This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,[a] with a plumb line[b] in his hand. 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)

“The high places(E) of Isaac will be destroyed
    and the sanctuaries(F) of Israel will be ruined;
    with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.(G)

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:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
    and Israel will surely go into exile,(L)
    away from their native land.’”(M)

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,

“‘Do not prophesy against(Z) Israel,
    and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wife will become a prostitute(AA) in the city,
    and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a pagan[c] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,(AB)
    away from their native land.(AC)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain; also in verse 8.
  3. Amos 7:17 Hebrew an unclean

Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall 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 hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

17 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

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Vision of the Plumb Line

Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”

And I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

“Behold, (A)I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
(B)I will not pass by them anymore.
(C)The [a]high places of Isaac shall be desolate,
And the [b]sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste.
(D)I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.”

Amaziah’s Complaint

10 Then Amaziah the (E)priest of (F)Bethel sent to (G)Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to [c]bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said:

‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
And Israel shall surely be led away (H)captive
From their own land.’ ”

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos:

“Go, you seer!
Flee to the land of Judah.
There eat bread,
And there prophesy.
13 But (I)never again prophesy at Bethel,
(J)For it is the king’s [d]sanctuary,
And it is the royal [e]residence.”

14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah:

“I was no prophet,
Nor was I (K)a son of a prophet,
But I was a (L)sheepbreeder
And a tender of sycamore fruit.
15 Then the Lord took me [f]as I followed the flock,
And the Lord said to me,
‘Go, (M)prophesy to My people Israel.’
16 Now therefore, hear the word of the Lord:
You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
And (N)do not [g]spout against the house of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore(O) thus says the Lord:

(P)‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city;
Your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
Your land shall be divided by survey line;
You shall die in a (Q)defiled land;
And Israel shall surely be led away captive
From his own land.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:9 Places of pagan worship
  2. Amos 7:9 Or holy places
  3. Amos 7:10 Or endure
  4. Amos 7:13 Or holy place
  5. Amos 7:13 Lit. house
  6. Amos 7:15 Lit. from behind
  7. Amos 7:16 Lit. drip