1 T hus the Lord God showed me, and behold, He formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the second crop, and behold, it was the second crop after the king’s mowings.

Thus the Lord God showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing.

2 A nd when had finished eating the plants of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I pray You. How can Jacob stand? For he is so small!

And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said, “ Lord God, please pardon! How can Jacob stand, For he is small?”

3 T he Lord relented and revoked this sentence: It shall not take place, said the Lord.

The Lord changed His mind about this. “It shall not be,” said the Lord.

4 T hus the Lord God showed me, and behold, the Lord God called for punishment with fire, and it devoured the great deep and would have eaten up the land.

Thus the Lord God showed me, and behold, the Lord God was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land.

5 T hen said I, O Lord God, cease, I pray You! How can Jacob stand? He is so little!

Then I said, “ Lord God, please stop! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?”

6 T he Lord relented and revoked this sentence: This also shall not be, said the Lord.

The Lord changed His mind about this. “This too shall not be,” said the Lord God.

7 T hus He showed me, and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.

Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand.

8 A nd the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumb line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I am setting a plumb line as a standard in the midst of My people Israel. I will not pass by and spare them any more.

The Lord said to me, “ What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.

9 A nd the high places of Isaac (Israel) shall be desolate and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise with the sword against the house of King Jeroboam.

“The high places of Isaac will be desolated And the sanctuaries of Israel laid waste. Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” Amos Accused, Answers

10 T hen Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words.

11 F or thus Amos has said, Jeroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.

For thus Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”

12 A lso Amaziah said to Amos, O you seer, go! Flee back to the land of Judah, and eat your bread and live out your profession as a prophet there.

Then Amaziah said to Amos, “ Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah and there eat bread and there do your prophesying!

13 B ut do not prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a seat of his kingdom.

But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence.”

14 T hen Amos said to Amaziah, I was no prophet! Neither was I a prophet’s son; I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees and a gatherer of sycamore figs.

Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.

15 A nd the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel.

But the Lord took me from following the flock and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’

16 N ow therefore listen to the word of the Lord: You say, Do not prophesy against Israel and drop no statements not complimentary to the house of Isaac.

Now hear the word of the Lord: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you speak against the house of Isaac.’

17 T herefore thus says the Lord: Your wife shall be a harlot in the city and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided up by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean and defiled land, and Israel shall surely go forth out of his land into exile.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, ‘Your wife will become a harlot in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line and you yourself will die upon unclean soil. Moreover, Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”