1 Here is whatAdonaiElohimshowed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts as the late crop was starting to come up, the late crop after the hay had been cut to pay the king’s tribute.
2 While they were finishing up eating all the vegetation in the land, I said,
“AdonaiElohim, forgive — please!
How will tiny Ya‘akov survive?”
3 SoAdonaichanged his mind about this. “It won’t happen,”Adonaisaid.
4 NextAdonaiElohimshowed me this:AdonaiElohimwas summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too.
5 But I said,
“AdonaiElohim, stop — please!
How will tiny Ya‘akov survive?”
6 Adonaichanged his mind about it. “This too won’t happen,” saidAdonaiElohim.
7 Then he showed me this:adonaiwas standing by a wall made with a plumbline, and he had a plumbline in his hand.
8 Adonaiasked me, “‘Amos, what do you see?” I answered, “A plumbline.” ThenAdonaisaid,
“I am going to put a plumbline in
among my people Isra’el;
I will never again overlook their offenses.
9 The high places of Yitz’chak will be desolate,
Isra’el’s sanctuaries will be destroyed,
and I will attack the house
of Yarov‘am with the sword.”
10 Then Amatzyah the priest of Beit-El sent this message to Yarov‘am king of Isra’el, “‘Amos is conspiring against you there among the people of Isra’el, and the land can’t bear all that he’s saying.
11 For ‘Amos says: ‘Yarov‘am will die by the sword, and Isra’el will be led away from their land into exile.’”
12 Amatzyah also said to ‘Amos, “Go away, seer! Go back to the land of Y’hudah! Earn your living there; and prophesy there;
13 but don’t prophesy any more at Beit-El; for this is the king’s sanctuary, a royal temple.”
14 ‘Amos gave this answer to Amatzyah: “I am not trained as a prophet, and I’m not one of the guild prophets — I own sheep and grow figs.
15 ButAdonaitook me away from following the flock, andAdonaisaid to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Isra’el.’
16 So now, hear whatAdonaisays: ‘You say, “Don’t prophesy against Isra’el, don’t lecture the people of Yitz’chak.”’
17 ThereforeAdonaisays this:
‘Your wife will become a whore in the city,
your sons and daughters will die by the sword,
your land will be parcelled out with a measuring line,
you yourself will die in an unclean land,
and Isra’el will certainly be exiled from their land.’”