AMOS
(Amos, one of the earliest of the prophets, was a poor herdsman of the village of Tekoa, which was about twelve miles southeast of Jerusalem, on the edge of the great wilderness or pasture land, which stretches from the crest of the hills to the Dead Sea. The call of God came to him to leave his herds and speak against the immorality, the oppression of the poor, the injustice of the people in the northern kingdom of Israel. He appeared at one of the great feasts and spoke his message boldly. The priest of Bethel, where the feast was held, was very angry with him, and tried to frighten him by sending to the king the report that he was a traitor. This is)
I
THE MESSAGE OF AMOS AT THE FEAST
This the Lord Jehovah caused me to see: behold, he formed locusts at the beginning of the coming up of the spring crops, and behold, it was after the king's mowings. It came to pass when they had made an end of devouring the verdure of the earth, that I said,
"O Lord Jehovah, pardon, I pray Thee! How shall Jacob rise again? He is so small!"
Jehovah repented for this. "It shall not be," saith Jehovah.
This the Lord Jehovah caused me to see: and behold, the Lord Jehovah was calling fire into the contest; and it devoured the Great Deep, yea, it was about to devour the land.
"O Lord Jehovah, pardon, I pray thee! How shall Jacob rise again? He is so small!"