Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Yahweh promises to punish the Northern Israelites, reestablish the house of David, and bring prosperity back to the land.
II. Photo
God will send Israel into exile: “For I will give the order and shake the House of Israel — through all the nations — as one shakes [sand] in a sieve, and not a pebble falls to the ground.” (v. 9)
III. Important Verses
1-4: I saw my LORD standing by the altar, and He said: Strike the capitals so that the thresholds quake, and make an end of the first of them all. And I will slay the last of them with the sword; not one of them shall escape, and not one of them shall survive. If they burrow down to Sheol, From there My hand shall take them; And if they ascend to heaven, From there I will bring them down. If they hide on the top of Carmel, There I will search them out and seize them; And if they conceal themselves from My sight At the bottom of the sea, There I will command The serpent to bite them. And if they go into captivity Before their enemies, There I will command The sword to slay them. I will fix My eye on them for evil And not for good.
7: To Me, O Israelites, you are Just like the Ethiopians — declares the LORD. True, I brought Israel up From the land of Egypt, But also the Philistines from Caphtor And the Arameans from Kir.
9: For I will give the order And shake the House of Israel — Through all the nations — As one shakes [sand] in a sieve, And not a pebble falls to the ground.
13-15: A time is coming — declares the LORD — ¶ When the plowman shall meet the reaper, And the treader of grapes Him who holds the [bag of] seed; When the mountains shall drip wine And all the hills shall wave [with grain]. I will restore My people Israel. They shall rebuild ruined cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine; They shall till gardens and eat their fruits. And I will plant them upon their soil, Nevermore to be uprooted From the soil I have given them — said the LORD your God.
IV. Outline
1a. Introduction to the vision: God standing by the altar
1b-4. God will kill the Northern Israelites, no matter where they are
5-6. Amos praises God’s might and creation
7. Israel is not unique
8-10. God will “sieve” the Israelites through exile
11-12. God will reestablish the house of David
13-15. God promises a time of prosperity in the land
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Photo taken from http://www.myspace.com/ironicphonics/blog