Chapter 7
The Locusts, Fire, and Plumb Line
1
This is what the Lord GOD showed me…: He was preparing swarms of locusts just after the king’s harvest, as the late spring crop… was coming up -.
𐤊𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤑𐤓 𐤂𐤁𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤂𐤆𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤋𐤒𐤔 𐤁𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤕 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤒𐤔
כֹּ֤ה אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ וְהִנֵּה֙ יוֹצֵ֣ר גֹּבַ֔י אַחַ֖ר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ גִּזֵּ֥י עֲל֣וֹת הַלָּ֑קֶשׁ בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת וְהִ֨נֵּה־ לֶ֔קֶשׁ kōh ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh hir·’a·nî wə·hin·nêh yō·w·ṣêr gō·ḇay ’a·ḥar ham·me·leḵ giz·zê ‘ă·lō·wṯ hal·lā·qeš biṯ·ḥil·laṯ wə·hin·nêh- le·qeš — WLC · 1
2
And when the locusts had eaten every green plant in the land, I said, “Lord GOD, please forgive! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”
𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤌 𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤅𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤔𐤁 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤍𐤀 𐤎𐤋𐤇 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤒𐤈𐤍
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־ כִּלָּה֙ לֶֽאֱכוֹל֙ אֶת־ עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֔רֶץ וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ נָ֔א סְֽלַֽח־ מִ֥י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב יָק֖וּם כִּ֥י הֽוּא׃ קָטֹ֖ן wə·hā·yāh ’im- kil·lāh le·’ĕ·ḵō·wl ’eṯ- ‘ê·śeḇ hā·’ā·reṣ wā·’ō·mar ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh nā sə·laḥ- mî ya·‘ă·qōḇ yā·qūm kî hū qā·ṭōn — WLC · 2
3
So the LORD relented from this [plan]. “It will not happen,” [He] said.
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤍𐤇𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓
יְהוָ֖ה נִחַ֥ם עַל־ זֹ֑את לֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה יְהוָֽה׃ אָמַ֥ר Yah·weh ni·ḥam ‘al- zōṯ lō ṯih·yeh Yah·weh ’ā·mar — WLC · 3
4
This is what the Lord GOD showed me…: The Lord GOD was calling for judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land.
𐤊𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤋𐤓𐤁 𐤁𐤀𐤔 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤕𐤄𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤇𐤋𐤒
כֹּ֤ה אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה קֹרֵ֛א לָרִ֥ב בָּאֵ֖שׁ וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ אֶת־ רַבָּ֔ה תְּה֣וֹם וְאָכְלָ֖ה אֶת־ הַחֵֽלֶק׃ kōh ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh hir·’a·nî wə·hin·nêh ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh qō·rê lā·riḇ bā·’êš wat·tō·ḵal ’eṯ- rab·bāh tə·hō·wm wə·’ā·ḵə·lāh ’eṯ- ha·ḥê·leq — WLC · 4
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Then I said, “Lord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”
𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤍𐤀 𐤇𐤃𐤋 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤒𐤈𐤍
וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ נָ֔א חֲדַל־ מִ֥י יַעֲקֹ֑ב יָק֖וּם כִּ֥י הֽוּא׃ קָטֹ֖ן wā·’ō·mar ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh nā ḥă·ḏal- mî ya·‘ă·qōḇ yā·qūm kî hū qā·ṭōn — WLC · 5
6
So the LORD relented from this [plan]. “It will not happen either,” said the Lord GOD.
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤍𐤇𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄𐤎
יְהוָ֖ה נִחַ֥ם עַל־ זֹ֑את הִיא֙ לֹ֣א תִֽהְיֶ֔ה גַּם־ אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ס Yah·weh ni·ḥam ‘al- zōṯ hî lō ṯih·yeh gam- ’ā·mar ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh — WLC · 6
7
This is what He showed me: Behold, the Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand.
𐤊𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤑𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕 𐤀𐤍𐤊 𐤀𐤍𐤊 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤅
כֹּ֣ה הִרְאַ֔נִי וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲדֹנָ֛י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־ חוֹמַ֣ת אֲנָ֑ךְ אֲנָֽךְ׃ וּבְיָד֖וֹ kōh hir·’a·nî wə·hin·nêh ’ă·ḏō·nāy niṣ·ṣāḇ ‘al- ḥō·w·maṯ ’ă·nāḵ ’ă·nāḵ ū·ḇə·yā·ḏōw — WLC · 7
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“Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD… “A plumb line,” I replied. “Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer… spare them:
𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎 𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤊 𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤁 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤐 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤓 𐤋𐤅
עָמ֔וֹס מָֽה־ אַתָּ֤ה רֹאֶה֙ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֲנָ֑ךְ וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנְנִ֨י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲדֹנָ֗י שָׂ֤ם אֲנָךְ֙ בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹֽא־ אוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד עֲב֥וֹר לֽוֹ׃ ‘ā·mō·ws māh- ’at·tāh rō·’eh way·yō·mer Yah·weh ’ê·lay ’ă·nāḵ wā·’ō·mar hin·nî way·yō·mer ’ă·ḏō·nāy śām ’ă·nāḵ bə·qe·reḇ ‘am·mî yiś·rā·’êl lō- ’ō·w·sîp̄ ‘ō·wḏ ‘ă·ḇō·wr lōw — WLC · 8
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The high places of Isaac will be deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with My sword.”
𐤁𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤅𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤒𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤌 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤐
בָּמ֣וֹת יִשְׂחָ֔ק וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ וּמִקְדְּשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ וְקַמְתִּ֛י עַל־ בֵּ֥ית יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּחָֽרֶב׃פ bā·mō·wṯ yiś·ḥāq wə·nā·šam·mū ū·miq·də·šê yiś·rā·’êl ye·ḥĕ·rā·ḇū wə·qam·tî ‘al- bêṯ yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām be·ḥā·reḇ — WLC · 9
Amaziah Accuses Amos
10
Then Amaziah the priest vvv 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 cannot… bear all his words,
𐤀𐤌𐤑𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤄𐤍 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤌 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎 𐤒𐤔𐤓 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤁 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤄𐤊𐤉𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤅
אֲמַצְיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן בֵּֽית־ אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֶל־ יָרָבְעָ֥ם מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר עָמ֗וֹס קָשַׁ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹא־ תוּכַ֣ל לְהָכִ֖יל אֶת־ כָּל־ דְּבָרָֽיו׃ ’ă·maṣ·yāh kō·hên bêṯ- ’êl way·yiš·laḥ ’el- yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām me·leḵ- yiś·rā·’êl lê·mōr ‘ā·mō·ws qā·šar ‘ā·le·ḵā bə·qe·reḇ bêṯ yiś·rā·’êl hā·’ā·reṣ lō- ṯū·ḵal lə·hā·ḵîl ’eṯ- kāl- də·ḇā·rāw — WLC · 10
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for this is what Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile…, away from their homeland.’”
𐤊𐤉 𐤊𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤌 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤕𐤅𐤎
כִּי־ כֹה֙ עָמ֔וֹס אָמַ֣ר יָרָבְעָ֑ם יָמ֣וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל גָּלֹ֥ה יִגְלֶ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃ס kî- ḵōh ‘ā·mō·ws ’ā·mar yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām yā·mūṯ ba·ḥe·reḇ wə·yiś·rā·’êl gā·lōh yiḡ·leh mê·‘al ’aḏ·mā·ṯōw — WLC · 11
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And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread… there and do your prophesying there.
𐤀𐤌𐤑𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎 𐤋𐤊 𐤇𐤆𐤄 𐤁𐤓𐤇 𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤌 𐤕𐤍𐤁𐤀 𐤔𐤌
אֲמַצְיָה֙ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־ עָמ֔וֹס לֵ֥ךְ חֹזֶ֕ה בְּרַח־ לְךָ֖ אֶל־ אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וֶאֱכָל־ לֶ֔חֶם וְשָׁ֖ם תִּנָּבֵֽא׃ שָׁ֣ם ’ă·maṣ·yāh way·yō·mer ’el- ‘ā·mō·ws lêḵ ḥō·zeh bə·raḥ- lə·ḵā ’el- ’e·reṣ yə·hū·ḏāh we·’ĕ·ḵāl- le·ḥem wə·šām tin·nā·ḇê šām — WLC · 12
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But never prophesy vvv at Bethel again…, because it [is] the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom
𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤄𐤍𐤁𐤀 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤐 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤌𐤒𐤃𐤔 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀𐤎
לֹֽא־ לְהִנָּבֵ֑א וּבֵֽית־ אֵ֔ל תוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד כִּ֤י ה֔וּא מִקְדַּשׁ־ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ וּבֵ֥ית מַמְלָכָ֖ה הֽוּא׃ס lō- lə·hin·nā·ḇê ū·ḇêṯ- ’êl ṯō·w·sîp̄ ‘ō·wḏ kî hū miq·daš- me·leḵ ū·ḇêṯ mam·lā·ḵāh hū — WLC · 13
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“I… was not a prophet,” Amos replied -, “[nor was I] the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman [and] a tender of sycamore-fig trees.
𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍 𐤀𐤌𐤑𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤍 𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤅𐤒𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤅𐤁𐤅𐤋𐤎 𐤔𐤒𐤌𐤉𐤌
אָנֹ֔כִי וְלֹ֥א לֹא־ נָבִ֣יא עָמוֹס֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־ וַיַּ֤עַן אֲמַצְיָ֔ה בֶן־ נָבִ֖יא כִּֽי־ אָנֹ֑כִי בוֹקֵ֥ר אָנֹ֖כִי וּבוֹלֵ֥ס שִׁקְמִֽים׃ ’ā·nō·ḵî wə·lō lō- nā·ḇî ‘ā·mō·ws way·yō·mer ’el- way·ya·‘an ’ă·maṣ·yāh ḇen- nā·ḇî kî- ’ā·nō·ḵî ḇō·w·qêr ’ā·nō·ḵî ū·ḇō·w·lês šiq·mîm — WLC · 14
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But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me,… ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤇𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉 𐤄𐤑𐤀𐤍 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤊 𐤄𐤍𐤁𐤀 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋
יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּקָּחֵ֣נִי מֵאַחֲרֵ֖י הַצֹּ֑אן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלַי֙ יְהוָ֔ה לֵ֥ךְ הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־ עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ Yah·weh way·yiq·qā·ḥê·nî mê·’a·ḥă·rê haṣ·ṣōn way·yō·mer ’ê·lay Yah·weh lêḵ hin·nā·ḇê ’el- ‘am·mî yiś·rā·’êl — WLC · 15
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Now, therefore, hear the word of the LORD. You say: ‘Do not prophesy against Israel; do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤍𐤁𐤀 𐤏𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤈𐤉𐤐 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒
וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֑ה אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֗ר לֹ֤א תִנָּבֵא֙ עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תַטִּ֖יף עַל־ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂחָֽק׃ wə·‘at·tāh šə·ma‘ də·ḇar- Yah·weh ’at·tāh ’ō·mêr lō ṯin·nā·ḇê ‘al- yiś·rā·’êl wə·lō ṯaṭ·ṭîp̄ ‘al- bêṯ yiś·ḥāq — WLC · 16
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Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile…, away from their homeland.’”
𐤋𐤊𐤍 𐤊𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤕𐤊 𐤕𐤆𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤐𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤕𐤊 𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤒 𐤁𐤇𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤈𐤌𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤃𐤌𐤕𐤅𐤎
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־ יְהוָ֗ה אָמַ֣ר אִשְׁתְּךָ֞ תִּזְנֶה֙ בָּעִ֤יר וּבָנֶ֤יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ יִפֹּ֔לוּ בַּחֶ֣רֶב וְאַדְמָתְךָ֖ תְּחֻלָּ֑ק בַּחֶ֣בֶל וְאַתָּ֗ה תָּמ֔וּת עַל־ טְמֵאָה֙ אֲדָמָ֤ה וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל גָּלֹ֥ה יִגְלֶ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃ס lā·ḵên kōh- Yah·weh ’ā·mar ’iš·tə·ḵā tiz·neh bā·‘îr ū·ḇā·ne·ḵā ū·ḇə·nō·ṯe·ḵā yip·pō·lū ba·ḥe·reḇ wə·’aḏ·mā·ṯə·ḵā tə·ḥul·lāq ba·ḥe·ḇel wə·’at·tāh tā·mūṯ ‘al- ṭə·mê·’āh ’ă·ḏā·māh wə·yiś·rā·’êl gā·lōh yiḡ·leh mê·‘al ’aḏ·mā·ṯōw — WLC · 17