The Locusts, Fire, and Plumb Line
(Joel 2:1–11)

1Thus hath the Lorde God shewed vnto mee, and beholde, he formed grashoppers in the beginning of ye shooting vp of the latter grouth: and loe, it was in the latter grouth after the Kings mowing.

2And 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.

3So the Lord repented for this. It shal not be, saith the Lord.

4Thus also hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, and behold, the Lord God called to iudgement by fire, and it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.

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

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

7Thus againe he shewed me, and behold, the Lord stoode vpon a wall made by line with a line in his hand.

8And 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.

9And 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.

Amaziah Accuses Amos

10Then 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. 11For thus Amos saith, Ieroboam shal die by the sworde, and Israel shalbe led away captiue out of their owne land. 12Also Amaziah sayde vnto Amos, O thou the Seer, goe, flee thou away into the land of Iudah, & there eate thy bread and prophecie there. 13But prophecie no more at Beth-el: for it is the Kings chappel, and it is the Kings court.

14Then answered Amos, & said to Amaziah, I was no Prophet, neither was I a prophets sonne, but I was an herdman, & a gatherer of wilde figs. 15And the Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke, and the Lord said vnto me, Go, prophecie vnto my people Israel. 16Now therefore heare thou the word of the Lord. Thou sayest, Prophecie not against Israel, & speake nothing against the house of Izhak. 17Therefore thus sayth the Lord, 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.