Amo 8:1-2 | NET2full | STEP | The Sovereign Lord showed me this : I saw a basket of summer fruit .

‏ Amos 8:1-2

More Visions and Messages of Judgment

1 The Sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw ^{▼▼tn Heb “behold” or “look.”} a basket of summer fruit. ^{▼▼sn The basket of summer fruit (also in the following verse) probably refers to figs from the summer crop, which ripens in August-September. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 115.} 2 He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I replied, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end ^{▼▼sn There is a sound play here. The Hebrew word קֵץ (qets, “end”) sounds like קָיִץ (qayits, “summer fruit”). Possibly they were pronounced alike in the Northern dialect of Hebrew. This is a case where the vision is not the prophecy, but simply the occasion for a prophecy. The basket of summer fruit is only relevant as a means to get Amos to say qayits (קָיִץ) as an occasion for the Lord to say qets (קֵץ) and make the prophecy. Cf. Jer 1:11-14; Amos 7:7-8.} has come for my people Israel! I will no longer overlook their sins. ^{▼▼tn Heb “I will no longer pass over him.”}