Chapter 7
1 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 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 relented concerning this . " It shall not be ," says the LORD .
4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me : behold , the Lord GOD called for judgement by fire; and it dried up the great deep , and would have devoured the land .
5 Then I said, " Lord GOD , stop , I beg you ! How could Jacob stand ? For he is small ."
6 The LORD relented concerning this . " This also shall not be ," says the Lord GOD .
7 Thus he showed me : behold , the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand .
8 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 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 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 Amos says , ‘ Jeroboam will die by the sword , and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’"
12 Amaziah also said to Amos , " You seer , go , flee away into the land of Judah , and there eat bread , and prophesy there ,
13 but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel ; for it is the king ’s sanctuary , and it is a royal house !"
14 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 from following the flock , and the LORD said to me , ‘ Go , prophesy to my people Israel .’
16 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 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.’"