1 T hus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth 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 it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is 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 repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.

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

4 T hus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.

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 beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

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

6 T he Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.

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

7 T hus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline 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 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:

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 shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

“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 hath conspired against thee 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 saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own 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 unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy 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 prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

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

14 T hen 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:

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 unto me, Go, prophesy unto 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 hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against 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 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.

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.’”