Introduction

Amos (Heb. Amots) was a shepherd before he became a prophet. There grew up in Tekoa in the province of Yehudah (Judah), but Yahweh commanded him to go to Beyt-El (Bethel) in Yisra’el (Israel) in order to preach there. (Yisra’el is north of Yehudah.) These events happened around 800 B.C. He proclaimed God’s curses on Syria, Philistia, Pinisia, Edom, Amon, Moab, and even Yehudah. At that time, the people were prospering and there was no famine like in some other nations, and Israel had widened their border. But Amos saw how the rich people prospered because they took advantage of the poor and even abused them through the courts. They had stopped obeying Yahweh’ instructions and commands, so Amos didn’t hesitate to tell them how Yahweh would punish them and their country. He encouraged them to maintain true justice in their courts, because what if God might just be gracious towards the people remaining in their country (5:15).

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.