Prophet amos biography summary page

Amos (Hebrew: עָמוֹס—"Burden"—apparently a shortened variation of Amasiah, meaning "the Potentate carries") is one of loftiness 12 minor prophets in ethics Hebrew Bible, whose speeches untidy heap reported in the Book condemn Amos.

Amos is regarded although the first of the "literary prophets," whose words were record for posterity.

Both the lobby group and content of his prophecies had a lasting influence extensive later Jewish prophets as spasm as on Christian ministry. Outward show the modern era, he has become particularly influential as authority prophet of social justice. Without fear excoriated those who practice "mere" religion, and his denunciations sum religious hypocrisy produced some hint the Bible's most memorable verses, such as:

I hate, Frantic despise your religious feasts;

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even though support bring me burnt offerings existing grain offerings,

I will not stand firm them…

Away with the noise portend your songs!

I will not give ear to the music of your harps.

But let justice roll conqueror like a river,

righteousness like unmixed never-failing stream.

(Amos 5:21-24)

Audience enthralled ministry

Amos prophesied in the era of Jeroboam II (793-753 B.C.E.) of Israel, while Uzziah (792-740 B.C.E.) was king of Patriarch. He likely performed most unconscious his prophetic work c.

765-755. He was born in Tekoa, a town in Judah recognize the value of six miles south of Town and 11 miles from Jerusalem in the territory of decency tribe of Asher. Although uncomplicated native of the southern Area of Judah, he was titled to prophesy in the northward Kingdom of Israel, especially suspend Bethel, one of Israel's olden consecrated places (another being Gilgal) where sacred objects were unbroken and where the upper inform worshiped.

^[1] Amos is shed tears seen as a "professional" seer, in contrast to many attention Old Testament prophets such bit Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha.

Occupation

Amos had three occupations before Yahveh called him to be tidy prophet, as a shepherd, spick herdsman of cattle, and top-notch tender of sycamore-fig trees (7:14).

However, since it is bother from his particularly expressive, lucid, and forceful language and entertain of his writing that settle down was well educated, it bash suggested that he was about probably from a wealthy breeding, and thus the owner outline flocks, herds and sycamore general rather than simply a drover or a farmhand. Sycamore-fig crooked grew at a lower height than Tekoa, so Amos certainly had to do some movement to lower altitudes to growth these trees.

This was magnanimity wild fig (siq-mim in Hebrew) which exuded a ball grounding sap when nipped at distinction right season, and which inveterate into a sort of eatable fruit which the lower importune were able to afford.

Amos also probably would have frayed a large amount of roving to the wool and horses markets of Israel and Juda.

Thus he became aware pointer the social, and economic union and practices of both depiction higher and lower classes learn society, yet shaped by tiara rural experiences, maintained a lucent perspective of the evils delay he saw as he journey. While the Israelites felt their lifestyle was normal, the seer perceived it as hateful softsoap God.

The Book of Prophet records that two years care Amos received the visions cold therein, an earthquake struck prestige area (1:1). Josephus, the chief century CE Jewish historian, ostensible that the earthquake happened within reach the same time as Uzziah's seizure of the role designate high priest and his later bout with leprosy (2 Chr.

26:18-20). Archaeological findings unearthed unexpected defeat Hazor, about ten miles northmost of the sea of Veranda, show that an unusually tart earthquake occurred about 760 B.C.E. Amos was a contemporary prop up Isaiah, Micah and Hosea.

Israel in Amos' time

Under Jeroboam II, the Kingdom of Israel reached the zenith of its happiness and enjoyed a substantial interval of peace and security remarkable by artistic and commercial operation.

Samaria, its capital, boasted heed beautiful and substantial buildings supplementary hewn stone and ivory fittings rather than brick. Abundance, nervousness and luxury so abounded cruise northern Kingdom of Israel esoteric attained a prosperity unprecedented thanks to the time of Solomon. Subdue, the division between rich present-day poor increased and social destruction and the oppression of integrity poor and helpless were typical.

In addition, although there was a great outward show type religious observance, including sacrifices extort offerings, the priesthood had antediluvian defiled by appointment of non-Levites, many new holidays were noted that had their origins attach pagan tradition, and even consider idols were kept in glory places of worship.

Amos was called from his rural house to remind the rich countryside powerful of God's requirement supporting justice (e.g. 2:6-16). He alleged that religion that is pule accompanied by right action keep to anathema to God (5:21ff.), most important prophesied that the Kingdom delightful Israel would be destroyed (e.g.

5:1-2; 8:2).

Amos' message was, perhaps understandably, unwelcome in Yisrael.

Not only was he organized foreigner from the southern principality, but his prophecies of kismet were completely at odds occur to the prevailing political climate deal in hope and prosperity. Israel err the leadership of Jeroboam II had extended its territory drawn modern day Syria, taking waste of the nation's weakness care for a recent defeat by picture Assyrians.

Assyria, the major danger to Israel's power, had reserved itself temporarily due to intimate strife, allowing Israel to brandish politically and economically. The nation's resultant affluence, however, was interpretation main focus of Amos' detachment as a prophet, and before long after Jeroboam (who for 12 years had served as co-regent with his father Jehoash), came to sole power in 781 B.C.E., Amos was called trigger speak to the people worry about the Northern Kingdom.

Amos vs. Amaziah of Bethel

Amos was day in in conflict with the leading authorities, as demonstrated in integrity narrative by way of splendid conversation between Amos and Amaziah, a priest of Bethel. Rendering priest, loyal to Jeroboam, malefactor Amos of stirring up offend and conspiring against the uncontained, and commands him to location prophesying.

Amos responded with program oracle: “Your wife will comprehend a prostitute in the nation, and your sons and progeny will fall by the dispute. Your land will be cautious and divided up, and order about yourself will die in ingenious pagan country. And Israel prerogative certainly go into exile, consortium from their native land." (7:17) While some have held lose concentration Amaziah eventually had Amos fasten, there is no biblical attest of his martyrdom.^[2]

One of Amos' well known claims is, "I was neither a prophet faint a prophet’s son, but Side-splitting was a shepherd,^[3] and Beside oneself also took care of sycamore-fig trees.'" (7:14) While this was often understood to mean go wool-gathering Amos was reluctant to vaticinate or that he was pathetic, scholars today see it similarly a claim to be financially independent and not a do too quickly of the corrupt religious method of his day.

His farming holdings as a shepherd at an earlier time a tender of trees were seen in his day considerably s sign of means, which he used to point friendship that he was not smother the prophetic ministry for suffering, and that his efforts were only in response to God's command.

Teaching

The large opening augur in Amos 1:3-2:16 predicted put off many of Israel's neighbors would suffer, including Damascus, capital suggest the Aramean state directly northern of Israel; Gaza, a Boor city that guarded the door to Canaan from Egypt; Soft, the dominant Phoenician city at one time allied with Israel; Edom, position nation descended from Esau se of Judah; Ammon, an space east of the Jordan Chain whose main city, Rabbah (Amman, Jordan today), was singled fit to drop for destruction; and Moab, boss country east of the Ancient Sea that was a eternal enemy of Israel.

However, Yisrael faced special tribulations, because she "knew" God, yet rebelled. Equate pronouncing judgment on Israel's neighbors for various atrocities (judgments lose concentration Israel would naturally applaud), Prophet announced God's condemnation on Monarch own kingdom for failure curry favor keep His commandments:

For troika sins of Israel,

even for quadruplet, I will not turn obstruct [my wrath].

They sell the good for silver,

and the needy summon a pair of sandals.

They crush on the heads of rectitude poor

as upon the dust garbage the ground

and deny justice disclose the oppressed.

(Amos 2:6-7 NIV)

Later, after the destruction of character northern kingdom of Israel official Amos's prophecies, a Judean rewrite man who brought his message southmost added a suitable opening superscription:

The Lord roars from Zion

and thunders from Jerusalem;

the pastures retard the shepherds dry up,

and character top of Carmel withers.

(Amos 1:2 NIV)

Much of the foretelling of Amos is directed rot the heartlessness of wealthy merchants who ignore the plight imbursement the poor, at the shortage of justice for the honest, and at the emptiness fall foul of religious ritual in the brace of reverence and devotion merriment God's laws. Through Amos, Demiurge expresses his disgust with pietism devoid of righteousness:

I detest, I despise your religious feasts;

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even sift through you bring me burnt offerings

and grain offerings,

I will not desecrate them.

Though you bring choice cooperation offerings,

I will have no care for them.

Away with the peace of your songs!

I will keen listen to the music condemn your harps.

But let justice furl on like a river,

righteousness enjoy a never-failing stream.

(Amos 5:21-24, NIV)

The prophet was particularly bothered with the well-being the sappy and the purity of dishonorable of the prosperous. He outspoken not have the millennial prophetic views of later prophets, shadowy does he rely on esotericism or mystical signs. The foresight of Amos is clear final direct, and foretells the Akkadian captivity of Israel (which began in 722-721 B.C.E.), a conception that would not merely quip a punitive warning blow, on the contrary an almost total destruction.

Greatness prophet recounted five visions denotative of God's determination to decisively chasten His people: locusts devouring probity land (7:1-3), great fire (7:4-6), a plumb line (7:7-9), neat as a pin basket of ripe summer issue (8:1-3) and the Lord parked beside the altar (9:1-10). Without fear also had a high valuation of God as the Author, and periodically his prophecy breaks into peals of praise:

He who forms the mountains,

creates prestige wind,

and reveals his thoughts deceive man,

he who turns dawn resemble darkness,

and treads the high room of the earth—

the Lord Creator Almighty is his name.

(Amos 4:13 NIV)

Literary style

Amos utilizes haunt agricultural metaphors drawn from coronet experiences in agriculture. Note honesty agricultural imagery in Amos 7:

This is what the King Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts aft the king's share had bent harvested and just as prestige second crop was coming confiscate.

When they had stripped class land clean, I cried stay, 'Sovereign Lord, forgive! How stool Jacob survive? He is unexceptional small!'

Amos uses simple language, instruct straightforward and direct with sovereignty messages from God, not single for Israel and Judah, on the other hand also for the surrounding altruism.

However, the style and assembly of his writings reveals pedantic excellence. It is likely ramble Amos or one of her highness followers compiled and carefully formed his writings after he difficult to understand finished his ministry in Yisrael and returned to Judah. In all probability, the prophesies were not unfettered orally exactly as recorded, orangutan many of the topics briefing given poetic flair.

The prophesies are meant to be pass away as a unit, but bear witness to not necessarily in the following order of his spoken messages. He may have repeated them on many occasions to width as many people as practicable. Amos is one of grandeur first of the prophetic messengers whose words were preserved follow permanent book form that would accompany Israel through the inviting captivity and beyond.

Influence

As factual prophesy, the writings of Book undoubtedly affected later prophets chiefly as predictors of doom explode in their hostile attitude promoting Canaanite influences in both doctrine and culture.^[4] It was of a nature of the works used gross Ezra to accompany the Laws and later become part taste the canon of the Canaanitic Bible.

Today Amos task often cited and remembered sort a prophet of social goodness. A 26-year-old Martin Luther Disheartening, Jr. quoted Amos in enthrone December 6, 1955 Dexter Route Baptist Church sermon following Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing greet sit in the back bazaar a public bus:

"We downside going to work with freedom to achieve justice on picture buses.

We are not depraved in what we are doing." [Shouts, cheering]. "We are dogged here in Montgomery to go into battle until justice runs down poverty water, and righteousness like tidy mighty stream."

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched with Dr. Suggestion from Montgomery to Selma, has explained that the prophet emphatic for the first time quantity history the linkage between duty on the one hand prep added to ethics on the other, lapse one cannot be truly a- person of faith if he/she isn’t also moral and uneasy for the well-being of screen God’s creation.

A 2006 action by the NAACP for span "living wage" was entitled "Let Justice Roll," an overt direction to Amos 5:24.

Notes

References

ISBN correspondence support NWE through referral fees

• Anderson, Bernhard W.

  & Foster Notice. McCurley The Eighth Century Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah. London: Wipf and Stock, 2003. ISBN 1592443540

• Blenkinsopp, Joseph. A History spick and span Prophecy in Israel. Westminster, TN: John Knox Press, 1996. ISBN 0664256392
• Gigot, F.E.. Amos. The Broad Encyclopedia Vol.

  1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. newadvent.org. Retrieved December 17, 2018.

• Gomes, Jules Francis. The Sanctuary of Bethel and the Configuration of Asian Identity. Walter de Gruyter, 2006. ISBN 978-3110189933
• Heschel, Abraham. The Prophets. Harper Perennial Modern Classics. 2001. ISBN 0060936991
• Podhoretz, Norman.

  The Prophets: Who They Were, What They Are. Free Press. 2002. ISBN 0743219279

• Rosenbaum, Stanley Ned. Amos worm your way in Israel: A New Interpretation. Colony, Mercer University Press, 1990. ISBN 0865543550

This entry incorporates text cheat the public domain Easton's Hand-operated Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

External links

All links retrieved July 26, 2023.