Dict: smith - AMOS

smith:

AMOS - A>@ - (burden), native of Tekoa in Judah, about six miles south of Bethlehem, originally a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees, who was called by God s Spirit to be a prophet, although not trained in any of the regular prophetic schools. kjv@Amos:1:1 kjv@Amos:7:14-15) He travelled from Judah into the northern kingdom of Israel or Ephraim, and there exercised his ministry, apparently not for any long time. (His date cannot be later than B.C. 808 for he lived in the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel; but his ministry probably took place at an earlier date, perhaps about the middle of Jeroboam’s reign Nothing is known of the time or manner of his death.
ED.)

AMOS, BOOK OF - A>@ - The book of the prophecies of Amos seems to be divided into four principal portions closely connected together.

(1) From 1:1 to 2:3 he denounces the sins of the nations bordering on Israel and Judah.

(2) From 2:4 to 6:14 he describes the state of those two kingdoms, especially, the former.

(3) From 7:1 to 9:10 he relates his visit to Bethel, and sketches the impending punishment of Israel. At last he promises blessings. The chief peculiarity of the style consists in the number of allusions to natural objects and agricultural occupations, as might be expected from the early life of the author.