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1 Thus hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, and behold, he formed grassehoppers in the beginning of the shooting vp of the latter grouth: and loe, it was the latter grouth after the kings mowings.
2 And it came to passe, that when they had made an ende of eating the grasse of the land, then I said; O Lord God, forgiue, I beseech thee, by whom shal Iacob arise? for he is small.
3 The Lord repented for this. It shall not be, saith the Lord.
4 ¶ Thus hath the Lord God shewed vnto me; and behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.
5 Then said I, O Lord God , cease, I beseech thee, by whom shal Iacob arise? for he is small.
6 The Lord repented for this. This also shall not bee, saith the Lord God.
7 ¶ Thus hee shewed mee, and behold, the Lord stood vpon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
8 And the Lord said vnto mee, Amos, what seest thou? And I sayd, A plumb-line. Then sayd the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel, I will not againe passe by them any more.
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the Sanctuaries of Israel shalbe laide waste: and I will rise against the house of Ieroboam with the sword.
10 ¶ Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el sent to Ieroboam king of Israel, saying; Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to beare all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith, Ieroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captiue, out of their owne land.
12 Also Amaziah said vnto Amos, O thou Seer, goe, flee thee away into the land of Iudah, and there eate bread, and prophecie there.
13 But prophecie not againe any more at Beth-el: for it is the Kings Chappell, and it is the Kings Court.
14 ¶ Then answered Amos, and sayde to Amaziah; I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets sonne, but I was an heardman, and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit.
15 And the Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke, and the Lord said vnto me, Goe, prophecie vnto my people Israel.
16 ¶ Now therefore heare thou the worde of the Lord; Thou sayest, Prophecie not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
17 Therfore thus sayth the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sonnes and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be diuided by line: and thou shalt die in a polluted land, and Israel shall surely goe into captiuitie foorth of his land.
Visions of judgments to come upon Israel. (1-9) Amaziah threatens Amos. (10-17)1-9 God bears long, but he will not bear always with a provoking people. The remembrance of the mercies we formerly received, like the produce of the earth of the former growth, should make us submissive to the will of God, when we meet with disappointments in the latter growth. The Lord has many ways of humbling a sinful nation. Whatever trouble we are under, we should be most earnest with God for the forgiveness of sin. Sin will soon make a great people small. What will become of Israel, if the hand that should raise him be stretched out against him? See the power of prayer. See what a blessing praying people are to a land. See how ready, how swift God is to show mercy; how he waits to be gracious. Israel was a wall, a strong wall, which God himself reared as a defence to his sanctuary. The Lord now seems to stand upon this wall. He measures it; it appears to be a bowing, bulging wall. Thus God would bring the people of Israel to the trial, would discover their wickedness; and the time will come, when those who have been spared often, shall be spared no longer. But the Lord still calls Israel his people. The repeated prayer and success of the prophet should lead us to seek the Saviour.
10-17 It is no new thing for the accusers of the brethren, to misrepresent them as enemies to the king and kingdom, as traitors to their prince, and troublers of the land, when they are the best friends to both. Those who make gain their godliness, and are governed by the hopes of wealth and preferment, are ready to think these the most powerful motives with others also. But those who have a warrant from God, like Amos, ought not to fear the face of man. If God, that sent him, had not strengthened him, he could not thus have set his face as a flint. The Lord often chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. But no fervent prayers, or self-denying labours, can bring proud sinners to bear faithful reproofs and warnings. And all who oppose or despise the Divine word, must expect fatal effects to their souls, unless they repent.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.