Book of Amos - Definition and Overview

The Book of Amos is part of the Old Testament and the Jewish Tanakh. The work 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. The first two (7:1-6) refer to judgments against the guilty people. 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. 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).

External links

Online translations of Book of Amos:

• Amos at The Great Books (http://www.anova.org/sev/htm/hb/30_amos.htm) (New Revised Standard Version)
• Amos at Bible Gateway (http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?language=English&Version=NIV&passage=Amos) (various versions)
• Amos at Wikisource (http://wikisource.org/wiki/Bible%2C_English%2C_King_James%2C_Amos) (Authorised King James Version)

Related articles:

• Nicholas Whyte on Amos (http://explorers.whyte.com/Bible/amos.htm)
• Amos Hypertext Bible Commentary (http://www.bible.gen.nz/)

Initial text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897 -- Please update as needed