[1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
Thus — This is the first of five prophetic representations of what was coming upon this people.
The latter growth — The shooting up of the first growth being too luxuriant, they often eat it down with cattle; but if the second growth were eat up, it marred the whole harvest.
Mowed — It is supposed the first mowing of the corn in the blade was for the king's use; and after this the second springing grew up to the harvest.
Verse 2
[2] And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
It came to pass — In the vision.
By whom — How shall any of Jacob escape, if thou dost cast him down?
Verse 3
[3] The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
Repented — This is spoken after the manner of men.
Verse 4
[4] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Shewed — In vision.
Called — Commanded fire from heaven.
A part — Of the land too.
Verse 7
[7] Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
By a plumb-line — Strongly and beautifully built.
Verse 8
[8] And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
Set a plumb-line — I will exactly measure the whole ten tribes.
Pass by them — I will no more forbear, but will pull down all that is faulty.
Verse 9
[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.
The high places — The temples on high mountains built to idols.
Of Isaac — The seed of Isaac.
Verse 10
[10] Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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.
In the midst — Openly, and publickly, endeavouring to stir up Israel to sedition or rebellion.
The land — The people cannot bear all his harsh predictions.
Verse 11
[11] For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Jeroboam shall die — He nowhere said so, but spake of his house distinguished from his person, as verse 9.
Verse 13
[13] But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
The king's court — To which therefore thou oughtest to shew more respect, and not thus to affront the king in his own house.
Verse 14
[14] Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
No prophet — Not originally, or by study, or by any human designation.
An herdman — By breeding and occupation I was and still am, an herdman.
Sycamore fruit — This fruit was good food for man, or cattle.
Verse 16
[16] Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
The house of Isaac — The posterity of Isaac.
Verse 17
[17] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an 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 shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Amos 7 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
Thus — This is the first of five prophetic representations of what was coming upon this people.
The latter growth — The shooting up of the first growth being too luxuriant, they often eat it down with cattle; but if the second growth were eat up, it marred the whole harvest.
Mowed — It is supposed the first mowing of the corn in the blade was for the king's use; and after this the second springing grew up to the harvest.
Verse 2
[2] And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
It came to pass — In the vision.
By whom — How shall any of Jacob escape, if thou dost cast him down?
Verse 3
[3] The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
Repented — This is spoken after the manner of men.
Verse 4
[4] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Shewed — In vision.
Called — Commanded fire from heaven.
A part — Of the land too.
Verse 7
[7] Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
By a plumb-line — Strongly and beautifully built.
Verse 8
[8] And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
Set a plumb-line — I will exactly measure the whole ten tribes.
Pass by them — I will no more forbear, but will pull down all that is faulty.
Verse 9
[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.
The high places — The temples on high mountains built to idols.
Of Isaac — The seed of Isaac.
Verse 10
[10] Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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.
In the midst — Openly, and publickly, endeavouring to stir up Israel to sedition or rebellion.
The land — The people cannot bear all his harsh predictions.
Verse 11
[11] For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Jeroboam shall die — He nowhere said so, but spake of his house distinguished from his person, as verse 9.
Verse 13
[13] But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
The king's court — To which therefore thou oughtest to shew more respect, and not thus to affront the king in his own house.
Verse 14
[14] Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
No prophet — Not originally, or by study, or by any human designation.
An herdman — By breeding and occupation I was and still am, an herdman.
Sycamore fruit — This fruit was good food for man, or cattle.
Verse 16
[16] Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
The house of Isaac — The posterity of Isaac.
Verse 17
[17] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an 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 shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
In a polluted land — Among the Heathen.
Israel — The ten tribes.