Introduction to Amos

Amos 1:1 “1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.”

Tekoa’s history

Tekoa was in Judah, just south of Bethlehem, so Amos was from the tribe of Judah, like David.

2 Chronicles 11:6 “6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,” Rehoboam of Judah

Jehoshaphat of Judah was attacked by Edom. He was scared and correctly called on God. Read

2 Chronicles 20:18–24 NASB 2020

18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and from the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will endure. Put your trust in His prophets, and succeed.” 21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His faithfulness is everlasting.” 22 When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were struck down. 23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, completely destroying them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they turned toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and there was no survivor.

In 930 the kingdom splits and Rehoboam builds Tekoa. 50 years later Jehoshaphat speaks from Tekoa and tells everyone to listen to the prophets. 100 years later Amos prophesies. 40 years later Israel falls.

The Kings of Israel and Judah

King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel

2 Kings 14:23–29 “23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and reigned for forty-one years. 24 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not abandon all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel. 25 He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher. 26 For the Lord saw the misery of Israel, which was very bitter; for there was neither bond nor free spared, nor was there any helper for Israel. 27 Yet the Lord did not say that He would wipe out the name of Israel from under heaven, but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28 Now as for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might, how he fought and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath,…”

2 Kings 15:1–7 “1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king. 2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done. 4 Only the high places were not eliminated; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 5 And the Lord afflicted the king, so that he had leprosy to the day of his death. And he lived in a separate house, while Jotham the king’s son was in charge of the household, judging the people of the land. 6 Now as for the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 7 And Azariah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Jotham became king in his place.”

2 Chronicles 26 NASB 2020

1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king lay down with his fathers. 3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him successful. 6 Now he went out and fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9 Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and carved out many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11 Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, recorded by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. 12 The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under their direction was an army of 307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Moreover, Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slingstones. 15 In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful workmen to be on the towers and the corners, for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. So his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong. 16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then Azariah the priest entered after him, and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been untrue and will have no honor from the Lord God.” 19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they quickly removed him from there, and he himself also hurried to get out because the Lord had stricken him. 21 King Uzziah had leprosy to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, afflicted as he was with leprosy, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And his son Jotham was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, the first to the last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He had leprosy.” And his son Jotham became king in his place.

In summary, this is a time of wealth, prosperity, comfort, idleness, idolatry, exploitation, and peace.

Earthquake

Zechariah 14:5 “5 And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

Amos the Person

“Sheepbreeder” used only twice in the Bible: here and

2 Kings 3:4 “4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.”

Very likely that Amos was not poor.

Amos 7:14 “14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.”

ESV, NIV, NKJV, CSB past tense NRSV, NASB present tense

Amaziah told Amos to “eat bread” in Judah, implying earn your income from prophesying in Judah.

Amos Key Themes

Social Justice

Religious Rituals, Syncretism, Relationship with God

Amos never says “The God of Israel”, he says “The Sovereign Lord” or “The Lord God Almighty” or “Yahweh.”

Judgement and the Day of the Lord

Hope of Restoration

Prophesy

God’s words and God’s visions.