Amos 7:1-9

1This is what the Almighty Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts when the second crop was being harvested. It was the harvest that followed the harvest for the king.

2When the locusts had finished eating every plant in the land, I said, “Almighty Lord, please forgive us! How can ⌞the descendants of⌟ Jacob survive? There are so few of them.”

3The Lord changed his plans about this. “This won’t happen,” the Lord said.

4This is what the Almighty Lord showed me: The Almighty Lord was calling for judgment by fire. The fire dried up the ocean and burned up the land.

5Then I said, “Almighty Lord, please stop! How can ⌞the descendants of⌟ Jacob survive? There are so few of them.”

6The Lord changed his plans about this. “This won’t happen either,” the Almighty Lord said.

7This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall built with the use of a plumb line, and he had a plumb line in his hand.

8He asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” I answered, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “I’m going to hold a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will no longer overlook what they have done.

9The worship sites of Isaac will be destroyed, and the holy places of Israel will be in ruins. I will attack Jeroboam’s heirs with my sword.”