Amos, Getting my Bearings

Amos the Shepherd

I suppose Amos is much more than a shepherd, not that being a shepherd isn't enough alone. Jack Abeelen translates his name as "burden bearer," more to think about.

Background Context

Amos was a prophet from Judah, called from his rural  hometown of Tekoa to an urban environment in the Northern Kingdom, perhaps Bethel, their capital. Tekoa was about ten miles south of Jerusalem, one of a chain of places that Rehoboam of Judah fortified to mount a defense. 

At one point, Amos says to a king--"I was a shepherd and God called me," which makes him relatable.  Who wouldn't rather be overseeing sheepherders and sycamore figs instead of slogging condemnation at urbanites?  Bring on the sheep and figs.  Truthfully, it reminds me of a visit to my pastor's office one morning--a hundred places both Amos and I would rather be!

 Who was ruling?  Northern King: Jeroboam II   Southern King: Uzziah

E. Hassell Bullock titles his chapter on Amos "Call for Moral Obedience" and asserts that "the moral character of the Hebrew religion was incorporated into the fabric of his prophecies." He cites Amos as the first time since Moses in the Old Testament where the welfare of the nation was directly linked their morality. The book is comprised of a collection of oracles and visions which took place over a number of years.

The setting of the book of Jonah may precede or come after Amos--scholars argue both.  Bullock puts him after Jonah asserting that the affluence of Israel at this time argues for a date later in the reign of Jeroboam II. The affluence of the Northern Kingdom is in full swing. The text mentions that summer and winter homes were destroyed. It also alludes to people indifferently lounging around on couches, which reminds me of Daisy and Jordan when Nick first encounters them on East Egg in Gatsby. It could as easily remind me of the summer homes on Reynolds Mountain above our home.

I found this excellently crafted overview from the Bible Project helpful: 

The Bible Project's fantastic overview of Amos.