The Locusts, Fire, and Plumbline 1Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, He is forming locusts at the beginning of the ascending of the latter growth, and lo, the latter growth is after the mowings of the king; 2and it hath come to pass, when it hath finished to consume the herb of the land, that I say: 'Lord Jehovah, forgive, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he is small?' 3Jehovah hath repented of this, 'It shall not be,' said Jehovah. 4Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, the Lord Jehovah is calling to contend by fire, and it consumeth the great deep, yea, it hath consumed the portion, and I say: 5Lord Jehovah, cease, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he is small?' 6Jehovah hath repented of this, 'It also shall not be,' said the Lord Jehovah. 7Thus hath He shewed me, and lo, the Lord is standing by a wall made according to a plumb-line, and in His hand a plumb-line; 8and Jehovah saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing, Amos?' And I say, 'A plumb-line;' and the Lord saith: 'Lo, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of My people Israel, I do not add any more to pass over to it. 9And desolated have been high places of Isaac, And sanctuaries of Israel are wasted, And I have risen against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.' Amaziah Accuses Amos 10And Amaziah priest of Beth-El sendeth unto 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, 11for thus said Amos: By sword die doth Jeroboam, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.' 12And Amaziah saith unto Amos, 'Seer, go flee for thee unto the land of Judah, and eat there bread, and there thou dost prophesy; 13and at Beth-El do not add to prophesy any more, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.' 14And Amos answereth and saith unto Amaziah, 'I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son am I, but a herdsman I am, and a cultivator of sycamores, 15and Jehovah taketh me from after the flock, and Jehovah saith unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. 16And now, hear a word of Jehovah: thou art saying, Do not prophesy against Israel, nor drop any thing against the house of Isaac, 17therefore thus said Jehovah: Thy wife in the city doth go a-whoring, And thy sons and thy daughters by sword do fall, And thy land by line is apportioned, And thou on an unclean land diest, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.' |
    |