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 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 7:1 | Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, | Locusts, divine judgment |
| Joel 1:4 | That which the palmerworm hath left hath the | Locusts and destruction |
| Joel 2:25 | And I will restore to you the years that the | Restoration after judgment |
| Jeremiah 5:15 | Behold, I will bring a nation against you from | Divine judgment as national |
| Jeremiah 8:16 | The snorting of their horses was heard from | God using nations for judgment |
| Jeremiah 10:11 | Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that | False gods unable to help |
| Jeremiah 51:46 | And lest their heart perish, and they fear | Deliverance from coming judgment |
| Amos 4:6 | And I also have given you cleanness of teeth | God's disciplinary actions |
| Amos 4:7 | And also I have withholden the rain from you | God's disciplinary actions |
| Amos 5:3 | For thus saith the Lord Jehovah; The city that | Judgment upon Israel |
| Amos 7:4 | Then also did the Lord Jehovah show me: and | God's control over destruction |
| Amos 7:7 | Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord | Divine equity in judgment |
| Amos 8:1 | Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me: and | Visions of judgment |
| Isaiah 2:12 | For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be | Day of the Lord's judgment |
| Isaiah 9:14 | Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel | Judgment upon leaders |
| Ezekiel 38:22 | And I will plead against him with pestilence | God's judgment by pestilence |
| Ezekiel 39:11 | And I will appoint a place there, an | Burial place for the slain |
| Luke 21:29 | And he spake to them a parable; Behold the | Parable of the fig tree and summer |
| Revelation 9:3 | And there came out of the smoke locusts | Demonic locusts of judgment |
| Revelation 15:7 | And one of the four beasts gave unto the | Seven vials of God's wrath |
Amos 7 verses
Amos 7 1 Meaning
The Lord Jehovah showed Amos a vision of locusts and fire. This was a prophetic preview of divine judgment coming upon the land. The initial sight is of devastation from locusts, signifying widespread destruction and famine. Following this, a vision of fire, representing cleansing or a more intense, consuming judgment, is shown. This dual imagery emphasizes the thoroughness and severity of God's impending disciplinary action.
Amos 7 1 Context
Amos 7 begins a new section in the prophecy, shifting from declarative judgments to accounts of divine visions. These visions demonstrate God's intention to judge Israel, particularly through agricultural devastation. Historically, this prophecy occurs during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah. Israel was experiencing outward prosperity but inward corruption and injustice. Amos's role as a shepherd from Tekoa in Judah (South) prophesying to the Northern Kingdom of Israel highlights a divinely appointed messenger confronting national apostasy. The visions of locusts and fire were potent symbols of destruction, especially relevant in an agrarian society heavily reliant on God's provision. The visions serve to underscore the severity of God's pronouncements of judgment upon a people who had turned away from Him, engaging in social injustice and idolatry.
Amos 7 1 Word Analysis
וְהִנֵּה (vəhinnêh): "And behold." This interjection emphasizes the sudden and dramatic nature of the vision. It draws the reader's attention, signaling something important is about to be revealed.
הַגָּזָם (haggāzām): "the devouring locusts." The definite article 'ha' indicates a specific type or a particularly destructive swarm. This term suggests stripping bare or cutting down, fitting the imagery of total crop destruction. The root implies cutting off or shearing.
וּמַתְלְךִים (ūmāṯləḵîm): "and the gnawing swarm" or "consuming ones." This word from the root "tkl" can refer to something that consumes or gnaws away. It adds another layer of destruction beyond simple eating, implying a persistent, devouring action.
עָשׁ (ʿāš): "locusts." This is a general term for locusts, common in descriptions of plagues and divine judgments in the Old Testament.
The phrase "Lord Jehovah showed me" (כֹּה֙ אֲמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה יְהוִ֔ה / kōh ’ămaṟ YHWH YHWH): "Thus said the Lord Jehovah." The repetition of the divine name YHWH (Yahweh), the personal covenant name of God, coupled with Elohim (God), powerfully signifies God's self-revelation and direct communication to Amos. It establishes the divine authority behind the vision. This is a strong declarative statement by God.
Amos 7 1 Bonus Section
The Hebrew phrase "Lord Jehovah" (אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה / Adonai YHWH) in this verse is a potent combination of titles. "Adonai" signifies sovereignty and ownership, while "YHWH" is the covenant name, implying faithfulness and relationship. This combination highlights that God's judgment stems from His relationship with Israel, not arbitrary power. The specific vision of locusts is echoed in the plagues described in Joel, showing a thematic connection between prophetic messages of judgment on the land and God's active intervention through natural or supernatural means.
Amos 7 1 Commentary
This opening vision in Amos 7 immediately plunges the reader into a message of impending judgment. The prophetic insight granted to Amos by "the Lord Jehovah" is not a mere observation, but a divine mandate and preview of destruction. The depiction of devouring locusts signifies a plague that would leave the land barren, impacting the very sustenance of the people. This is not an abstract threat but a tangible demonstration of God's power to discipline His covenant people when they stray. The specificity of the locusts, described as gnawing and consuming, underlines the thoroughness of the judgment to come upon Israel for their unrighteousness and apostasy.