Amos 8

King James Version

Full text for Amos Chapter 8

1¶ Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.

2And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

3And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: [there shall be] many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast [them] forth with silence.

4¶ Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

5Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

6That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; [yea], and sell the refuse of the wheat?

7The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

8Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as [by] the flood of Egypt.

9And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only [son], and the end thereof as a bitter day.

11¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find [it].

13In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

14They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Amos receives a vision of a basket of summer fruit, signifying that Israel's end is near and God will no longer spare them. The Lord condemns the wealthy who oppress the poor through dishonest trading practices and exploitation. Consequently, God promises severe judgment, including cosmic disturbances, widespread mourning, and a unique famine for the word of the Lord.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Amos's vision of a basket of summer fruit, which the Lord interprets as the imminent end for the people of Israel, declaring He will no longer pass by their iniquities. God pronounces a day when temple songs will turn to howlings due to widespread death. He then directly addresses those who exploit the poor, expressing their impatience for Sabbaths and new moons to end so they can engage in deceitful commerce, using false weights and selling inferior goods. The Lord swears He will not forget these injustices, promising that the land will tremble, and a time of darkness and profound mourning, like for an only son, will come upon them. Furthermore, God declares a unique famine, not of physical sustenance, but of hearing His word, causing people to desperately search for it in vain.

Long Summary

Amos 8 begins with the prophet's vision of a basket of summer fruit, which the Lord God reveals signifies the impending end for the nation of Israel, stating He will no longer overlook their transgressions. This judgment will transform the joyful songs of the temple into howlings, as many dead bodies will be cast forth silently in every place. The Lord then issues a stern rebuke to those who oppress the needy and cause the poor of the land to fail. These individuals are depicted as being eager for religious observances like the new moon and the Sabbath to pass, so they can resume their dishonest business practices, such as making the ephah small, the shekel great, and falsifying balances. Their avarice extends to buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes, even selling the refuse of the wheat. The Lord God swears by the excellency of Jacob that He will never forget any of their wicked works. As a consequence, the land itself will tremble, and its inhabitants will mourn, with the land rising and drowning like the flood of Egypt. God declares that in that day, He will cause the sun to set at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight, turning all feasts into mourning and songs into lamentation. Sackcloth and baldness will be widespread, and the sorrow will be as bitter as mourning for an only son. A particularly severe judgment is prophesied: a famine not of bread or water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. People will desperately wander from sea to sea, and from north to east, seeking the divine word, but they will not find it, causing even the fair virgins and young men to faint from this spiritual thirst. Finally, those who swear by the idols of Samaria, Dan, and Beersheba are specifically condemned, destined to fall and never rise again.

Core Concepts

  • Imminent JudgmentThe vision of the basket of summer fruit signifies that Israel's time is ripe for judgment, and God will no longer defer their punishment. This marks a definitive end to His forbearance with their transgressions.
  • Oppression of the PoorThe chapter strongly condemns the wealthy and merchants who exploit the needy through dishonest business practices, such as using false weights and measures, and selling inferior goods. Their greed drives them to buy the poor into servitude for minimal cost.
  • Dishonest CommerceA key theme is the perversion of justice in the marketplace, where merchants are eager for religious holidays to end so they can resume cheating customers with small ephahs, heavy shekels, and falsified balances. This highlights a disregard for both divine law and human ethics.
  • Cosmic DisturbancesGod's judgment is depicted with dramatic natural phenomena, including the sun setting at noon and the earth darkening in clear day. These events symbolize the profound and inescapable nature of the impending divine wrath.
  • Famine of the WordA unique and severe punishment is prophesied: a spiritual famine where people will desperately seek the word of the Lord but will not find it. This signifies the removal of divine revelation and guidance from a rebellious nation.
  • Idolatry and Its ConsequencesThe chapter concludes with a direct condemnation of those who swear by the false gods and practices associated with Samaria, Dan, and Beersheba. Their reliance on idols will lead to their ultimate downfall and inability to recover.