Amos 7

Thus 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.

The Lord God revealed to me that He created locusts just as the late crops began to sprout, right after the king's harvest.

And 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.

After they had finished consuming all the land's vegetation, I cried out in desperation, "Oh Lord, please forgive us. How can Jacob rise again? He is so insignificant."

The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

So the Lord relented and declared, "This shall not happen," says the Lord.

Thus 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.

The Lord God showed me another vision: He was calling for judgment by fire, and the fire burned up the vast ocean depths and began to devour part of the land.

Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

I cried out, "Please, Lord God, stop! Who will lift up Jacob? He is so weak and small."

The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

So the Lord relented from this too: This too shall not happen, declares the Sovereign God.

Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

And so, He revealed to me: there was the Lord, standing on a wall built straight and true, holding the tool that ensured its perfection.

And 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:

The Lord asked me, "Amos, what do you see?" I replied, "A plumbline." Then the Lord declared, "Look, I will place a plumbline among my people, Israel. I won't spare them anymore."

And 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.

Isaac's sacred hills will be abandoned, Israel's holy places will be destroyed, and I will rise up against Jeroboam's family with the sword.

Then 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.

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, urgently sent a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. He warned, "Amos is plotting against you right here among our people. His words are too heavy for our land to carry."

For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

Amos declares with a heavy heart, Jeroboam will meet his end by the blade, and sadly, Israel will be forcefully taken from their cherished homeland.

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

Amaziah told Amos, "You, the visionary, escape to Judah. Find sustenance there and share your prophecies."

But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

Don't prophesy in Bethel anymore; it's the king's sacred place, his royal court.

Then 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:

Amos responded to Amaziah with humility, "I'm not a prophet or a son of a prophet. I'm just a simple shepherd and a collector of sycomore fruit."

And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

As I tended my sheep, God chose me. He instructed, "Go, share my words with my people, Israel."

Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

Listen closely to God's message: You've asked not to speak ill of Israel or voice any criticism against Isaac's family.

Therefore 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 Lord declares, your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your children will fall by the sword, and your land will be measured out and divided up. You will die in an unclean foreign land, and Israel will surely be led away from their homeland into captivity.