1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa^(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,^(B) when Uzziah^(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam^(D) son of Jehoash^[a] was king of Israel.^(E)

⁸ And the Lord asked me, “What do you see,^(A) Amos?^(B)”

“A plumb line,^(C)” I replied.

Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.^(D)

Amos and Amaziah

¹⁰ Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel^(H) sent a message to Jeroboam^(I) king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy^(J) against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words.^{(K) 11} For this is what Amos is saying:

¹² Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer!^(N) Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.^{(O) 13} Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel,^(P) because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple^(Q) of the kingdom.^(R)”

¹⁴ Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet^(S) nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.^{(T) 15} But the Lord took me from tending the flock^(U) and said to me, ‘Go,^(V) prophesy^(W) to my people Israel.’^{(X) 16} Now then, hear^(Y) the word of the Lord. You say,

² “What do you see,^(A) Amos?^(B)” he asked.

“A basket^(C) of ripe fruit,” I answered.

Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.^(D)