Amos 7 3

Amos 7:3 kjv

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

Amos 7:3 nkjv

So the LORD relented concerning this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.

Amos 7:3 niv

So the LORD relented. "This will not happen," the LORD said.

Amos 7:3 esv

The LORD relented concerning this: "It shall not be," said the LORD.

Amos 7:3 nlt

So the LORD relented from this plan. "I will not do it," he said.

Amos 7 verses

Amos 7 3 meaning

Amos 7:3 records God's merciful response to the prophet Amos's intercession, declaring a cessation of the impending judgment. After showing Amos a vision of a devastating locust plague intended to consume the land, and upon Amos's plea, the Lord expressed a profound change in action regarding that specific judgment. The divine declaration, "It shall not be," signifies an immediate and complete reversal of the catastrophe. This verse stands as a testament to God's compassionate nature and His responsiveness to the earnest prayers of His faithful servants, demonstrating a sovereign willingness to relent from a pronounced judgment.

Amos 7 3 Context

Amos 7:3 occurs within the first of five visionary messages given to the prophet Amos concerning God's judgment upon the northern kingdom of Israel. Amos, a shepherd and fig dresser from Judah, was called by God to pronounce judgment during a period of considerable material prosperity under Jeroboam II but rampant social injustice and religious apostasy. The immediate context of Amos 7:3 is the first vision (7:1-3) where Amos sees a devastating plague of locusts that would consume the "spring pasturage" crucial for a land-based economy. Seeing the total destruction and hearing Amos's plaintive cry, "O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!" (7:2), the sovereign God reverses His stated judgment. This vision immediately contrasts the severity of God's impending judgment with His profound compassion, setting a precedent that, though judgment is coming, God is responsive to fervent intercession and not swift to destroy. It showcases the prophet's vital role as an intercessor between God and His people, even when those people are undeserving.

Amos 7 3 Word analysis

• The LORD (YHWH - יהוה): The divine covenant name. Emphasizes God's personal, sovereign, and unchanging character, yet He chooses to interact relationally. His action here is not arbitrary but tied to His covenant fidelity and compassion.

• relented (niḥam - נחם): Hebrew, Piel imperfect of naḥam. This does not mean God changes His mind or character, but rather He changes His course of action or plan in response to circumstances, such as prayer or repentance. It conveys deep emotion, a "sighing," or "having compassion." It highlights God's dynamic interaction with humanity rather than a static, immutable decree regardless of intercession. God’s faithfulness and just nature are unchanging, but His actions of judgment or blessing can be conditioned on human response or intercession.

• concerning this (ʻal-zōt - על זאת): Refers specifically to the locust plague vision described in Amos 7:1-2. It’s not a general relenting, but a focused reversal of the immediate threat that Amos foresaw and interceded against.

• 'It shall not be' (lō' tihyeh - לא תהיה): A strong, decisive divine decree. Lō' (not) negates the tihyeh (it shall be/it will exist). This direct negation forcefully announces the cancellation of the impending judgment. It underscores God's absolute authority and power to override a previously stated judgment, not due to weakness or oversight, but out of merciful choice.

• said the LORD (ʻāmar YHWH - אָמַר יהוה): Affirms the divine origin and finality of the statement. This is not a human opinion but a sovereign pronouncement from the covenant God, reinforcing its authority and truth.

• Words-group by words-group analysis

  • "The LORD relented concerning this": Highlights God's initiative in stopping the plague and His compassionate disposition in response to intercession. The power to cease judgment belongs solely to YHWH.
  • "'It shall not be,' said the LORD": Emphasizes the definitive nature of God's mercy and the absolute certainty of the judgment's cancellation. This direct divine speech validates Amos's intercession and God's attentiveness to His prophet.

Amos 7 3 Bonus section

• The Hebrew verb niḥam (relent) is often associated with a "change of mind" in English translations, but biblically it points to a change of action or response from God, particularly out of compassion, without implying a flaw in divine foresight or knowledge. God's decisions are perfectly informed by His divine wisdom and character, which includes His attributes of grace and mercy, hence His readiness to "relent."
• This verse provides an example of God’s redemptive flexibility within the framework of His steadfast justice. While Israel was largely unrepentant, Amos's prayer, acting as a representative of even the "small" remnant, was effective. This illustrates the power of a single righteous intercessor.
• The fact that God explicitly "said the LORD" after stating the relenting emphasizes that this was not merely an impression or feeling Amos had, but a clear, authoritative divine word, underscoring the reality and certainty of the canceled judgment.
• In some rabbinic interpretations, this relenting by God shows that even God is affected by human suffering and prayer, highlighting a relational aspect of divine sovereignty that is open to the supplication of His chosen instruments.

Amos 7 3 Commentary

Amos 7:3 is a crucial turning point in the prophetic book, establishing God's capacity for mercy even amidst a prevailing theme of judgment. It profoundly demonstrates that divine judgments, while certain for an unrepentant people, are often conditional on human response—particularly intercession. God, being sovereign and unchanging in character (mercy, grace, justice), nonetheless maintains the prerogative to change His declared actions in response to a sincere cry. This is not an alteration of His perfect character but a consistent expression of His willingness to suspend wrath when moved by compassionate plea. The prophet's prayer becomes a vehicle through which God's inherent compassion finds expression. This incident stands apart from later visions where intercession is explicitly refused (e.g., Jer 7:16, Ezek 22:30), signaling both the immense privilege and potential efficacy of prophetic prayer, while also foreshadowing a time when such grace might no longer be extended. It teaches that even when punishment seems imminent, prayer remains a potent force, capable of delaying or averting calamity, underscoring the dynamic interplay between divine decree and human petition.