Tyndale Open Study NotesAmos 7

The first two visions create a sense of hopeful expectation. God announces judgment, but he withdraws it after the prophet pleads for the people.

This section contains five visions. It is helpful to compare how these visions develop with the judgments listed earlier in Amos 4:6–11.

The judgments listed there include:

• famine,

• drought,

• destruction of crops,

• plagues, and

• widespread destruction.

• Locusts (see Amos 4:9) were one of the plagues that affected Egypt (Exodus 10:4). Large swarms of locusts often invaded these lands, especially during droughts.

• king’s harvest: The first harvest was given to the king as taxes. The later harvest of the main crop fed the farmer and his family. If locusts ate this crop, starvation would occur.

since he is so small?: The kingdom's population was too small to survive such a large loss.

The Lord changed his decision twice after Amos prayed on behalf of the people.

• This fire represents extreme heat and drought.

• the great deep: The Hebrew word refers to the sea, but Amos likely did not think the Mediterranean would vanish. It is probably a poetic reference to large freshwater bodies, like the Kinnereth Sea or Sea of Galilee, which Israel could use for irrigation.

This vision starts like the previous two (Amos 7:2–3, 4–6), but this time the Lord does not allow intercession. The sudden change in outcome strengthens Amos's message.

The Hebrew word for plumb line (Hebrew ’anak) sounds like the word for groaning (’anakhah, see Isaiah 35:10; Lamentations 1:22). This similarity suggests great suffering when God holds Israel accountable.

• The high places … the sanctuaries: Every trace of the unfaithful Israelite religion, from common high places to the royal shrine at Bethel, would be destroyed.

• of Isaac: Isaac represents Israel’s ancestors, the founders of the nation.

• the house Jeroboam: Jeroboam II died naturally (2 Kings 14:29), but his son and successor, Zechariah, was murdered after reigning for less than a year (2 Kings 15:8–10; see 2 Kings 10:28–31), which started a period of instability in Israel’s government that it never overcame (2 Kings 15:10–31).

This section shows the corruption of the priesthood, emphasizing that judgment is unavoidable, as highlighted by the surrounding visions.

Amaziah misunderstood Amos's words, thinking they threatened Jeroboam's life. Amos was urging the people to repent, not rebel.

Flee to the land of Judah … do your prophesying there: Amaziah thought the people of Judah would value Amos's words and believed Amos wanted payment for preaching.

the sanctuary of the king: Amaziah said the Israelites, who were cultured and refined, did not like the prophet. Amaziah was loyal to the king because he wanted to keep his job.

• Amos was not a professional prophet or a disciple in training. He had no financial reason to leave his job to prophesy.

• herdsman: The Hebrew word here differs from the one in Amos 1:1 and is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. It relates to a word for cattle, suggesting Amos may have raised cattle as a breeder or herder (see Amos Book Introduction, “The Prophet Amos”).

• The sycamore-fig was gathered for cattle feed.

Amos did not seek money. Instead, the Lord's voice (see Amos 1:2; 3:8) inspired Amos to prophesy.

against the house of Isaac: Isaac symbolizes all of Israel (see also study note on Amos 7:9; compare Amos 5:6, 15; 6:6).

Since Amaziah tried to silence Amos (Amos 7:12–13), the Lord gave Amaziah a harsh prophecy about his life after the Assyrian siege.