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 judgment 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.’”
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