An Old Testament Prophet not to be confused with the father of Isaiah

Amos the prophet must not be confounded with Amos, or better Amots, the father of Isaiah. He prophesied in the days of Ozias, 808-757 B.C., and Jeroboam II, 823-782 B.C., according to the ordinary chronology. However the Assyrian monuments have apparently made it necessary to bring down these dates to a little later period, i.e. Ozias, 791-740, and Jeroboam II, 790-749, cf. s.v. Chronology. Amos was a herdsman, 1:1. He also calls himself "a dresser of figs," 7:14. He was an inhabitant of Juda and lived at Thecua, 1:1, but was called to prophecy in Bethel, Amos 7:10-13. His whole prophecy is directed against the calf-worship which prevailed in the northern kingdom, Amos 3:14, 4:4, 5:5, 7:9-13, 8:14. There are several indications which go to confirm the opening words regarding the date at which Amos prophesied; thus the threat against Gaza, Amos 1:6-7, seems to be fulfilled in Jeremiah 47:1; 6:15 must be later than 4 Kings 14:25 (2 Kings 14:25), Gath is not mentioned amongst the towns of Philistia 1:6-8, and is mentioned as destroyed, 6:2. This agrees with Jeremiah 47, where Gath is also omitted; it was destroyed by Ozias (2 Paralipomenon 26:6). It is possible that an actual recent eclipse gave rise to the prophecy in 8:9; there was an eclipse on Feb. 9th, 784 B.C., also on June 15th, 763.

Structure of Amos

(a) Chapters 1-2. Introduction.

In which the just punishment of Syria, Philistia, Phoenicia, Idumea, Moab, and Ammon is indicated; the Prophet thus leads up to the punishment of Juda and Israel. He is not concerned with the former, and only touches on it slightly; but the sin of Israel is the climax and the Prophet dwells on God's past mercies and on their ingratitude.

(b) Chapters 3-6. Three sermons.

Each sermon begins with the words "Hear this word"; their burden is respectively the certainty, the necessity, and the severity of the punishment. It should be noticed that chapter 4 is directed against women, though this is not brought out in our version.

(c) Chapters 7-9. Five visions.

After the first three visions, viz. those of the locusts, the fire, and of the Lord holding a mason's trowel, the Prophet pays his visit of denunciation to the temple at Bethel, 7:10-17, he is rejected by Amasias the priest, but foretells God's wrath upon him. These three plagues are not really averted, they are merely withheld from complete fulfillment; some have seen in them the three successive incursions by Phul, Tiglath-Pileser, and Sargon. The two remaining visions are (a) that of the hook to draw down fruit, signifying the coming destruction of the calf-worship at Dan and Bethel; (b) that of the Lord standing on the altar, He threatens destruction yet promises ultimate redemption.

Character of the Prophecies and Visions in Amos

Amos was a shepherd and he uses a shepherd's imagery; thus note his agricultural similes: 2:13, 3:5, 4:6-7, 7:17, 8:1-2, 9:9, etc.; also his constant references to the lion, Amos 1:2, 3:4, 3:8, 3:12, 5:19. But it would be a mistake to regard him as an uneducated man, many of his expressions have passed into household words, e.g. 2:7, 4:11-12, 8:11, etc. The oratorical refrains, too, of chapters 1-2 and 4-5, should be noted. His wide knowledge of Palestine, its peoples and its customs, is most remarkable; it is possible that the wool trade of Palestine took Amos into contact with many men and made him acquainted with many manners, thus note his frequent references to Egypt, 3:9, 6:5, 8:8, 9:5.

Relationship between the Prophecy of Amos and Joel

It is remarkable that the prophecy opens and closes with words taken apparently from Joel, thus cf. Amos 1:12 and Joel 3:16, also Amos 9:13 and Joel 3:18. This makes it at least probable that in 4:9, we have a direct allusion to the plague of locusts mentioned in Joel 1, cf. also Amos 7:1-3.

References to the Mosaic Law

In Amos 2:4, note the Law and the statutes; 4:4-5, the technical terms for sacrifices, so also 5:22; 8:5, the holy days whereon it was forbidden to labor; 2:8, the garments in pledge, cf. Exodus 22:26. Note also the references to the history of the Exodus, 2:10, and 2:7, and cf. Exodus 14:22 and Deuteronomy 8:14. Note further the reference to the Nazarites in Amos 2:11-12, and cf. Numbers 6:5.

Theology of Amos

He has certain anthropomorphic expressions, e.g. 1:2; but for Amos God is always the Lord the God of Hosts: Amos 4:13, 5:15-16, 6:8; He is Almighty, 4:13, 5:8-9, 9:5-6; and He reveals Himself to His prophets, 3:7-8. Like Isaiah, Amos doctrine is that the remnant shall be saved, Amos 5:15, 9:8-15. But the most trenchant condemnation is reserved for lip-service and false ideas of the value of ceremonial, 5:21-27; the whole moral teaching of the book is summed up in the terrible words of Amos 3:2.

The State of Israel in the Time of Amos

The reign of Jeroboam II is passed over in a few verses in 4 Kings 14:23-29, but enough is told to enable us to see that his reign marked the height of prosperity for the northern kingdom. And this is fully reflected in the prophecies of Amos; the people were rich, and violence and drunkenness were rife, cf. Amos 2:6, 8:6, 2:7-8, 3:15, 4:1, 5:11-21, 6:1, 6:4, 6:6.

by
Very Rev. Hugh Pope, O.P., S.T.M.
Doctor in Sacred Scripture,
Member of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, and
late Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Collegio Angelico, Rome.