The Locusts, Fire, and Plumbline
(Joel 2:1-11)
1Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
2And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
3The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
4Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
5Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
6The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.
7Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
9And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Amaziah Accuses Amos
10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. 11For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. 12Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 13But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
14Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: 15And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. 16Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. 17Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
The Locusts, Fire, and Plumb Line
(Joel 2:1–11)
1 Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me: and behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.
2 It happened that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
3 Yahweh relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says Yahweh.
4 Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me and behold, the Lord Yahweh called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
5 Then I said, “Lord Yahweh, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
6 Yahweh relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord Yahweh.
7 Thus he showed me and behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
8 Yahweh said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
9 The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
Amaziah Accuses Amos
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’” 12 Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 13 but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs; 15 and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore listen to the word of Yahweh: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach against the house of Isaac.’ 17 Therefore thus says Yahweh: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
The Locusts, Fire, and Plumb Line
(Joel 2:1–11)
1 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts just after the king’s harvest, as the late spring crop was coming up. a 2 And when the locusts had eaten every green plant in the land, I said, “Lord GOD, please forgive! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”
3 So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said.
4 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land. 5 Then I said, “Lord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”
6 So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen either,” said the Lord GOD.
7 This is what He showed me: Behold, the Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. 8 “Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD.
“A plumb line,” I replied.
“Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them:
9 The high places of Isaac will be deserted,
and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste;
and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam
with My sword.”
Amaziah Accuses Amos
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words, 11 for this is what Amos has said:
‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
and Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their homeland.’ ”
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 But never prophesy at Bethel again, because it is the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom.”
14 “I was not b a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son c of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
16 Now, therefore, hear the word of the LORD. You say:
‘Do not prophesy against Israel;
do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
17 Therefore this is what the LORD says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be divided by a measuring line,
and you yourself will die on pagan d soil.
And Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their homeland.’ ”
Footnotes:
1 a LXX A swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one grasshopper, king Gog.
14 b Or I am not
14 c Or nor am I the son
17 d Hebrew unclean
The Locusts, Fire, and Plumbline
(Joel 2:1-11)
1Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, He is forming locusts at the beginning of the ascending of the latter growth, and lo, the latter growth is after the mowings of the king;
2and it hath come to pass, when it hath finished to consume the herb of the land, that I say: 'Lord Jehovah, forgive, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he is small?'
3Jehovah hath repented of this, 'It shall not be,' said Jehovah.
4Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, the Lord Jehovah is calling to contend by fire, and it consumeth the great deep, yea, it hath consumed the portion, and I say:
5Lord Jehovah, cease, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he is small?'
6Jehovah hath repented of this, 'It also shall not be,' said the Lord Jehovah.
7Thus hath He shewed me, and lo, the Lord is standing by a wall made according to a plumb-line, and in His hand a plumb-line;
8and Jehovah saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing, Amos?' And I say, 'A plumb-line;' and the Lord saith: 'Lo, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of My people Israel, I do not add any more to pass over to it.
9And desolated have been high places of Isaac, And sanctuaries of Israel are wasted, And I have risen against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.'
Amaziah Accuses Amos
10And Amaziah priest of Beth-El sendeth unto Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, 'Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words, 11for thus said Amos: By sword die doth Jeroboam, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.' 12And Amaziah saith unto Amos, 'Seer, go flee for thee unto the land of Judah, and eat there bread, and there thou dost prophesy; 13and at Beth-El do not add to prophesy any more, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal house.'
14And Amos answereth and saith unto Amaziah, 'I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son am I, but a herdsman I am, and a cultivator of sycamores, 15and Jehovah taketh me from after the flock, and Jehovah saith unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. 16And now, hear a word of Jehovah: thou art saying, Do not prophesy against Israel, nor drop any thing against the house of Isaac, 17therefore thus said Jehovah: Thy wife in the city doth go a-whoring, And thy sons and thy daughters by sword do fall, And thy land by line is apportioned, And thou on an unclean land diest, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.'
