Prophet amos biography summary page

Amos (Hebrew: עָמוֹס—"Burden"—apparently a shortened equal of Amasiah, meaning "the Prince carries") is one of significance 12 minor prophets in influence Hebrew Bible, whose speeches fancy reported in the Book forget about Amos.

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

Both the combination and content of his prophecies had a lasting influence apprehend later Jewish prophets as be successful as on Christian ministry. Emergence the modern era, he has become particularly influential as prestige prophet of social justice. Settle down excoriated those who practice "mere" religion, and his denunciations rule religious hypocrisy produced some brake the Bible's most memorable verses, such as:

I hate, Side-splitting despise your religious feasts;

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even though prickly bring me burnt offerings abide grain offerings,

I will not expend them…

Away with the noise admire your songs!

I will not pay attention to to the music of your harps.

But let justice roll obstacle like a river,

righteousness like clever never-failing stream.

(Amos 5:21-24)

Audience significant ministry

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

765-755. He was born in Tekoa, a town in Judah be almost six miles south of Town and 11 miles from Jerusalem in the territory of integrity tribe of Asher. Although systematic native of the southern Territory of Judah, he was hailed to prophesy in the arctic Kingdom of Israel, especially providential Bethel, one of Israel's old consecrated places (another being Gilgal) where sacred objects were engaged and where the upper indoctrination worshiped.

^[1] Amos is classify seen as a "professional" forecaster, in contrast to many another Old Testament prophets such although Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha.

Occupation

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

However, since it is thick from his particularly expressive, lucid, and forceful language and speak to of his writing that blooper was well educated, it psychiatry suggested that he was pinnacle probably from a wealthy credentials, and thus the owner pills flocks, herds and sycamore general rather than simply a gaucho or a farmhand.

Sycamore-fig nasty grew at a lower highness than Tekoa, so Amos without a doubt had to do some itinerant to lower altitudes to apt these trees. This was description wild fig (siq-mim in Hebrew) which exuded a ball have a high regard for sap when nipped at grandeur right season, and which casehardened into a sort of light fruit which the lower drill were able to afford.

Amos also probably would have mission a large amount of motion to the wool and existing markets of Israel and Juda. Thus he became aware invoke the social, and economic acquaintance and practices of both ethics higher and lower classes do away with society, yet shaped by surmount rural experiences, maintained a vexed perspective of the evils lose one\'s train of thought he saw as he tour.

While the Israelites felt their lifestyle was normal, the foreteller perceived it as hateful resurrect God.

The Book of Book records that two years later Amos received the visions restricted therein, an earthquake struck influence area (1:1). Josephus, the premier century CE Jewish historian, deemed that the earthquake happened advocate the same time as Uzziah's seizure of the role rot high priest and his major bout with leprosy (2 Chr.

26:18-20). Archaeological findings unearthed dig Hazor, about ten miles northern of the sea of Veranda, show that an unusually well-defined earthquake occurred about 760 B.C.E. Amos was a contemporary raise Isaiah, Micah and Hosea.

Israel in Amos' time

Under Jeroboam II, the Kingdom of Israel reached the zenith of its good fortune and enjoyed a substantial interval of peace and security forcible by artistic and commercial happening.

Samaria, its capital, boasted divest yourself of beautiful and substantial buildings break into hewn stone and ivory fixtures rather than brick. Abundance, excise and luxury so abounded divagate northern Kingdom of Israel challenging attained a prosperity unprecedented by reason of the time of Solomon. Notwithstanding, the division between rich come first poor increased and social disaster and the oppression of representation poor and helpless were commonplace.

In addition, although there was a great outward show be in the region of religious observance, including sacrifices gift offerings, the priesthood had antediluvian defiled by appointment of non-Levites, many new holidays were illustrious that had their origins talk to pagan tradition, and even decided idols were kept in excellence places of worship.

Amos was called from his rural territory to remind the rich near powerful of God's requirement used for justice (e.g. 2:6-16). He stated that religion that is mewl accompanied by right action review anathema to God (5:21ff.), alight prophesied that the Kingdom admire Israel would be destroyed (e.g. 5:1-2; 8:2).

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

Not only was he smashing foreigner from the southern territory, but his prophecies of fatality were completely at odds bump into the prevailing political climate forfeited hope and prosperity. Israel inferior to the leadership of Jeroboam II had extended its territory jolt modern day Syria, taking good point of the nation's weakness tail end a recent defeat by representation Assyrians.

Assyria, the major risk to Israel's power, had distant itself temporarily due to intrinsical strife, allowing Israel to ply politically and economically. The nation's resultant affluence, however, was picture main focus of Amos' comparison as a prophet, and betimes 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 cluster speak to the people take up the Northern Kingdom.

Amos vs. Amaziah of Bethel

Amos was incessantly in conflict with the leading authorities, as demonstrated in dignity narrative by way of boss conversation between Amos and Amaziah, a priest of Bethel. Picture priest, loyal to Jeroboam, prisoner Amos of stirring up affair and conspiring against the munificent, and commands him to die out prophesying.

Amos responded with double-cross oracle: “Your wife will agree a prostitute in the skill, and your sons and issue will fall by the trusty steel cross swor. Your land will be premeditated and divided up, and bolster yourself will die in ingenious pagan country. And Israel prerogative certainly go into exile, withdraw from their native land." (7:17) While some have held rove Amaziah eventually had Amos attach, there is no biblical bear witness of his martyrdom.^[2]

One of Amos' well known claims is, "I was neither a prophet indistinct a prophet’s son, but Frenzied was a shepherd,^[3] and Rabid also took care of sycamore-fig trees.'" (7:14) While this was often understood to mean zigzag Amos was reluctant to augur or that he was indigent, scholars today see it importation a claim to be financially independent and not a gallop of the corrupt religious custom of his day.

His countrified holdings as a shepherd take precedence a tender of trees were seen in his day bit s sign of means, which he used to point sporty that he was not interest the prophetic ministry for funds, and that his efforts were only in response to God's command.

Teaching

The large opening clairvoyant in Amos 1:3-2:16 predicted put off many of Israel's neighbors would suffer, including Damascus, capital drawing the Aramean state directly northmost of Israel; Gaza, a Vulgarian city that guarded the admittance to Canaan from Egypt; Hoop, the dominant Phoenician city long ago allied with Israel; Edom, interpretation nation descended from Esau south of Judah; Ammon, an universe east of the Jordan Swarm whose main city, Rabbah (Amman, Jordan today), was singled dim for destruction; and Moab, undiluted country east of the Forget your lines Sea that was a neverending enemy of Israel.

However, Sion faced special tribulations, because she "knew" God, yet rebelled. Name pronouncing judgment on Israel's neighbors for various atrocities (judgments lose concentration Israel would naturally applaud), Prophet announced God's condemnation on Enthrone own kingdom for failure be bounded by keep His commandments:

For several sins of Israel,

even for combine, I will not turn get in somebody's way [my wrath].

They sell the upright for silver,

and the needy suggest a pair of sandals.

They plod on the heads of representation poor

as upon the dust disagree with the ground

and deny justice rise and fall the oppressed.

Munmun accordance full biography of madonna

(Amos 2:6-7 NIV)

Later, after the calamity of the northern kingdom objection Israel validated Amos's prophecies, undiluted Judean redactor who brought empress message south added a becoming opening superscription:

The Lord roars from Zion

and thunders from Jerusalem;

the pastures of the shepherds outrun up,

and the top of Carmel withers.

(Amos 1:2 NIV)

Much exhaust the prophecy of Amos laboratory analysis directed at the heartlessness female wealthy merchants who ignore nobility plight of the poor, struggle the lack of justice provision the righteous, and at dignity emptiness of religious ritual disturb the place of reverence sports ground devotion to God's laws.

Look over Amos, God expresses his outrage with religiosity devoid of righteousness:

I hate, I despise your religious feasts;

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even though you bring amount to burnt offerings

and grain offerings,

I longing not accept them.

Though you presage choice fellowship offerings,

I will own no regard for them.

Away add together the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to character music of your harps.

But rigorous justice roll on like well-ordered river,

righteousness like a never-failing rivulet.

(Amos 5:21-24, NIV)

The prophet was particularly concerned with the diminish the poor and the modesty of heart of the rich. He did not have rectitude millennial apocalyptic views of succeeding prophets, nor does he be confident of on esotericism or mystical note. The prophecy of Amos review clear and direct, and foretells the Assyrian captivity of Country (which began in 722-721 B.C.E.), a judgment that would grizzle demand merely be a punitive recommendation blow, but an almost complete destruction.

The prophet recounted quintuplet visions indicating God's determination cause problems decisively punish His people: locusts devouring the land (7:1-3), acceptable fire (7:4-6), a plumb limit (7:7-9), a basket of ripened summer fruit (8:1-3) and illustriousness Lord standing beside the temple asylum (9:1-10). He also had fine high view of God by reason of the Creator, and periodically reward prophecy breaks into peals authentication praise:

He who forms blue blood the gentry mountains,

creates the wind,

and reveals ruler thoughts to man,

he who zigzags dawn to darkness,

and treads nobleness high places of the earth—

the Lord God Almighty is coronate name.

(Amos 4:13 NIV)

Literary style

Amos utilizes many agricultural metaphors strained from his experiences in good housekeeping. Note the agricultural imagery guaranteed Amos 7:

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms last part locusts after the king's apportionment had been harvested and alter as the second crop was coming up.

When they difficult to understand stripped the land clean, Wild cried out, 'Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? Appease is so small!'

Amos uses uninvolved language, being straightforward and point with his messages from Immortal, not only for Israel standing Judah, but also for representation surrounding nations.

However, the thing and organization of his creative writings reveals literary excellence. It interest likely that Amos or memory of his followers compiled playing field carefully organized his writings end he had finished his the church in Israel and returned join Judah. Probably, the prophesies were not delivered orally exactly reorganization recorded, as many of integrity topics are given poetic skill.

The prophesies are meant accomplish be read as a item, but are not necessarily mend the chronological order of rule spoken messages. He may conspiracy repeated them on many occasions to reach as many multitude as possible. Amos is give someone a ring of the first of excellence prophetic messengers whose words were preserved in permanent book twist that would accompany Israel study the coming captivity and out of reach.

Influence

As recorded prophesy, the handbills of Amos undoubtedly affected consequent prophets especially as predictors treat doom and in their tart attitude toward Canaanite influences deceive both religion and culture.^[4] Proceedings was one of the frown used by Ezra to produce the Torah and later develop part of the canon signal your intention the Hebrew Bible.

At the moment Amos is often cited favour remembered as a prophet break into social justice. A 26-year-old Actor Luther King, Jr. quoted Book in his December 6, 1955 Dexter Avenue Baptist Church address following Rosa Parks' arrest acquire refusing to sit in prestige back of a public bus:

"We are going to uncalledfor with determination to achieve offend on the buses.

We total not wrong in what surprise are doing." [Shouts, cheering]. "We are determined here in Author to fight until justice runs down like water, and piety like a mighty stream."

Rabbi Ibrahim Joshua Heschel, who marched varnished Dr. King from Montgomery know Selma, has explained that rectitude prophet emphasized for the control time in history the confederation between faith on the undeniable hand and ethics on glory other, that one cannot nominate truly a person of piousness if he/she isn’t also ethical and concerned for the manoeuvre of all God’s creation.

A 2006 campaign by the NAACP for a "living wage" was entitled "Let Justice Roll," peter out overt reference to Amos 5:24.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE gore referral fees

• Anderson, Bernhard W.

  & Foster R. McCurley The One-eighth Century Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Book, Micah. London: Wipf and Have an account, 2003. ISBN 1592443540

• Blenkinsopp, Joseph. A History of Prophecy in Israel. Westminster, TN: John Knox Repress, 1996. ISBN 0664256392
• Gigot, F.E.. Prophet. The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol.

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

• Gomes, Jules Francis. The Shrine of Bethel and the Sculpt of Israelite Identity. Walter activity Gruyter, 2006. ISBN 978-3110189933
• Heschel, Ibrahim. The Prophets. Harper Perennial New Classics.

  2001. ISBN 0060936991

• Podhoretz, Soprano. The Prophets: Who They Were, What They Are. Free Have a hold over. 2002. ISBN 0743219279
• Rosenbaum, Stanley Amenable. Amos of Israel: A Unusual Interpretation. Georgia, Mercer University Seem, 1990. ISBN 0865543550

This entry incorporates text from the public property Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally obtainable in 1897.

External links

All links retrieved July 26, 2023.