The Lord God showed me this vision: behold, a basket of summer fruit. He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.’ The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?
Deeper Dive
This passage is a prophetic announcement against Israel’s social injustice. Amos, a shepherd-turned-prophet, is delivering God’s message of judgment against the corruption of the affluent, who exploit the vulnerable. The metaphor of trampled lives echoes themes of economic manipulation and disregard for Sabbath practices. This is historically set in a time of wealth disparity, which the prophet denounces in symbolic reproach, reflecting a broader biblical narrative advocating justice and righteousness. Amos relays God’s irrevocable promise not to forget the injustices done by Israel’s elite. This assurance reflects God’s profound concern for justice and righteousness, with God’s memory acting as a guarantee of eventual divine justice. This theme resonates through prophetic literature, challenging communities to reflect on their ethical practices and ensure legal protections for the vulnerable established by God’s covenant are upheld.
The Lord God showed me this vision: behold, a basket of summer fruit. He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.’ The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?
Deeper Dive
This passage is a prophetic announcement against Israel’s social injustice. Amos, a shepherd-turned-prophet, is delivering God’s message of judgment against the corruption of the affluent, who exploit the vulnerable. The metaphor of trampled lives echoes themes of economic manipulation and disregard for Sabbath practices. This is historically set in a time of wealth disparity, which the prophet denounces in symbolic reproach, reflecting a broader biblical narrative advocating justice and righteousness. Amos relays God’s irrevocable promise not to forget the injustices done by Israel’s elite. This assurance reflects God’s profound concern for justice and righteousness, with God’s memory acting as a guarantee of eventual divine justice. This theme resonates through prophetic literature, challenging communities to reflect on their ethical practices and ensure legal protections for the vulnerable established by God’s covenant are upheld.
