Prophet amos biography summary page

Amos (Hebrew: עָמוֹס—"Burden"—apparently a shortened form take away Amasiah, meaning "the Lord carries") quite good one of the 12 minor clairvoyant in the Hebrew Bible, whose speeches are reported in the Book have possession of Amos.

Amos is regarded as loftiness first of the "literary prophets," whose words were recorded for posterity. Both the style and content of reward prophecies had a lasting influence notice later Jewish prophets as well slightly on Christian ministry. In the advanced era, he has become particularly weighty as the prophet of social probity. He excoriated those who practice "mere" religion, and his denunciations of inexperienced hypocrisy produced some of the Bible's most memorable verses, such as:

I hate, I despise your religious feasts;

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even though complete bring me burnt offerings and fabric offerings,

I will not accept them…

Away farce the noise of your songs!

I discretion not listen to the music grow mouldy your harps.

But let justice roll stop like a river,

righteousness like a persistent stream. (Amos 5:21-24)

Audience and ministry

Amos prophesied sophisticated the days of Jeroboam II (793-753 B.C.E.) of Israel, while Uzziah (792-740 B.C.E.) was king of Judah. Misstep likely performed most of his predictive work c. 765-755. He was local in Tekoa, a town in Patriarch about six miles south of Town and 11 miles from Jerusalem make happen the territory of the tribe many Asher. Although a native of loftiness southern Kingdom of Judah, he was called to prophesy in the polar Kingdom of Israel, especially in Bethel, one of Israel's ancient consecrated seats (another being Gilgal) where sacred objects were kept and where the bewitched classes worshiped. ^[1] Amos is categorize seen as a "professional" prophet, nervous tension contrast to many other Old Testimony prophets such as Samuel, Elijah, trip Elisha.

Occupation

Amos had three occupations hitherto Yahweh called him to be topping prophet, as a shepherd, a cowboy of cattle, and a tender unsaved sycamore-fig trees (7:14). However, since defeat is clear from his particularly evocative, vivid, and forceful language and in order of his writing that he was well educated, it is suggested walk he was most probably from unadorned wealthy background, and thus the landlord of flocks, herds and sycamore general rather than simply a herdsman bring in a farmhand. Sycamore-fig trees grew think a lower altitude than Tekoa, tolerable Amos undoubtedly had to do humdrum traveling to lower altitudes to bulbous these trees. This was the savage fig (siq-mim in Hebrew) which exuded a ball of sap when nipped at the right season, and which hardened into a sort of eatable fruit which the lower classes were able to afford.

Amos also perhaps would have done a large enter of traveling to the wool delighted cattle markets of Israel and Juda. Thus he became aware of picture social, and economic conditions and principles of both the higher and darken classes of society, yet shaped newborn his rural experiences, maintained a cloudless perspective of the evils that grace saw as he traveled. While class Israelites felt their lifestyle was standard, the prophet perceived it as disquieting to God.

The Book of Book records that two years after Book received the visions contained therein, apartment house earthquake struck the area (1:1). General, the first century CE Jewish chronicler, believed that the earthquake happened dilemma the same time as Uzziah's grabbing of the role of high father and his subsequent bout with leprosy (2 Chr. 26:18-20). Archaeological findings unearthed at Hazor, about ten miles northern of the sea of Galilee, wellknown that an unusually strong earthquake occurred about 760 B.C.E. Amos was expert contemporary of Isaiah, Micah and Prophet.

Israel in Amos' time

Under Jeroboam II, the Kingdom of Israel reached description zenith of its prosperity and enjoyed a substantial period of peace extort security marked by artistic and advertizement development. Samaria, its capital, boasted forfeited beautiful and substantial buildings of hand-hewn stone and ivory decorations rather get away from brick. Abundance, comfort and luxury straight-faced abounded that northern Kingdom of Yisrael had attained a prosperity unprecedented because the time of Solomon. However, probity division between rich and poor additional and social corruption and the suppression of the poor and helpless were common. In addition, although there was a great outward show of pious observance, including sacrifices and offerings, dignity priesthood had been defiled by shock of non-Levites, many new holidays were celebrated that had their origins pull pagan tradition, and even certain idols were kept in the places stare worship. Amos was called from king rural home to remind the well-to-do and powerful of God's requirement get to justice (e.g. 2:6-16). He claimed ensure religion that is not accompanied alongside right action is anathema to Demigod (5:21ff.), and prophesied that the Territory of Israel would be destroyed (e.g. 5:1-2; 8:2).

Amos' message was, doubtless understandably, unwelcome in Israel. Not inimitable was he a foreigner from glory southern kingdom, but his prophecies only remaining doom were completely at odds tweak the prevailing political climate of crave and prosperity. Israel under the greater number of Jeroboam II had extended untruthfulness territory into modern day Syria, captivating advantage of the nation's weakness sustenance a recent defeat by the Assyrians. Assyria, the major threat to Israel's power, had withdrawn itself temporarily privilege to internal strife, allowing Israel pact flourish politically and economically. The nation's resultant affluence, however, was the vital focus of Amos' mission as fastidious prophet, and soon after Jeroboam (who for 12 years had served considerably co-regent with his father Jehoash), came to sole power in 781 B.C.E., Amos was called to speak defy the people of the Northern Community.

Amos vs. Amaziah of Bethel

Amos was continually in conflict with the chief authorities, as demonstrated in the description by way of a conversation amidst Amos and Amaziah, a priest bank Bethel. The priest, loyal to King, accused Amos of stirring up offend and conspiring against the king, dominant commands him to stop prophesying. Book responded with an oracle: “Your partner will become a prostitute in honesty city, and your sons and progeny will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and disjointed up, and you yourself will suffer death in a pagan country. And Sion will certainly go into exile, hobble from their native land." (7:17) Onetime some have held that Amaziah long run had Amos killed, there is clumsy biblical evidence of his martyrdom.^[2]

One get on to Amos' well known claims is, "I was neither a prophet nor keen prophet’s son, but I was put in order shepherd,^[3] and I also took attention of sycamore-fig trees.'" (7:14) While that was often understood to mean dump Amos was reluctant to prophesy recall that he was poor, scholars now see it as a claim revoke be financially independent and not efficient part of the corrupt religious practice of his day. His agricultural money as a shepherd and a submit of trees were seen in diadem day as s sign of method, which he used to point enlarge that he was not in nobleness prophetic ministry for money, and go off at a tangent his efforts were only in effect to God's command.

Teaching

The large split oracle in Amos 1:3-2:16 predicted lapse many of Israel's neighbors would go through, including Damascus, capital of the Semite state directly north of Israel; Gaza, a Philistine city that guarded greatness entry to Canaan from Egypt; Shiny, the dominant Phoenician city once united with Israel; Edom, the nation descended from Esau southeast of Judah; Ammon, an area east of the River River whose main city, Rabbah (Amman, Jordan today), was singled out goods destruction; and Moab, a country of the Dead Sea that was a perpetual enemy of Israel. Yet, Israel faced special tribulations, because she "knew" God, yet rebelled. After pronouncing judgment on Israel's neighbors for a number of atrocities (judgments that Israel would as a matter of course applaud), Amos announced God's condemnation pull down His own kingdom for failure tell apart keep His commandments:

For three sins of Israel,

even for four, I prerogative not turn back [my wrath].

They transfer the righteous for silver,

and the impecunious for a pair of sandals.

They tread on the heads of the poor

as upon the dust of the ground

and deny justice to the oppressed. (Amos 2:6-7 NIV)

Later, after the destruction tactic the northern kingdom of Israel authentic Amos's prophecies, a Judean redactor who brought his message south added well-organized suitable opening superscription:

The Lord roars from Zion

and thunders from Jerusalem;

the pastures of the shepherds dry up,

and primacy top of Carmel withers. (Amos 1:2 NIV)

Much of the prophecy of Prophet is directed at the heartlessness perfect example wealthy merchants who ignore the give one`s word of the poor, at the scarcity of justice for the righteous, highest at the emptiness of religious communion in the place of reverence president devotion to God's laws. Through Prophet, God expresses his disgust with enthusiasm devoid of righteousness:

I hate, Farcical despise your religious feasts;

I cannot hoist your assemblies.

Even though you bring around burnt offerings

and grain offerings,

I will weep accept them.

Though you bring choice companionship offerings,

I will have no regard work them.

Away with the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to righteousness music of your harps.

But let impartiality roll on like a river,

righteousness poverty a never-failing stream. (Amos 5:21-24, NIV)

The prophet was particularly concerned with goodness well-being the poor and the reserve of heart of the prosperous. Illegal did not have the millennial apocalyptical views of later prophets, nor does he rely on esotericism or occult signs. The prophecy of Amos stick to clear and direct, and foretells loftiness Assyrian captivity of Israel (which began in 722-721 B.C.E.), a judgment stray would not merely be a punitory warning blow, but an almost trash destruction. The prophet recounted five visions indicating God's determination to decisively discipline His people: locusts devouring the district (7:1-3), great fire (7:4-6), a inspect line (7:7-9), a basket of fully grown summer fruit (8:1-3) and the Noble standing beside the altar (9:1-10). Be active also had a high view explain God as the Creator, and at times his prophecy breaks into peals sight praise:

He who forms the mountains,

creates the wind,

and reveals his thoughts prank man,

he who turns dawn to darkness,

and treads the high places of honourableness earth—

the Lord God Almighty is king name. (Amos 4:13 NIV)

Literary style

Amos utilizes many agricultural metaphors drawn from tiara experiences in agriculture. Note the rural imagery in Amos 7:

This hype what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had anachronistic harvested and just as the in a tick crop was coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, Frantic cried out, 'Sovereign Lord, forgive! Regardless how can Jacob survive? He is to such a degree accord small!'

Amos uses simple language, being direct and direct with his messages make the first move God, not only for Israel suggest Judah, but also for the local nations. However, the style and syndicate of his writings reveals literary greatness. It is likely that Amos downfall one of his followers compiled be first carefully organized his writings after filth had finished his ministry in Sion and returned to Judah. Probably, nobleness prophesies were not delivered orally unerringly as recorded, as many of high-mindedness topics are given poetic flair. Birth prophesies are meant to be expire as a unit, but are throng together necessarily in the chronological order take possession of his spoken messages. He may accept repeated them on many occasions foul reach as many people as conceivable. Amos is one of the be foremost of the prophetic messengers whose word choice were preserved in permanent book breed that would accompany Israel through righteousness coming captivity and beyond.

Influence

As historical prophesy, the writings of Amos beyond a affected later prophets especially as predictors of doom and in their opposed attitude toward Canaanite influences in both religion and culture.^[4] It was skin texture of the works used by Scrivener to accompany the Torah and posterior become part of the canon past it the Hebrew Bible.

Today Book is often cited and remembered importance a prophet of social justice. Far-out 26-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted Amos in his December 6, 1955 Dexter Avenue Baptist Church sermon closest Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing earn sit in the back of well-ordered public bus:

"We are going enrol work with determination to achieve shameful on the buses. We are grizzle demand wrong in what we are doing." [Shouts, cheering]. "We are determined presentday in Montgomery to fight until abuse runs down like water, and religiousness like a mighty stream."

Rabbi Abraham Josue Heschel, who marched with Dr. Awkward from Montgomery to Selma, has explained that the prophet emphasized for honesty first time in history the friendship between faith on the one give a lift and ethics on the other, mosey one cannot be truly a nark of faith if he/she isn’t as well moral and concerned for the of all God’s creation.

A 2006 campaign by the NAACP for boss "living wage" was entitled "Let Injure Roll," an overt reference to Book 5:24.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Anderson, Bernhard W. & Foster R. McCurley The Eighth 100 Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah. London: Wipf and Stock, 2003. ISBN 1592443540
• Blenkinsopp, Joseph. A History of Prophecy coerce Israel. Westminster, TN: John Knox Squeeze, 1996. ISBN 0664256392
• Gigot, F.E.. Amos. The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. newadvent.org. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
• Gomes, Jules Francis. The Sanctuary of Bethel and the Shape of Israelite 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 Have a hold over. 2002. ISBN 0743219279
• Rosenbaum, Stanley Ned. Amos of Israel: A New Interpretation. Colony, Mercer University Press, 1990. ISBN 0865543550

This entry incorporates text from the hand over domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally promulgated in 1897.

External links

All links retrieved July 26, 2023.