1 Thus the LORD GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge} showed me, and behold, He was forming locusts at the beginning of the coming up of the latter growth {lekesh: spring regrowth}, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.
2 And when it had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O LORD GOD {YHWH Adonai, Pardoning Sovereign}, forgive {selach-na: please pardon}, I beg You. Who will raise up Jacob? For he is small.”
3 The LORD {YHWH, Merciful Judge} relented {nikham: reversed decision} concerning this; “It will not come about,” said the LORD.
4 Thus the Lord GOD {adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge} showed me: and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend by fire {esh: consuming judgment}, and it consumed the great deep and consumed the portion.
5 Then I said, “O Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}, please cease! Who will raise up Jacob? For he is small {katon: insignificant}.”
6 The LORD {YHWH, Judgment Withholder} relented concerning this; the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Speaker} said, “Even this will not come about.”
7 Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord {Adonai, Supreme Evaluator} was standing beside a wall set with a plumb line {anakh: vertical standard}, and a plumb line was in His hand.
8 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} spoke to me, “Amos, what do you perceive?” And I answered, “A plumb line {anakh: alignment tool}.” Then the Lord {Adonai, Sovereign Master} declared, “Behold, I am placing a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not overlook them again.”
9 The high places {bamot: illicit shrines} of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; I {YHWH, Righteous Judge} shall rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Amaziah {Amatsyah: shrine priest}, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land {haaretz: region’s society} is not able to endure all his words.”
11 For Amos{amos: prophetic voice} has said as follows: “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile{galoh: forced removal} from its land.”
12 Amaziah said to Amos, “Seer {chozeh: prophetic seer}, go away at once to the land {eretz: home territory} of Judah; there eat bread, and there you shall prophesy.”
13 But in Bethel {beit-El: house of God} you shall not continue to prophesy any longer, for it is the king’s sanctuary {mikdash-melekh: royal temple} and it is the house of the kingdom.
14 Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, and I am not a son of a prophet; but I am a herdsman {boqer: livestock tender} and a dresser {boles: fruit worker} of sycamore figs.”
15 The LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Caller} drew me away from tending the flock and said to me, “Go and prophesy to My people {ammi: covenant nation} Israel.”
16 And now, heed the word of the LORD {YHWH, Word-Giver}: You declare, “Prophesy not against Israel, and pour not out {tattif: dripping oracle} against the house of Isaac.”
17 Therefore, thus says the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}: “Your wife will prostitute herself in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword; your land will be divided by a boundary line {hevel: measuring cord}; you will die on unclean soil; and Israel will surely go into exile from its land.”