Amo 7 | JPS | STEP | Thus the L-rd GOD showed me; and, behold, He formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.

‏ Amos 7

1 Thus the L-rd GOD showed me; and, behold, He formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. 2 And if it had come to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land--so I said: O L-rd GOD, forgive, I beseech Thee; how shall Jacob stand? for he is small. 3 HaShem repented concerning this; 'It shall not be', saith HaShem. 4 Thus the L-rd GOD showed me; and, behold, the L-rd GOD called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land. 5 Then said I: O L-rd GOD, cease, I beseech Thee; how shall Jacob stand? for he is small. 6 HaShem repented concerning this; 'This also shall not be', saith the L-rd GOD. 7 Thus He showed me; and, behold, the L-rd stood beside a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand. 8 And HaShem said unto me: 'Amos, what seest thou?' And I said: 'A plumbline.' Then said the L-rd: Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people Israel; I will not again pardon them any more; 9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: 'Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos saith: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.' 12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos: 'O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there; 13 but prophesy not again any more at Beth-el, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.' 14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah: 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdman, and a dresser of sycamore-trees; 15 and HaShem took me from following the flock, and HaShem said unto me: Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. 16 Now therefore hear thou the word of HaShem: Thou sayest: Prophesy not against Israel, and preach not against the house of Isaac; 17 Therefore thus saith HaShem: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou thyself shalt die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'