What does Amos 7:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Amaziah reported that Amos was saying that the king would die by the sword and that the Israelites would definitely go into exile. While we have no record that Amos said these exact words, they do represent fairly the message that Amos was announcing (cf. Amos 7:8-9). By claiming that Amos was predicting Jeroboam"s death, the priest was personalizing the danger of Amos" ministry to the king and was emotionally inciting him to take action against the prophet. Amaziah regarded Amos" prophecies as simply the prophet"s own words. He had no respect for them as messages from Israel"s God but viewed them only as a challenge to the status quo. [source][source]

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Context Summary

The king's mowings were the earliest yield of the grasslands, which were exacted by him. Our King also has His mowings, when He takes to Himself our dearest and best while the dew of youth is still upon them-but He is only claiming His own.

Three disasters threatened the guilty land-locusts, fire, and plague; but the prophet's intercessions warded off the blow. The Bible often tells a similar story of the power of intercession. If only the Church were united and prayed with one voice, she would be able to secure deliverance for the smitten earth. When God is said to repent, we must not attribute to Him changeableness of purpose, but He seems to repent, because man has changed his attitude. If you walk against the wind, it resists you; but if you turn and walk in the opposite direction, it helps you. The plumbline, Amos 7:7, is used to discover the extent of the mischief, before the order, for destruction is issued.

Amaziah, the chief priest of the national idolatry, found the stalwart witness of the herdsman-prophet extremely inconvenient and wanted to get rid of him. There was great simplicity and dignity in the reply. Like Luther in after years, Amos could "do no other." [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 7

¹  The judgments of the grasshoppers,
⁴  and of the fire are diverted by the prayer of Amos
⁷  By the wall of a plumb line is signified the rejection of Israel
¹⁰  Amaziah complains of Amos
¹⁴  Amos shows his calling
¹⁶  and Amaziah's judgment