AMOS

Borne; a burden, one of the twelve minor prophets. He was a native of Tekota, the modern Tekua, a town about 12 miles south-east of Bethlehem. He was a man of humble birth, neither a “prophet nor a prophet’s son,” but “an herdman and a dresser of sycomore trees,” R.V. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and was contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea (Amos 1:1; 7:14, 15; Zech. 14:5), who survived him a few years. Under Jeroboam II. the kingdom of Israel rose to the zenith of its prosperity; but that was followed by the prevalence of luxury and vice and idolatry. At this period Amos was called from his obscurity to remind the people of the law of God’s retributive justice, and to call them to repentance. The Book of Amos consists of three parts: (1.) The nations around are summoned to judgment because of their sins (1:1-2:3). He quotes Joel 3:16. (2.) The spiritual condition of Judah, and especially of Israel, is described (2:4-6:14). (3.) In 7:1-9:10 are recorded five prophetic visions. (a) The first two (7:1-6) refer to judgments against the guilty people. (b) The next two (7:7-9; 8:1-3) point out the ripeness of the people for the threatened judgements. 7:10-17 consists of a conversation between the prophet and the priest of Bethel. (c) The fifth describes the overthrow and ruin of Israel (9:1-10); to which is added the promise of the restoration of the kingdom and its final glory in the Messiah’s kingdom. The style is peculiar in the number of the allusions made to natural objects and to agricultural occupations. Other allusions show also that Amos was a student of the law as well as a “child of nature.” These phrases are peculiar to him: “Cleanness of teeth” [i.e., want of bread] (4:6); “The excellency of Jacob” (6:8; 8:7); “The high places of Isaac” (7:9); “The house of Isaac” (7:16); “He that createth the wind” (4:13). Quoted, Acts 7:42.

(burden), native of Tekoa in Judah, about six miles south of Bethlehem, originally a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees, who was called by God s Spirit to be a prophet, although not trained in any of the regular prophetic schools. (Amos 1:1; 7:14,15) He travelled from Judah into the northern kingdom of Israel or Ephraim, and there exercised his ministry, apparently not for any long time. (His date cannot be later than B.C. 808 for he lived in the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel; but his ministry probably took place at an earlier date, perhaps about the middle of Jeroboam’s reign Nothing is known of the time or manner of his death.—ED.)

A'MOS (burden), one of the lesser prophets, herdsman of Tekoa, a small town in the tribe of Judah, about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. Am 1:1. He lived in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah, and of Jeroboam II., king of Israel, about eight hundred years before Christ. He was a contemporary of Hosea. While employed as a herdsman he was divinely appointed to prophesy against Israel. This kingdom then was in its heyday of prosperity, but by reason of its idolatry rife with the seeds of ruin. It was Amos's duty to speak plain words upon the evils of the state. Being driven from Bethel upon the false representation made to the king by the idolatrous Priest Amaziah. Am 7:10-7, he returned to Tekoa. The time and manner of his death are uncertain. Amos, Prophecy of, is the thirtieth in the order of the books of the Old Testament, and is full of interest and instruction. It may be considered as a sort of continuation of Joel's. It is a unit. It begins with the declaration of God's judgments against Israel's neighbors. But in this storm of fury Judah does not escape while Israel stands the brunt of it. Am 1-2:6. The sins of Israel are rebuked. Am 2:6-6:14. The rebukes are followed by a series of symbols, which are interpreted. Am 7:1-9:7. But the book closes with the promise of good. The "tabernacle of David" is to be restored. Thus the beauty and perpetuity of the Christian Church are foretold. It has been remarked as a peculiar feature of this prophecy that it abounds with illustrations drawn from husbandry and the scenes of rustic life; it certainly contains some of the most perfect specimens of sublime thought and beautiful expression that are to be found in any language.

loading; weighty

A'MOS (burden), one of the lesser prophets, herdsman of Tekoa, a small town in the tribe of Judah, about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. Am 1:1. He lived in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah, and of Jeroboam II., king of Israel, about eight hundred years before Christ. He was a contemporary of Hosea. While employed as a herdsman he was divinely appointed to prophesy against Israel. This kingdom then was in its heyday of prosperity, but by reason of its idolatry rife with the seeds of ruin. It was Amos's duty to speak plain words upon the evils of the state. Being driven from Bethel upon the false representation made to the king by the idolatrous Priest Amaziah. Am 7:10-7, he returned to Tekoa. The time and manner of his death are uncertain. Amos, Prophecy of, is the thirtieth in the order of the books of the Old Testament, and is full of interest and instruction. It may be considered as a sort of continuation of Joel's. It is a unit. It begins with the declaration of God's judgments against Israel's neighbors. But in this storm of fury Judah does not escape while Israel stands the brunt of it. Am 1-2:6. The sins of Israel are rebuked. Am 2:6-6:14. The rebukes are followed by a series of symbols, which are interpreted. Am 7:1-9:7. But the book closes with the promise of good. The "tabernacle of David" is to be restored. Thus the beauty and perpetuity of the Christian Church are foretold. It has been remarked as a peculiar feature of this prophecy that it abounds with illustrations drawn from husbandry and the scenes of rustic life; it certainly contains some of the most perfect specimens of sublime thought and beautiful expression that are to be found in any language.