Amos 7:10-17
Amos Confronts a Priest
10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel ▼ sent this message ▼
▼ The direct object of the verb translated “sent” is elided in the Hebrew text. The words “this message” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! ▼▼ Heb “in the middle of the house of Israel.”
The land cannot endure all his prophecies. ▼▼ Heb “words.”
11As a matter of fact, ▼▼ Or “for.”
Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile ▼ away from its land.’” 12 Amaziah then said to Amos, “Leave, you visionary! ▼
▼ Traditionally, “seer.” The word is a synonym for “prophet,” though it may carry a derogatory tone on the lips of Amaziah.
Run away to the land of Judah! Earn your living ▼▼ Heb “Eat bread there.”
and prophesy there! 13Don’t prophesy at Bethel ▼ any longer, for a royal temple and palace are here!” ▼▼ Heb “for it is a temple of a king and it is a royal house.” It is possible that the phrase “royal house” refers to a temple rather than a palace. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 243.
14 Amos replied ▼
▼ Heb “replied and said.” The phrase “and said” is pleonastic (redundant) and has not been included in the translation.
to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. ▼▼ Heb “I was not a prophet nor was I the son of a prophet.” The phrase “son of a prophet” refers to one who was trained in a prophetic guild. Since there is no equative verb present in the Hebrew text, another option is to translate with the present tense, “I am not a prophet by profession.” In this case Amos, though now carrying out a prophetic ministry (v. 15), denies any official or professional prophetic status. Modern English versions are divided about whether to understand the past (JB, NIV, NKJV) or present tense (NASB, NEB, NRSV, NJPS) here.
No, ▼▼ Heb “for.”
I was a herdsman who also took care of ▼▼ Heb “gashed”; or “pierced.”
▼▼ For a discussion of the agricultural background, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 128–29.
sycamore fig trees. ▼▼ It is possible that herdsmen agreed to care for sycamore fig trees in exchange for grazing rights. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 116–17. Since these trees do not grow around Tekoa but rather in the lowlands, another option is that Amos owned other property outside his hometown. In this case, this verse demonstrates his relative wealth and is his response to Amaziah; he did not depend on prophecy as a profession (v. 13).
15Then the Lord took me from tending ▼▼ Heb “from [following] after.”
flocks and gave me this commission, ▼▼ Heb “and the Lord said to me.”
‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’ 16So now listen to the Lord’s message! You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel! Don’t preach ▼▼ The verb, which literally means “to drip,” appears to be a synonym of “to prophesy,” but it might carry a derogatory tone here, perhaps alluding to the impassioned, frenzied way in which prophets sometimes delivered their messages. If so, one could translate, “to drivel; to foam at the mouth” (see HALOT 694 s.v. נטף).
against the family of Isaac!’ 17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets ▼
▼ Heb “in the city,” that is, “in public.”
and your sons and daughters will die violently. ▼
▼ Heb “will fall by the sword.”
Your land will be given to others ▼
▼ Heb “will be divided up with a [surveyor’s] measuring line.”
and you will die in a foreign ▼ land.
Israel will certainly be carried into exile ▼ away from its land.’”
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