Amos 7 1

Amos 7:1 kjv

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.

Amos 7:1 nkjv

Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king's mowings.

Amos 7:1 niv

This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up.

Amos 7:1 esv

This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.

Amos 7:1 nlt

The Sovereign LORD showed me a vision. I saw him preparing to send a vast swarm of locusts over the land. This was after the king's share had been harvested from the fields and as the main crop was coming up.

Amos 7 verses

Amos 7 1 meaning

This verse introduces the first of five visions granted to the prophet Amos, revealing a terrifying impending judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The vision shows the Lord God deliberately forming or preparing a swarm of locusts at a specific critical agricultural time: when the "latter growth" was just beginning to sprout, following the king's initial "mowings" or first harvest. This depicted a targeted and devastating attack on the people's primary source of sustenance, signaling imminent economic ruin and famine after the royal portion had already been taken, thus directly threatening the common populace with starvation. It establishes God's absolute sovereignty over natural calamities and their specific timing as instruments of divine judgment.

Amos 7 1 Context

Amos 7:1 opens a crucial section of the book of Amos, initiating the first of five visions that portray Israel's impending judgment. This particular verse describes a scene of profound agricultural devastation. Israel, living in a time of superficial prosperity under Jeroboam II but rampant with idolatry, social injustice, and false security, believed themselves immune to God's judgment. Amos, a shepherd and fig-dresser from Judah, was called by God to prophesy against this Northern Kingdom.

The historical context is critical: the ancient Near East's economy was agrarian, and crop failures were catastrophic. "The king's mowings" refers to the initial, valuable harvest—likely reserved as fodder for royal livestock or as a form of royal tax/tribute. This meant the first fruits of the land had already been claimed by the monarchy, leaving the "latter growth" as the main, and often only, sustenance for the common people and their remaining animals. A locust plague at this specific time, just as the latter growth was beginning to sprout, indicated a deliberate divine act of judgment targeting the very survival of the population, leaving no remaining resource or means of recovery. It subtly challenges Israel's trust in their political structures and exposes the impotence of their idol gods to protect them from Yahweh's sovereign hand.

Amos 7 1 Word analysis

• This is what the Lord GOD showed me: This introductory phrase, (כֹּה הִרְאַנִי אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - koh hir'ani Adonai YHWH), establishes divine authority for the vision. The Hebrew term hir'ani ("He showed me") emphasizes a direct, personal, and explicit revelation from God to Amos, signifying it was not a dream or abstract thought, but a clear divine manifestation.
• Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - Adonai YHWH): This powerful combined title emphasizes God's supreme authority and sovereignty. Adonai means "my Lord" or "Master," acknowledging ownership and command, while YHWH (often rendered as LORD in English Bibles) is God's covenantal and personal name, denoting His unwavering presence and redemptive character. Its use here underscores that this judgment comes from the omnipotent and covenant-keeping God of Israel.
• He was forming (יוֹצֵר - yotser): This word, derived from the verb "to form" or "to create," implies deliberate and intentional action. God is not merely observing or permitting the locusts but actively "shaping" or "preparing" them. It emphasizes divine agency and foreknowledge; this plague is not a random natural occurrence but a precise, divinely orchestrated instrument of judgment.
• locusts (גּוֹבַי - govay): Refers to a swarm of grasshoppers or locusts. These insects were a well-known ancient Near Eastern plague capable of utterly stripping vegetation, leading to widespread famine. Their mention here evokes images of total desolation and serves as a direct, tangible threat.
• when the latter growth was beginning to sprout (בִּתְחִלַּת עֲלוֹת הַלָּקֶשׁ - bit'khilat alot ha'leqesh): This specifies the critical timing of the plague. Leqesh (latter growth) refers to the second or late-sown crop, harvested after the initial "first fruits" or early spring harvest. For common people and their livestock, this second crop was crucial for survival, following the king's prior claims. The phrase "beginning to sprout" highlights that the crops were young, making them particularly vulnerable and their destruction complete.
• and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings (וְהִנֵּה לֶקֶשׁ אַחַר גֵּז הַמֶּלֶךְ - vehinneh leqesh ahar gez ha'melekh): The repetition and further clarification underscore the economic significance. Gez ha'melekh ("the king's mowings" or "the shearing of the king") refers to the first cutting of grass or early harvest, typically reserved for royal animals (horses, chariotry) or as royal tribute. This first claim left the general populace dependent on the "latter growth." Its destruction meant that after the king had already taken his share, the people's last hope for sustenance was being targeted, leading to unprecedented destitution.
• "Lord GOD showed me": This group emphasizes that the prophetic insight into future calamity is from the ultimate divine authority. It imbues Amos's message with irrefutable weight and truth.
• "forming locusts when the latter growth was beginning to sprout": This group highlights the intentionality and precision of God's judgment. The locusts are not a random act of nature but a carefully orchestrated plague, timed for maximum destructive impact on Israel's sustenance, hitting at the most vulnerable stage of their secondary crop.

Amos 7 1 Bonus section

The vision in Amos 7:1 serves as a stark introduction to a recurring theme: God's warning before judgment. The precision in timing ("latter growth after the king's mowings") is not just descriptive but deeply symbolic. It exposes the socioeconomic reality where the ruling elite (king) had already taken their portion, leaving the masses reliant on what little remained. God's judgment, therefore, would exacerbate existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting the vulnerable who had already suffered under oppressive human systems. The contrast between this detailed destruction in the first vision and Amos's intercession for it (Amos 7:2) highlights God's long-suffering nature, providing an opportunity for repentance even as judgment looms. This interplay of divine revelation, impending doom, and the prophet's plea establishes a pattern that permeates much of the book.

Amos 7 1 Commentary

Amos 7:1 vividly portrays the Lord God initiating the first of His judgments upon Israel through a devastating locust plague. This vision reveals not a mere prediction of a natural disaster, but God's direct agency and specific timing in bringing calamity. The phrase "forming locusts" implies divine creation and deployment, making it clear that this is a deliberate act, not an arbitrary event. The strategic targeting of the "latter growth," after the "king's mowings" had already taken the first and usually best harvest, underscores the severity. The common people, dependent on this second crop, would be left utterly bereft and facing starvation, exposing the hollow prosperity built on injustice and idolatry. It illustrates God's unyielding commitment to uphold righteousness and His sovereignty over creation as He administers justice, even towards His own covenant people who had strayed so far.