Text -- Amos 7:1-3 (NET)

Symbolic Visions of Judgment

7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw him making locusts just as the crops planted late were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest.) 7:2 When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said, “Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel! How can Jacob survive? He is too weak!” 7:3 The Lord decided not to do this. “It will not happen,” the Lord said.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Amo 7:1

¹ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

² sn The crops planted late (consisting of vegetables) were planted in late January-early March and sprouted in conjunction with the spring rains of March-April. For a discussion of the ancient Israelite agricultural calendar, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 31-44.

³ tn Or “the mowings of the king.”

sn This royal harvest may refer to an initial mowing of crops collected as taxes by the royal authorities.

NET Notes: Amo 7:2

¹ tn “Israel” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “stand” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

³ tn Heb “small.”

NET Notes: Amo 7:3

¹ tn Or “changed his mind about this.”