Amos 1

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).[6]

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including 4Q78 (4QXII^c; 75–50 BCE) with extant verse 1?;[7] 4Q82 (4QXII^g; 25 BCE) with extant verses 3‑7, 9–15;[8][9][10] 5Q4 (5QAmos; 50 BCE–50 CE) with extant verses 2–‑5[9][11] and Wadi Murabba'at (MurXII; 75–100 CE) with extant verses 5–15[9][12]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[13][lower-alpha 1]

The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa,

which he saw concerning Israel

in the days of Uzziah king of Judah,

and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel,

two years before the earthquake.[15]

• "The words": The same phrase is used in the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah(Jeremiah 1:1), and Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 1:1). The "words" are not of Amos, but of Jehovah, as shown by the succeeding clause, "which he saw."[16]
• "Amos" (meaning in Hebrew "a burden") was a shepherd of Tekoa, a small town of Judah, a region more fit for pastoral than for agricultural purposes. Amos therefore owned and tended flocks, and collected sycamore figs. Amos 7:14, 15) implies that Amos belongs to a "humble rank".[5]
• "Herdmen" (Hebrew: noked): the same as found in 2 Kings 3:4, applied to Mesha King of Moab, a great "sheepmaster;" hence some have considered that Amos was not a mere mercenary, but a rich possessor of flocks. However (Amos 7:14, 15) states that his position is of a "poor labouring man".[16]
• "Concerning Israel" or rather "upon Israel": heavy words coming upon the heavy transgressions of Israel. The preceding word "saw" is not of mere sight, but of a vision given by God. Amos only says that they were "his" words, in order immediately to add, that they came to him from God, that he himself was but the human organ through which God spake.[17]
• "Tekoa", a small town of Judah, six miles southeast from Bethlehem, and twelve from Jerusalem, on the borders of the great desert (2 Chronicles 20:20; compare 2 Chronicles 11:6). The region being sandy was more fit for pastoral than for agricultural purposes.[5] Maundrell says[18] it is nine miles distant, to the south of it; and, according to Jerome,[19] it was twelve miles from Jerusalem; though he elsewhere says,[20] "Thecua", or Tekoa, is a village at this day, nine miles from Aelia or Jerusalem, of which place was Amos the prophet, and where his sepulchre is seen: either there is a mistake of the number, or of Aelia for Bethlehem; the former rather seems to be the case; according to Josephus,[21] it was not far from the castle of Herodium.[22]
• "Two years before the earthquake": which was well known in those times, and fresh in memory. Zechariah speaks of it many years after, mentioning that it was in the days of Uzziah, Zechariah 14:5. The Jewish writers generally say that it was when Uzziah was smote with leprosy for invading the priest's office; and was in the year in which he died, when Isaiah had a vision of the glory of the Lord, and the posts of the house moved, Isaiah 6:1; and with whom Josephus[23] agrees; who also relates, that "the temple being rent by the earthquake, the bright light of the sun shone upon the king's face, and the leprosy immediately seized him; and, at a place before the city called Eroge, half part of a mountain towards the west was broken and rolled half a mile towards the eastern part, and there stood, and stopped up the ways, and the king's gardens"; but this cannot be true, as Theodoret observes; since, according to this account, Amos must begin to prophesy in the fiftieth year of Uzziah; for he reigned fifty two years, and he began his reign in the twenty seventh year of Jeroboam, 2 Kings 15:1; who reigned forty one years, 2 Kings 14:23; so that Uzziah and he were contemporary fourteen years only, and Jeroboam must have been dead thirty six years when it was the fiftieth of Uzziah; whereas they are here represented as contemporary when Amos began to prophesy, which was but two years before the earthquake; so that this earthquake must be in the former and not the latter part of Uzziah's reign, and consequently not when he was stricken with the leprosy.[22]

And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion,

and utter his voice from Jerusalem;

and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn,

and the top of Carmel shall wither.[24]

Cross reference: Joel 3:16

• Amos 1 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Amos 1 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

• Amos 1 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate