Chapter 7

1 The judgments of the grasshoppers, 4 and of the fire, are diverted by the prayer of Amos. 7 By the wall of a plumbline is signified the rejection of Israel. 10 Amaziah complaineth of Amos. 14 Amos sheweth his calling, 16 and Amaziah’s judgment.

1. Grasshoppers. Rather, “locusts.”

In the beginning. Most likely at the time when the second mowing or crop of the same field was beginning to grow. The ravages of the locusts at this season would be most damaging.

The king’s mowings. It has been deduced from this statement that the first crop on certain lands must have been taken by the king for his use.

2. Grass. Heb. ФesЊeb, not what we generally term “grass,” but rather more mature herbage, in which the seed is prominent (see on Gen. 1:11).

Forgive. Hoping that he might be able to avert the fulfillment of this prophecy, Amos earnestly beseeches God for forgiveness for Israel. The prophet places his reliance, not upon divine justice, but upon divine mercy.

Arise. Or, “stand.” The prophet asks, “If Israel has to endure the severe judgment the vision pictures, how can he survive?”

3. The Lord repented. See on Num. 23:19. When sinners repent of their evil, God “repents” of His purpose to punish and destroy them (see Jer. 18:8; 42:10; Joel 2:12–14; Jonah 3). Divine threatenings are really conditional prophecies, their fulfillment or nonfulfillment being conditioned by our wrong or right action.

The locust invasion was seen in vision. There is difference of opinion as to whether it represented a literal insect invasion, either past or threatened, or stood for earlier chastisements God had employed to lead His people to repentance, or referred to enemy invasion such as that of Tiglath-pileser III (1 Chron. 5:26). See further on Amos 7:4.

4. Fire. As with the locusts (see on v. 3), there is difference of opinion as to whether the fire represented a searing drought or an enemy invasion. In favor of the first view might be cited the parallel between the judgments here described and those mentioned in ch. 4:6–9. On the other hand the incursions of the enemy preliminary to the final catastrophic overthrow of the nation could also be fittingly represented by these symbols. The present vision shows that God had been willing to mitigate the judgments He had earlier threatened or visited upon them. However, the people had now reached the limit of God’s forbearance. The plumb line would be set (v. 8) and the people would go into captivity (v. 9).

Great deep. A possible reference to subterranean fountains and springs (see Gen. 7:11; 49:25) which would be dried up in a drought.

Eat up a part. If the fire represents invasion it is possible that there is here a prediction of the invasion of the Assyrian king when he conquered the eastern and northern parts of Israel, and carried captive some of the people to Assyria (see 2 Kings 15:29).

5. Then said I. The prophet’s intercession here is the same as that in v. 2, except that here he says “cease” instead of “forgive” (see on v. 2).

7. Plumbline. An instrument used by builders to make their work even and perpendicular. Evidently the “plumbline” symbolizes the Lord’s examination of the conduct of Israel.

8. What seest thou? The use of a question provides an opportunity for the presentation of an explanation of the symbol (see Jer. 1:11, 13; 24:3).

Set a plumbline. To see whether the wall meets the specifications. Israel, of course, fell short of the divine requirements and would be rejected.

Not again pass by. The northern kingdom is no more to be spared (see ch. 8:2). Israel’s continued adherence to evil offers no hope of her repentance, and so the prophet intercedes no more. The northern kingdom must experience conquest by Assyria, and be led into captivity (see 2 Kings 18:9–12).

9. The high places. See on Jer. 2:20.

Isaac. Here used as a synonym for Israel.

The sanctuaries. These were the centers of idol worship at Dan and Bethel (see 1 Kings 12:26–30), at Gilgal (see Amos 4:4), and perhaps at other places.

With the sword. There is every reason to suppose that Jeroboam II was popular because of his successful wars and his conquest of Syria (see 2 Kings 14:23–28). Nevertheless, his “house,” or dynasty, was overthrown by the sword when Shallum murdered Jeroboam’s son, Zachariah (see 2 Kings 15:8–10).

10. Amaziah the priest. The prophet’s straight message, striking at the evil conditions among the people of Israel, naturally aroused resentful opposition. The priest at Bethel (see 1 Kings 12:31, 32; 13:33) accused Amos before the king. Amaziah was probably the chief of the idol priests. He craftily endeavored to make Amos’ prediction against the royal house appear to be treason. Thus he hoped to silence the messages addressed to Israel by the prophet Amos.

Hath conspired. In their hatred of the children of God the wicked have often accused the righteous of subverting the government (see Jer. 37:11–15; 38:4; Acts 16:20, 21; 17:6, 7).

11. Die by the sword. It may be that Amaziah here misconstrued, somewhat, the prophetic message of Amos. The prophet had foretold a sword against the “house of Jeroboam” (v. 9), which would not necessarily mean that the monarch himself would perish by the sword. However, rightly understood, this punishment was indeed that which must come upon king and nation if they remained impenitent (see PK 286).

12. Go, flee thee away. Some have inferred from this priestly charge that Jeroboam II took no action in response to Amaziah’s accusation. Perhaps the king felt that the declarations of a visionary need not be taken seriously. Like Herod, he may have feared the people (see Matt. 14:5), who, he presumed, were impressed by the message of Amos. Thus the apostate priest, Amaziah, resorted to his own authority, such as it in his attempt to intimidate Amos and make him leave the country.

Judah. Perhaps Amos would be received favorably in Judah because he came from there.

Eat bread. Perhaps an insinuation that Amos was paid to prophesy, and so made gain from his godliness. Amaziah may have attributed to Amos the worldly motives that influenced himself.

13. The king’s chapel. Literally, “the sanctuary of the king,” that is, a chapel, either founded or patronized by the king (see 1 Kings 12:26–33). Under divine direction the courageous prophet was willing to carry God’s message into the very center of apostate worship (see on Amos 7:10).

The king’s court. Literally, “house of the kingdom,” undoubtedly a royal sanctuary. Evidently both Amaziah and Amos considered Bethel the religious capital of the nation. The name Bethel means “house of God”; Jeroboam had usurped this “house of God” and made it “the house of the kingdom.”

14. I was no prophet. Unafraid, Amos denies Amaziah’s insinuation (see on v. 12) and declares that he is not a prophet by profession or to gain a livelihood, but simply because of God’s call.

A prophet’s son. Students reared in the schools of the prophets were called “sons of the prophets” (see 1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings 2:5). Amos was not trained in any human institution. It is a common mistake to suppose that those who have not been educated according to generally accepted standards have not been educated at all. The Lord taught Amos in the solitude of the fields, of the valleys, and of the hills of Judea as he tended the sheep and as he gathered the fruit of the sycamore-fig tree (see on Luke 19:4).

Gatherer of sycomore fruit. This denotes either one who gathers sycamore figs for his own use, or one who cultivates them for others. The fruit of the sycamore-fig tree is greatly inferior to the true fig, and needs to be punctured some time before it is gathered, in order to render it edible (see on Luke 19:4). Since this tree yielded many crops of fruit during the year, it would provide steady employment to the dresser.

15. As I followed the flock. Literally, “from behind the flock” (see 2 Sam. 7:8; Ps. 78:70). God’s commission was imperative, and Amos could not but obey it. Now was no time for the prophet to turn back just because Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, opposed him.

16. Now therefore hear. Conscious of his divine commission, Amos speaks forth with holy boldness. Those who are sent of God need not fear what men attempt to do to silence their message.

Drop not thy word. That is, the prophet was supposed to stop prophesying (see Eze. 21:2, 7; Micah 2:6, 11). The LXX reads “raise not a tumult.”

17. Thy wife. Grievous would be Amaziah’s suffering as a captive husband and father. This prophecy does not state that his wife would become a “harlot” by choice; it may simply mean that she would endure the victor’s violence when the city was taken by an invading army (see Isa. 13:16; Lam. 5:11).

A polluted land. Probably a reference to a “Gentile” country. A people’s iniquities and idolatries are frequently said to defile the land (Lev. 18:24, 25; Jer. 2:7).

Go into captivity. Amos confirms, by repetition, his prophecy concerning the captivity of Israel (v. 11), indicating that the divine purpose is unchanged. As a true prophet of God he cannot change his message under the force of outside pressure. Captivity would come to unrepentant Israel, and it did come (2 Kings 17:1–9).

Ellen G. White comments

10  PK 284

11–13, 17PK 286