Lexical Summary balas: To swallow, to engulf Original Word: בָּלַס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gatherer A primitive root; to pinch sycamore figs (a process necessary to ripen them) -- gatherer. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from an unused word Definition to gather figs NASB Translation grower of figs (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בָּלַס] verb denominative gather figs, tend fig-trees, sycamores (ᵐ5 κνίζων, ᵑ9 vellicans, probably properly to nip the sycamore fruit to fit it for eating, see TristrNat. Hist. Bib. 399 Boii. cap. 39, p. 383 f.; Theodoret in FiHexapl. on the passage Theophriv. 2) — Qal Participle בּוֺלֵס, Amos 7:14 שִׁקְמִים ׳בּ. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Immediate Context The noun describes Amos’s secondary occupation: “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs” (Amos 7:14). The single appearance underscores a humble vocation that God used to highlight the prophet’s unpretentious background and the divine initiative in his calling. Agricultural Background: Sycamore Figs in Ancient Israel Sycamore figs (Ficus sycomorus) thrived in the low-lying Shephelah and Jordan Valley where ordinary grain crops sometimes failed. Their fruit ripened several times a year, but each fig required manual scoring or “pinching” to ensure full sweetness. The dresser made small cuts in the outer skin four days before harvest, allowing the latex to drain and the sugars to concentrate. This low-status yet skilled task provided cheap food for the populace and a dependable income for laborers like Amos. Economic and Social Setting During Jeroboam II’s reign, Israel enjoyed outward prosperity (2 Kings 14:25–28). Timbered palaces had replaced modest homes; trade flowed freely; “silver was as common in Jerusalem as stones” (1 Kings 10:27—though describing Solomon’s era, the text illustrates the prestige accorded to abundant produce such as sycamores). While elites enjoyed luxury, the rural poor—herdsmen, vinedressers, and sycamore fig dressers—supplied the nation’s wealth. Amos’s job situates him among these laborers whom the ruling class exploited (Amos 5:11; 8:4–6). The Calling of Amos By citing his trade, Amos certifies that his authority rests solely on divine commission: “The LORD took me from following the flock and said, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel’” (Amos 7:15). The contrast between his manual labor and the lofty prophetic office magnifies God’s sovereignty in choosing messengers. It also rebukes priest Amaziah’s assumption that genuine ministry depends on institutional endorsement (Amos 7:12–13). Prophetic Symbolism and Ministry Implications 1. Fruit Inspection—Like figs that must be pierced to mature, Israel required painful exposure of sin to ripen for repentance. Related Biblical Imagery • Psalm 78:47 records God’s judgment: “He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore figs with sleet,” revealing that national disobedience endangers even low-value crops. Lessons for Contemporary Ministry • Divine calling transcends social rank; faithful plowmen, carpenters, or fruit dressers may be heaven’s chosen spokesmen. Conclusion Though appearing only once, the term paints a vivid portrait of a laborer summoned to confront kings. It reminds believers that God delights in elevating the lowly, using ordinary work to forge extraordinary witnesses who, like Amos, faithfully proclaim, “Seek the LORD and live” (Amos 5:6). Forms and Transliterations וּבוֹלֵ֥ס ובולס ū·ḇō·w·lês ūḇōwlês uvoLesLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Amos 7:14 HEB: בוֹקֵ֥ר אָנֹ֖כִי וּבוֹלֵ֥ס שִׁקְמִֽים׃ NAS: for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore KJV: but I [was] an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: INT: herdsman and a grower of sycamore 1 Occurrence |
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