Dual PanelA Vision of Locusts
1This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was making locusts. This was at the time the second crop began to grow, after the king’s people had cut the first crop.
2Before the locusts could eat all the grass in the country, I said, “Lord GOD, I beg you, forgive us! Jacob cannot survive! He is too small!”
3Then the LORD changed his mind about this. The LORD said, “It will not happen.”
A Vision of Fire
4This is what the Lord GOD showed me: I saw the Lord GOD calling for judgment by fire. The fire destroyed the ocean and was beginning to eat up the land.
5But I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! Jacob cannot survive! He is too small!”
6Then the LORD changed his mind about this. The Lord GOD said, “It will not happen either.”
A Vision of a Plumb Line
7This is what the Lord showed me: He stood by a wall with a plumb line in his hand. (The wall had been marked with a plumb line.)
8The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said to me, “See, I will put a plumb line among my people Israel. I will not let their ‘crooked ways’ pass inspection anymore.
9Isaac’s high places will be destroyed. Israel’s holy places will be made into a pile of rocks. I will attack and kill Jeroboam’s family with swords.”
Amaziah Tries to Stop Amos
10Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, sent this message to Jeroboam, the king of Israel: “Amos is making plans against you. He is trying to make the people of Israel fight against you. He has been speaking so much that this country cannot hold all his words.
11Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and the people of Israel will be taken as prisoners out of their country.’”
12Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go down to Judah and eat there. Do your prophesying there.
13But don’t prophesy anymore here at Bethel. This is Jeroboam’s holy place. This is Israel’s temple.”
14Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am not a professional prophet, and I am not from a prophet’s family. I raise cattle and take care of sycamore trees.
15I was a shepherd and the LORD took me from following the sheep. The LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
16So listen to the LORD'S message. You tell me, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel. Don’t speak against Isaac’s family.’
17But the LORD says, ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city. Your sons and daughters will be killed with swords. Other people will take your land and divide it among themselves, and you will die in a foreign country. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from this country as prisoners.’”