Among many other Prophets that God raised vp to admonish the Israelites of his plagues for their wickednes and idolatrie, he stirred vp Amos, who was an heardman or shepheard of a poore towne, and gaue him both knowledge and constancie to reproue all estates and degrees, and to denounce Gods horrible iudgements against them, except they did in time repent: shewing them, that if God spare not the other nations about them, who had liued as it were in ignorance of God in respect of them, but for their sinnes wil punish them, that they could looke for nothing, but an horrible destruction, except they turned to the Lord by vnfained repentance. And finally, he comforteth the godly with hope of the coming of the Messiah, by whom they should haue perfite deliuerance and saluation.

1 The time of the prophecie of Amos. 3 The worde of the Lord against Damascus, 6 The Philistims, Tyrus, Idumea and Ammon.

¹ The wordes of Amos, who was among the heardmen at [Note: [a] Which was a towne sixe miles from Ierusalem in Iudea, but he prophecied in Israel. ] Tecoa, which he sawe vpon Israel, in the dayes of Vzziah king of Iudah, and in the dayes of [Note: [b] In his dayes the kingdome of Israel did most florish. ] Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel, two yeere before the [Note: [c] Which, as Iosephus writeth, was whe Vzziah would haue vsurped the Priests office, and therfore was smitten wt the leprosie. ] earthquake.

² And he saide, The Lord shall roare from Zion, and vtter his voyce from Ierusalem, and the dwelling places of the shepheards shal perish, and the top of [Note: [d] Whatsoeuer is fruitfull and pleasant in Israel shall shortly perish. ] Carmel shall wither,

³ ¶ Thus saith the Lord, For [Note: [e] He sheweth first that all the people round about should be destroyed for their manifold sinnes: which are meant by three and foure which make seuen, because the Israelites shoulde the more deepely consider Gods iudgementes towarde them. ] three transgressions of Damascus, and for foure I will not turne to it, because they haue [Note: [f] If the Syrians shall not be spared for committing this crueltie against one citie, it is not possible that Israel shoulde escape punishment which hath committed so many and grieuous sinnes against God and man. ] threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron.

⁴ Therefore will I sende a fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall deuoure the [Note: [g] The antiquitie of their buildings shall not auoyde my iudgements, reade Iere 49.27. ] palaces of Ben-hadad.

⁵ I will breake also the barres of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-auen: and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden, and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto [Note: [h] Tiglath Pileser led ye Syrians captiue, and brought them to Cyrene, which he calleth here Kir. ] Kir, sayth the Lord.

⁶ Thus sayth the Lorde, For three transgressions of Azzah, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they [Note: [i] They ioyned themselues with the Edomites their enemies, which caried them away captiues. ] caried away prisoners the whole captiuitie to shut them vp in Edom.

⁷ Therefore will I sende a fire vpon the walles of Azzah, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof.

⁸ And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon, and turne mine hande to Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistims shall perish, sayth the Lord God.

⁹ ¶ Thus sayth the Lord, For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for foure, I will not turne to [Page]

it, because they shut the whole captiuitie in Edom, and haue not remembred the [Note: [k] For Esau (of whom came the Edomites) and Iaakob were brethren: therefore they ought to haue admonished them of their brotherly friendeship, and not to haue prouoked them to hatred. ] brotherly couenant.

¹⁰ Therefore wil I send a fire vpon ye walles of Tyrus, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof.

¹¹ ¶ Thus sayeth the Lord, For three transgressions of Edom, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because hee did pursue his brother with the sworde, and did [Note: Ebr. corrupt his compassions. ] cast off all pitie, and his anger spoyled him euermore, and his wrath watched him [Note: [l] He was a continuall enemie vnto him. ] alway.

¹² Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.

¹³ ¶ Thus sayth ye Lord, For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they [Note: [m] He noteth the great crueltie of the Ammonites that spared not the women, but most tyrannously tormented them, and yet the Ammonites came of Lot who was of the houshold of Abraham. ] haue ript vp the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.

¹⁴ Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battell, and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde.

¹⁵ And their King shall go into captiuitie, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.

Against Moab, Iudah, and Israel.

¹ Thus sayth the Lorde, For three transgressions of Moab, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because it burnt the [Note: [a] For the Moabites were so cruel against the King of Edom that they burnt his bones after that hee was dead: which declared their barbarous rage, seeing they woulde reuenge themselues of the dead. ] bones of the King of Edom into lime.

² Therefore will I send a fire vpon Moab, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Kerioth, and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.

³ And I will cut off the iudge out of the mids thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, sayth the Lord.

⁴ ¶ Thus saith the Lorde, For three transgressions of Iudah, and for foure, [Note: [b] Seeing ye Gentiles that had not so farre knowledge were thus punished, Iudah which was so fully instructed of the Lords will, might not thinke to escape. ] I will not turne to it, because they haue cast away the Lawe of the Lorde, and haue not kept his commandementes, and their lies caused them to erre after the which their fathers haue walked.

⁵ Therefore will I send a fire vpon Iudah, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem.

⁶ ¶ Thus sayth the Lord, For three transgressions of [Note: [c] If he spare not Iudah vnto whom his promises were made, much more he will not spare this degenerate kingdome. ] Israel, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they solde the righteous for siluer and the poore for [Note: [d] They esteemed most vile bribes more then mens liues. ] shooes.

⁷ They gape ouer the head of the poore, in the [Note: [e] When they haue spoyled him and throwen him to the grounde, they gape for his life. ] dust of the earth, and peruert the wayes of the meeke: and a man and his father will goe in to a mayde to dishonour mine holy Name.

⁸ And they lye downe vpon clothes layde to pledge [Note: [f] Thinking by these ceremonies, that is, by sacrificing, and being neere mine altar, they may excuse all their other wickednesse. ] by euery altar: and they [Note: [g] They spoyle others and offer thereof vnto God, thinking that hee will dispence with them, when he is made partaker of their iniquitie. ] drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God.

⁹ Yet destroyed I the [Note: [h] The destruction of their enemies and his mercie towarde them shoulde haue caused their heartes to melt for loue towarde him. ] Amorite before the, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the okes: notwithstanding I destroyed his fruite from aboue, and his roote from beneath.

¹⁰ Also I brought you vp from the land of Egypt, and led you fourtie yeres thorowe the wildernesse, to possesse the land of the Amorite.

¹¹ And I raysed vp of your sonnes for Prophets,

and [Note: [i] Ye contemned my benefites, and abused my graces and craftily went about to stoppe the mouthes of my Prophets. ] of your yong men for Nazarites. Is it not euen thus, O ye children of Israel, sayth the Lorde?

¹² But ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke, and commanded the Prophetes, saying, Prophecie not.

¹³ Behold, I am [Note: [k] You haue wearied me with your sinnes, Isa.1.14. ] pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues.

¹⁴ Therefore the flight shall perish from the [Note: [l] None shall be deliuered by any meanes. ] swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mightie saue his life.

¹⁵ Nor he that handleth the bowe, shal stand, and he that is swift of foote, shall not escape, neyther shall he that rideth the horse, saue his life.

¹⁶ And he that is of a mighty courage among the strong men, shall flee away naked in that day, sayth the Lord.

Hee reproueth the house of Israel of ingratitude. 11 For the which God will punish them.

¹ Heare this worde that the Lord pronounceth against you, O children of Israel, euen against the whole familie which I brought vp fro the land of Egypt, saying,

² You [Note: [a] I haue onely chosen you to be mine among all other people, and yet you haue forsaken me. ] onely haue I knowen of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visite you for all your iniquities.

³ Can two walke together except they bee [Note: [b] Hereby the Prophet signifieth that he speaketh not of himselfe, but as God guideth and moueth him, which is called the agreement betweene God and his Prophets. ] agreed?

⁴ Will a [Note: [c] Wil God threaten by his Prophets, except there be some great occasion? ] lion roare in ye forest, when he hath no pray? or wil a lions whelpe cry out of his den, if he haue taken nothing?

⁵ [Note: [d] Can any thing come without Gods prouidence? ] Can a birde fall in a snare vpon the earth, where no fouler is? or will he take vp the [Note: [e] Shall his threatnings be in vaine? ] snare from the earth, and haue taken nothing at all?

⁶ Or [Note: [f] Shall the Prophets threaten Gods iudgements and the people not be afraide? ] shall a trumpet be blowen in the citie, and the people be not afraide? or shall there [Note: [g] Doeth any aduersitie come without Gods appoyntment? Isa.45.7. ] be euil in a citie, and the Lord hath not done it?

⁷ Surely the Lord God will doe nothing, but he [Note: [h] God dealeth not with the Israelites as he doeth with other people: for he euer warneth them before of his plagues by his Prophets. ] reueileth his secrete vnto his seruantes the Prophets.

⁸ The lyon hath roared: who will not bee afraide? the Lord God hath spoken: who can but [Note: [i] Because the people euer murmured against the Prophetes, he sheweth that Gods Spirite mooued them so to speake as they did. ] prophecie?

⁹ Proclayme in the palaces at [Note: [k] Hee calleth the straungers, as the Philistims and Egyptians to be witnesses of Gods iudgementes against the Israelites for their crueltie and oppression. ] Ashdod, and in the palaces in the lande of Egypt, and saye, Assemble your selues vpon the mountaines of Samaria: so beholde the great tumultes in the middes thereof, and the oppressed in the middes thereof.

¹⁰ For they knowe not to doe right, sayth the Lorde: they store vp violence, and robbery [Note: [l] The fruite of their crueltie and theft appeareth by their great riches, which they haue in their houses. ] in their palaces.

¹¹ Therefore thus saith the Lord God, An aduersary shall come euen rounde about the countrey, and shall bring downe thy strength fro thee, and thy palaces shalbe spoyled.

¹² Thus saieth the Lorde, As the shephearde taketh [Note: [m] When the Lyon hath saciate his hunger, the shephearde findeth a legge or a tippe of an eare to shewe that the sheepe hath bene woried. ] out of the mouth of the lyon two legges, or a piece of an eare: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in [Note: [n] Where they thought to haue had a sure holde, and to haue bene in safetie. ] Damascus, as in a couche.

¹³ Heare, and testifie in the house of Iaakob, saith the Lord God, the God of hostes.


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¹⁴ Surely in the day that I shal visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him, I wil also visite the altars of Beth-el, and the hornes of the altar shal be broken off, and fall to the ground.

¹⁵ And I wil smite the winter house with the sommer house, and the houses of yuorie shal perish, and the great houses shalbe consumed, sayth the Lord.

Against the gouernours of Samaria.

¹ Heare this worde, ye [Note: [a] Thus he calleth the princes & gouernours, which being ouerwhelmed with the great abudance of Gods benefites, forgate God, & therfore he calleth them by ye name of beasts and not of men. ] kine of Bashan that are in the mountaine of Samaria, which oppresse the poore, & destroy the needie, and they say to their masters, [Note: [b] They incourage such as haue authoritie ouer the people, to powle them, so that they may haue profite by it. ] Bring, and let vs drinke.

² The Lord God hath sworne by his holines, that loe, the dayes shal come vpon you, that hee wil take you away with [Note: [c] He alludeth to fishers which catch fish by hookes and thornes. ] thornes, & your posteritie with fish hookes.

³ And ye shal goe out at the breaches euery kowe forward: and ye shal cast your selues out of the palace, saith the Lord.

⁴ Come to [Note: [d] He speaketh this in contempt of them which resorted to these places, thinking that their great deuotion & good intetion had bene sufficient to haue bound God vnto them. ] Beth-el, & trasgresse: to Gilgal, & multiplie transgression, & bring your sacrifices in the morning, & your tithes after three [Note: [e] Reade Deut. 14. 28. ] yeres.

⁵ And offer a thanksgiuing [Note: [f] As Leuit 7.13. ] of leauen, publish & proclaime the free offrings: for this [Note: [g] You only delite in these outward ceremonies and haue none other respect. ] liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God.

⁶ And therefore haue I giuen you [Note: [h] That is, lacke of bread and meate. ] cleannes of teeth in all your cities, & scarcenesse of bread in all your places, yet haue ye not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.

⁷ And also I haue withholden the raine from you, when there were yet three [Note: [i] I stayed the raine till the fruites of the earth were destroyed wt drought, and yet you would not consider it to returne to me by repentance. ] moneths to the haruest, and I caused it to raine vpon one citie, & haue not caused it to raine vpo another citie: one piece was rained vpon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, withered.

⁸ So two or three cities wandred vnto one citie to drinke water, but they were [Note: [k] They could not find water ynough where they had heard say it had rayned. ] not satisfied: yet haue ye not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.

⁹ I haue smitten you with blasting, and mildewe: your great gardens and your vineyardes, & your figtrees, and your oliue trees did the palmer worme deuoure: yet haue ye not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.

¹⁰ Pestilence haue I sent among you, after the maner of [Note: [l] As I plagued the Egyptians, Exod. 9.10. ] Egypt: your yong men haue I slaine with the sworde, & haue taken away your horses: & I haue made the stinke of your tentes to come vp euen into your nostrels: yet haue yee not returned vnto me, saith the Lorde.

¹¹ I haue ouerthrowe you, as God ouerthrew Sodom & Gomorah: and ye were as a [Note: [m] You were almost all cosumed, and a few of you wonderfully preserued, 2.kin.14.26. ] firebrand pluckt out of the burning: yet haue ye not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.

¹² Therefore, thus wil I do vnto thee, O Israel: and because I wil doe this vnto thee, prepare to [Note: [n] Turne to him by repentance. ] meete thy God, O Israel.

¹³ For lo, he that formeth the mountaines, & createth the winde, & declareth vnto man what is his thought: which maketh the morning darkenesse, & walketh vpon the hie places of the earth, the Lord God of hostes is his Name.

A lamentation for the captiuitie of Israel.

¹ Heare ye this worde, which I lift vp vpon you, euen a lamentation of the house of Israel.

² The [Note: [a] He so calleth them because they so boasted of them selues, or because they were giuen to wantonnes and deintines. ] virgine Israel is fallen, and shall no more rise: shee is left vpon her lande, and there is none to raise her vp.

³ For thus saith ye Lord God, The citie which went out by a thousand, shal leaue an [Note: [b] Meaning, that ye tenth part should scarcely be saued. ] hundreth: and that which went forth by an hundreth, shal leaue ten to the house of Israel.

⁴ For thus saith the Lorde vnto the house of Israel, Seeke ye me, and ye shal liue.

⁵ But seeke not Beth-el, nor enter into [Note: [c] In these places they worshipped new idoles, which afore time serued for the true honor of God: therefore he saith that these shal not saue them. ] Gilgal, & go not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shal goe into captiuitie, and Beth-el shal come to nought.

⁶ Seeke the Lorde, and yee shal liue, least he breake out like fire in the house of Ioseph & deuoure it, & there be none to quench it in Beth-el.

⁷ They turne [Note: [d] In steade of iudgement and equitie they execute crueltie and oppression. ] iudgement to wormewood, and leaue off righteousnes in the earth.

⁸ He [Note: [e] He describeth the power of God, Iob.9.9. ] maketh Pleiades, and Orion, and he turneth the shadowe of death into the morning, and he maketh the day darke as night: he calleth the waters of the sea, and powreth them out vpon the open earth: the Lord is his Name.

⁹ He strengtheneth the destroyer against the mightie: and the destroyer shal come against the fortresse.

¹⁰ They haue hated him, [Note: [f] They hate the Prophets, which reproue them in the open assemblies. ] that rebuked in the gate: and they abhorred him that speaketh vprightly.

¹¹ Forasmuch then as your treading is vpon the poore, and [Note: [g] Ye take both his money and also his foode wherewith he should liue. ] yee take from him burdens of wheate, ye haue built houses of hewen stone, but ye shal not dwel in them: ye haue plated pleasant vineyards, but ye shal not drinke wine of them.

¹² For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mightie sinnes: they afflict the iust, they take rewards, & they oppresse the poore in ye gate.

¹³ Therefore [Note: [h] God will so plague them, that they shal not suffer the godly once to open their mouths to admonish them of their faultes. ] the prudent shal keepe silence in that time, for it is an euill time.

¹⁴ Seeke good and not euil, that ye may liue: and the Lorde God of hostes shalbe with you, as you haue spoken.

¹⁵ Hate the euil, and loue the good, and establish iudgement in the gate: it may bee that the Lorde God of hostes will be mercifull vnto the remnant of Ioseph.

¹⁶ Therfore the Lord God of hosts, the Lord saith thus, Mourning shalbe in all streetes: & they shal say in al the hie wayes, Alas, alas: & they shal call the [Note: [i] So that all degrees shall haue matter of lamentation for the great plagues. ] husbandman to lamentation, and such as can mourne, to mourning.

¹⁷ And in al the vines shalbe lamentation: for I wil passe through thee, saith the Lord.

¹⁸ Woe vnto you, that [Note: [k] Thus he speaketh because the wicked and hypocrites sayde they were content to abide Gods iudgements, whereas the godly tremble and feare, Iere.30.7. ioel 2.2, 11. zeph.1. 15. ] desire the day of the Lord: what haue you to do with it? the day of the Lord is darkenes and not light.

¹⁹ As if a man did flee from a lyon, & a beare met him: or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

²⁰ Shal not the day of the Lord be darkenes, and not light? euen darkenes and no light in it?

²¹ I hate and abhorre your feast dayes, and I wil not smell in your solemne assemblies.

²² Though ye offer me burnt offrings & meat offrings, [Note: [l] Because ye haue corrupt my true seruice & remaine obstinate in your vices, Isa.1.11. iere.6.10. ] I wil not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offrings of your fat beasts.

²³ Take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs (for I wil not heare the melodie of thy violes)

²⁴ And let iudgement runne downe as [Note: [m] Do your duetie to God & to your neighbour, & so ye shal feele his grace plentifully, if you shew your abundant affections according to Gods worde. ] waters, and righteousnesse as a mightie riuer.

²⁵ Haue ye offered vnto me sacrifices and offrings in the wildernesse fourtie yeeres, O house of Israel?
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²⁶ But you haue borne [Note: [n] That idole which you esteemed as your king, & caried about, as you did Chiun, in the which images you thought that there was a certaine diuinitie. ] Siccuth your King, and Chiun your images, and the starre of your gods, which ye made to your selues.

²⁷ Therefore wil I cause you to goe into captiuitie beyond Damascus, saith the Lorde, whose Name is the God of hostes.

Against the princes of Israel liuing in pleasures.

¹ Woe to [Note: [a] The Prophet threatneth the wealthie, which regarded not Gods plagues nor menaces by his Prophets. ] them that are at ease in Zion and trust in the moutaine of Samaria, [Note: [b] These two cities were famous by their first inhabitants the Canaanites: and seeing before time they did nothing auaile them that were there borne, why should you looke that they should saue you which were brought in to dwell in other mens possessions? ] which were famous at the beginning of the nations: and the house of Israel came to them.

² Goe you vnto Calneh, and see: and from thence goe you to Hamath the great: then goe downe to Gath of the Philistims: be [Note: [c] If God haue destroyed these excellent cities in three diuers kingdomes, as in Babylon, Syria, and of the Philistims, and hath brought their wide borders into a greater streightnesse, then yours yet are, thinke you to be better or to escape? ] they better then these kingdomes? or the border of their land greater then your border,

³ Ye that put farre away the [Note: [d] Ye that continue still in your wickednes and thinke that Gods plagues are not at hand, but giue your selues to all idlenes, wantonnes and riote. ] euill day, and approch to the seate of iniquitie?

⁴ They lie vpon beddes of yuorie, & stretch themselues vpon their beddes, & eate the lambes of the flocke, and the calues out of the stall.

⁵ They sing to the sounde of the viole: they inuent to themselues instruments of musike like [Note: [e] As he caused diuers kindes of instruments to be made to serue Gods glorie, so these did contend to inuent as many to serue their wanton affections and lustes. ] Dauid.

⁶ They drinke wine in bowles, and anoynt themselues with the chiefe ointments, but no man is [Note: [f] They pitied not their brethren, whereof nowe many were slaine and caried away captiue. ] sory for the affliction of Ioseph.

⁷ Therefore nowe shal they go captiue with the first that go captiue, and [Note: [g] Some reade, the ioy of them that stretch themselues, shall depart. ] the sorow of them that stretched themselues, is at hand.

⁸ [Note: [h] Reade Iere.51.14. ] The Lord God hath sworne by himselfe, saith the Lord God of hostes, I abhorre [Note: [i] That is, the riches & pompe. ] the excellencie of Iaakob, & hate his palaces: therefore wil I deliuer vp the citie with all that is therein.

⁹ And if there remaine ten men in one house, they shal die.

¹⁰ And his vncle [Note: [k] The destruction shalbe so great, that none shal almost be left to bury the dead: and therefore they shal burne them at home, to cary out the burnt ashes with more ease. ] shall take him vp & burne him to cary out the bones out of the house, and shal say vnto him, that is by ye [Note: [l] That is, to some neighbour, that dwelleth round about. ] sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? And he shal say, None. Then shal he say, [Note: [m] They shall be so astonished at this destruction, that they shall boast no more of the Name of God, and that they are his people: but they shalbe dumme when they heare Gods Name, and abhorre it, as they that are desperate or reprobate. ] Holde thy tongue: for we may not remember the Name of the Lord.

¹¹ For behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the litle house with clefts.

¹² Shal horses [Note: [n] He compareth them to barren rockes whereupon it is in vayne to bestowe labour: shewing that Gods benefites can haue no place among them. ] runne vpon the rocke? or wil one plowe there with oxen? for yee haue turned iudgement into gall, and the fruite of righteousnes into [Note: [o] Reade Chap.5.7. ] wormewood.

¹³ Ye reioyce in a thing of nought: yee say, Haue not wee gotten vs [Note: [p] That is, power and glorie. ] hornes by our owne strength?

¹⁴ But behold, I wil raise vp against you a nation, O house of Israel, sayeth the Lorde God of hostes: and they shal afflict you, from the entring in of [Note: [q] From one corner of the countrey to another. ] Hamath vnto the riuer of the wildernes.

God sheweth certaine visions, whereby he signifieth the destruction of the people of Israel. 10 The false accusation of Amaziah. 12 His craftie counsell.

¹ Thus hath the Lorde God shewed vnto mee, and beholde, he formed [Note: [a] To deuoure the land: & he alludeth to the inuading of the enemies. ] grashoppers in the beginning of ye shooting vp of the latter grouth: and loe, it was in the latter grouth [Note: [b] After the publike comandement for mowing was giuen: or as some reade, when the Kings sheepe were shorne. ] after the Kings mowing.

² And when they had made an ende of eating the grasse of the land, then I saide, O Lorde God, spare, I beseeche thee: who shal raise vp Iaakob? for he is small.

³ So the Lord [Note: [c] That is stayed this plague at my prayer. ] repented for this. It shal not be, saith the Lord.

⁴ ¶ Thus also hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, and behold, the Lord God called to iudgement by fire, [Note: [d] Meaning, that Gods indignation was inflamed against the stubbernnes of this people. ] and it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.

⁵ Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseeche thee: who shal raise vp Iaakob? for he is small.

⁶ So the Lord repented for this. This also shal not be, saith the Lord God.

⁷ ¶ Thus againe he shewed me, and behold, the Lord stoode vpon a wall made by line [Note: [e] Signifying, that this should be the last measuring of the people, & that he would deferre his iudgement no longer. ] with a line in his hand.

⁸ And the Lorde saide vnto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A line. Then said the Lord, Beholde, I wil set a line in the middes of my people Israel, and wil passe by them no more.

⁹ And the hye places of Izhak shalbe desolate, and the temples of Israel shalbe destroyed: and I wil rise against the house of Ieroboam with the sworde.

¹⁰ ¶ [Note: [f] That is, when Amos had prophecied that the King should be destroyed: for this wicked Priest more for hatred he bare to the Prophet then for loue towarde the King, thought this accusation sufficient to condemne him, wheras none other could take place. ] Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el sent to Ieroboam King of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the middes of the house of Israel: the lande is not able to beare all his wordes.

¹¹ For thus Amos saith, Ieroboam shal die by the sworde, and Israel shalbe led away captiue out of their owne land.

¹² Also [Note: [g] When this instrument of Satan was not able to compasse his purpose by the king, be assayed by another practise: that was, to feare the Prophet, that he might depart, and not reproue their idolatrie there openly, & so hinder his profite. ] Amaziah sayde vnto Amos, O thou the Seer, goe, flee thou away into the land of Iudah, & there eate thy bread and prophecie there.

¹³ But prophecie no more at Beth-el: for it is the Kings chappel, and it is the Kings court.

¹⁴ Then answered Amos, & said to Amaziah, I was no [Note: [h] Thus he sheweth by his extraordinarie vocation, that God had giuen him a charge which he must needes execute. ] Prophet, neither was I a prophets sonne, but I was an herdman, & a gatherer of wilde figs.

¹⁵ And the Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke, and the Lord said vnto me, Go, prophecie vnto my people Israel.

¹⁶ Now therefore heare thou the word of the Lord. Thou sayest, Prophecie not against Israel, & speake nothing against the house of Izhak.

¹⁷ Therefore thus sayth the Lord, [Note: [i] Thus God vsed to approue the authoritie of his Prophets by his plagues & iudgements against them, which were malicious enemies, Iere.28.12. and 29.21,25. as this day he doeth against them that persecute the ministers of his Gospel. ] Thy wife shall be an harlot in the citie, and thy sonnes and thy daughters shal fall by the sword, and thy land shall be deuided by line: and thou shalt die in a polluted land, and Israel shal surely go into captiuitie forth of his land.

1 Against the rulers of Israel. 7 The Lord sweareth. 11 The famine of the worde of God.

¹ Thus hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, & behold, a basket of summer fruite.

² And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I sayd, A basket of sommer [Note: [a] Which signified the ripenesse of their sinnes & the readines of Gods iudgements. ] fruite. Then sayd the Lorde vnto me, The ende is come vpon my people of Israel, I wil passe by them no more.

³ And the songs of the Temple shalbe howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: many dead

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bodies shalbe in euery place: they shall cast them forth with [Note: [b] There shal be none left to mourne for them. ] silence.
⁴ Heare this, O yee that [Note: [c] By staying the sale of foode and necessarie things which you haue gotten into your owne hands, and so cause the poore to spende quickly that litle that they haue, and at length for necessitie to become your slaues. ] swallowe vp the poore, that ye may make the needie of the lande to fayle,

⁵ Saying, When will the [Note: [d] When ye dearth was once come, they were so greedie of gaine, that they thought the holy day to be an hinderance vnto them. ] newe moneth bee gone, that we may sell corne? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheate, and make [Note: [e] That is, the measure small, and the price great. ] the Ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifie the weights by deceit?

⁶ That we may buy the poore for siluer, and the needie for shooes: yea, and sell the refuse of the wheate.

⁷ The Lorde hath sworne by the excellencie of Iaakob, Surely I will neuer forget any of their workes.

⁸ Shall not the lande tremble for this, and euery one mourne, that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise vp wholy as a flood, and it shall bee cast out, and [Note: [f] That is, the inhabitants of ye lande shalbe drowned, as Nilus drowneth many when it ouerfloweth. ] drowned as by the flood of Egypt.

⁹ And in that day, saith the Lorde God, I will euen cause the [Note: [g] In the middes of their prosperitie, I will sende great affliction. ] sunne to go downe at noone: and I will darken the earth in the cleare day.

¹⁰ And I will turne your feastes into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation: and I will bring sackcloth vpon all loynes, and baldnes vpon euery head: and I will make it as the mourning of an onely sonne, and the ende thereof as a bitter day.

¹¹ Beholde, the dayes come, sayeth the Lorde God, that I will send a famine in the lande, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord.

¹² And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North euen vnto the East shal they run to and fro to seeke the [Note: [h] Whereby he sheweth that they shall not onely perish in body, but also in soule for lacke of Gods worde, which is the foode thereof. ] worde of the Lord, and shall not finde it.

¹³ In that day shall the faire virgines and the yong men perish for thirst.

¹⁴ They that sweare by the sinne [Note: [i] For the idolaters did vse to sweare by their idoles: which here he calleth their sinne, as the papists yet doe by theirs. ] of Samaria, and that say, Thy God, O Dan, liueth, and [Note: [k] That is, the common maner of worshipping and the seruice or religion there vsed. ] the maner of Beer-sheba liueth, euen they shall fall, and neuer rise vp againe.

1 Threatnings against the Temple, 2 And against Israel. 11 The restoring of the Church.

¹ I sawe the Lorde standing vpon the [Note: [a] Which was at Ierusalem: for he appeared not in the idolatrous places of Israel. ] altar, and he sayde, Smite the lintel of the doore, that the postes may shake: and cut them in pieces, euen the [Note: [b] Both the chiefe of them and also the common people. ] heads of them all, and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them, shall not flee away: and he that escapeth of them, shall not be deliuered.

² Though they digge into the hel, thence shal mine hande take them: though they clime vp to heauen, thence will I bring them downe.

³ And though they hide them selues in the toppe of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence: and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commande the [Note: [c] He sheweth that God will declare himselfe enemie vnto them in all places, and that his elements and all creatures shalbe enemies to destroy them. ] serpent, and he shall bite them.

⁴ And though they goe into captiuitie before their enemies, thence wil I commande the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes vpon them for euill, and not for good.

⁵ And the Lord God of hosts shall touch the land, and it shall melt away, & al that dwel therein shall mourne, and it shall rise vp wholy like a flood, and shall bee drowned as by the flood of Egypt.

⁶ He buildeth his [Note: [d] He declareth by the wonderfull power of God by the making of the heauens and the elements that it is not possible for man to escape his iudgements when he punisheth. ] spheres in the heauen, and hath layde the foundation of his globe of elementes in the earth: hee calleth the waters of the sea, and powreth them out vpon the open earth: the Lorde is his Name.

⁷ Are ye not as the Ethiopians [Note: [e] Am I more bound to you then to the Ethiopians or Blackmores? yet haue I bestowed vpon you greater benefites. ] vnto mee, O children of Israel, sayeth the Lorde? haue not I brought vp Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistims from [Note: [f] Read Iere.47.4. ] Caphtor, and Aram fro Kir?

⁸ Beholde, the eyes of the Lord God are vpon the sinfull kingdome, and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth. Neuerthelesse I will not vtterly [Note: [g] Though he destroy the rebellious multitude, yet he will euer reserue the remnant his Church to call vpon his Name. ] destroy the house of Iaakob, saith the Lord.

⁹ For loe, I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corne is sifted in a sieue: yet shall not the [Note: [h] Meaning, that none of his should perish in his wrath. ] least stone fall vpon the earth.

¹⁰ But all the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword, which say, The euill shal not come, nor hasten for vs.

¹¹ In that day will I raise vp the [Note: [i] I will sende the Messiah promised and restore by him the spirituall Israel, Act.15.16. ] tabernacle of Dauid, that is fallen downe, and close vp the breaches therof, and I will rayse vp his ruines, and I will builde it, as in the dayes of olde,

¹² That they may possesse the remnant of [Note: [k] Meaning, that the very enemies, as were the Edomites and others, shoulde be ioyned with the Iewes in one societie and bodie, whereof Christ should be the head. ] Edom, and of all the heathen, because my Name is called vpon them, sayeth the Lorde, that doeth this.

¹³ Behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall [Note: [l] Signifying that there shall bee great plentie of all things, so that when one kinde of fruite is ripe, another shoulde followe and euery one in course, Leuit.26.5. ] touche the mower, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seede: and the mountaines shall [Note: [m] Reade Ioel.3. 18. ] drop sweete wine, and all the hilles shall melt.

¹⁴ [Note: [n] The accomplishment hereof is vnder Christ, when they are planted in his Church, out of the which they can neuer be pulled, after they are once grafted therein. ] And I will bring againe the captiuitie of my people of Israel: and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabite the, and they shall plant vineyardes, and drinke the wine thereof: they shal also make gardens, and eate the fruites of them.

¹⁵ And I wil plant them vpon their land, and they shall no more bee pulled vp againe out of their lande, which I haue giuen them, sayeth the Lord thy God.