncement against Amaziah and his family, as well as the exile of Israel (Amos 7:16-17).
In summary, Chapter 7 of the Book of Amos in the KJV Bible is a rich tapestry of visions of judgment and divine mercy, prophetic calling and confrontation, interwoven with the broader themes of justice, righteousness, and the role of prophecy in society. It underscores the divine expectation of justice and righteousness, the power of intercession, the authenticity of prophetic calling, and the inevitable consequences of ignoring the divine mandate. This chapter leaves the reader with a sobering reflection on the dynamics of power, prophecy, and accountability in the context of divine-human relationships.
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