Amos was a southerner ministering a message of judgment to the northerners of his day.Īmos prophesied against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1:1). Similarly, Amos' prophecies were a defensive warning for the protection of Israel from the south.Īmos ministered in the chief center of idolatry in Israel: Bethel, near the southern border of Israel. His hometown served as a defensive warning outpost for the protection of Jerusalem from the south. Since Amos lived in the Judean town of Tekoa, he was a prophet from the Southern Kingdom. Amos' ministry was evidently shorter than Hosea's and probably fell within the longer span of years during which Hosea also ministered in Israel. Thus Amos was a contemporary of the other eighth-century prophets: Jonah, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. This date may account for the omission of the name of King Jotham, who ruled as coregent with Uzziah from 750 to 740 B.C. So perhaps Amos ministered about 760 B.C. However, this may be simply Jewish tradition.Īrchaeological excavations at Hazor and Samaria point to evidence of a violent earthquake in Israel about 760 B.C. Josephus wrote that an earthquake occurred when Uzziah entered the temple and was struck with leprosy (cf. Zechariah also referred to a notable earthquake during the reign of Uzziah (Zech. Amos' natural surroundings had a profound effect on him and his writing (cf. There is no indication that he was a priest, or had any connection with the royal family or the ruling classes in his land. However, an older view is that Amos was poor, based on Palestinian practices in the nineteenth century. Thus, Amos seems to have been a prosperous and influential Judahite. "Tekoa" stood 10 miles south of Jerusalem in Judah. They did not grow as well in the higher elevations such as Tekoa, Amos' hometown, so the prophet appears to have farmed at a distance from his home, in addition to tending herds. These trees grew in the tropical Jordan Valley, and around the Dead Sea, to a height of 25 to 50 feet, and bore fruit three or four times a year. Each fruit had to be scratched or pierced to let the juice flow out so the "fig" could ripen. Sycamore fig trees are not true fig trees, but a variety of the mulberry family, which produces fig-like fruit. He evidently owned or managed large herds of sheep, and or goats, and was probably in charge of shepherds.Īmos also described himself as a "grower of sycamore figs" (7:14). 2 Kings 3:4) or "sheep breeder," and he described himself as a "herdsman" (Heb. Of all the 16 Old Testament writing prophets, only Amos recorded what his occupation was before God called him to become a prophet. The prophet's name means "burden-bearer" or "load-carrier." The title of the book comes from its writer. Two more visions of impending judgment chs. Three short visions of impending judgment 7:1-9 The fifth message on complacency and pride ch. The fourth message on unacceptable worship 5:18-27 The second message on women, worship, and willfulness ch. The first message on sins against God and man ch. Prophetic messages that Amos delivered 1:3-6:14
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