Amos 7:14
Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Amos isn't just saying he's not a professional preacher; he's emphasizing that his calling isn't derived from human systems or lineage, but directly from God, who "took him" from his humble work as a herdsman. This highlights that God's messengers can come from anywhere, not just established religious circles.
Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, has just accused Amos of treason and ordered him to leave Israel. In response, Amos clarifies that he's not a professional prophet and doesn't prophesy for a living; instead, God called him directly from his life as a humble shepherd and cultivator of sycamore figs. This starkly contrasts his divinely appointed mission with Amaziah's established religious system.
Amos wasn't born into the prophetic life or trained in religious schools. He was doing his own thing, literally, when God rerouted his path.
When Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, confronts Amos, telling him to stop prophesying and go back home, Amos’s response is striking. He doesn't argue about theology or divine rights. Instead, he grounds his authority in his origin:
Not by Profession, but by Commission
This isn't just a biographical detail; it's a theological statement. Amos emphasizes that his call wasn't self-initiated, inherited, or a means of livelihood. It was a direct, divine appointment that interrupted his ordinary life.
What exactly did Amos do with sycamore figs? The work itself reveals a deeper picture of diligent, unglamorous preparation for an unexpected message.
Amos identifies himself as a "dresser of sycamore figs." This wasn't a glamorous job, but it was essential for the fruit to ripen and become edible.
Preparing the Fruit for Harvest
Amos's declaration that he was 'no prophet, nor a prophet's son' highlights his unique, non-professional calling directly from God, contrasting him with the established religious authorities and emphasizing that his message was not for personal gain but divine obedience.
c. 760 BC— this verse
Amos Called to Prophesy
Amos, a shepherd and dresser of sycamore figs from Tekoa in Judah, is divinely called to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
c. 760-750 BC
Amos Prophesies in Israel
Amos delivers his oracles in the Northern Kingdom, denouncing social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and idolatry, particularly in the royal cities like Bethel and Samaria.
c. 750 BC
Confrontation at Bethel
The priest Amaziah of Bethel confronts Amos, accusing him of sedition and demanding he cease prophesying and return to Judah.
c. 750 BC
Amos's Exile from Israel
Following his confrontation with Amaziah, Amos is told he will be exiled from Israel and that his prophecies will be fulfilled.
This passage highlights that before the prophetic office was formalized, a seer was called 'prophet,' indicating that the gift and calling could come from ordinary life, not just a designated lineage.
Luke 5:27-32Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, and later defends eating with tax collectors and sinners, emphasizing that God's call can come to those outside traditional religious or social circles.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29The Apostle Paul stresses that God often chooses those considered weak, foolish, or lowly by the world's standards to carry out His purposes, demonstrating that divine calling transcends human status.
Acts 4:13When Peter and John are confronted by religious leaders, they are recognized as 'uneducated and ordinary men,' yet they speak with authority, showing that God uses ordinary people to proclaim His truth.
barnesAmos 7:14: "Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:"
I was no prophet - The order of the words is emphatic. "No prophet I, and no prophet's son I, for a herdsman I, and dresser of sycamores." It may be, Amos would meet, for the people's sake, Amaziah's taunt. He had a living, simple indeed, yet that of the prophets was as simple. But chiefly he tells them of the unusual character of his mis…
ellicottAmos 7:14: "Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:"
(14) I was . . .—An interesting biographical touch. Prophecy, like other occupations, tended to form a hereditary guild, but Amos was not by birth a prophet. The word for “gatherer” is rendered in the LXX. and Vulg. “nipper,” or “pincher.” There was a custom mentioned in Theophrastus, Hist. Plant., iv. 2, Pliny, Hist. Nat., xiii. 14, of p…
Amos isn't just saying he's not a professional preacher; he's emphasizing that his calling isn't derived from human systems or lineage, but directly from God, who "took him" from his humble work as a herdsman. This highlights that God's messengers can come from anywhere, not just established religious circles.
Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, has just accused Amos of treason and ordered him to leave Israel. In response, Amos clarifies that he's not a professional prophet and doesn't prophesy for a living; instead, God called him directly from his life as a humble shepherd and cultivator of sycamore figs. This starkly contrasts his divinely appointed mission with Amaziah's established religious system.
Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, has just accused Amos of treason and ordered him to leave Israel. In response, Amos clarifies that he's not a professional prophet and doesn't prophesy for a living; instead, God called him directly from his life as a humble shepherd and cultivator of sycamore figs. This starkly contrasts his divinely appointed mission with Amaziah's established religious system.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Amos 7:14 is available in the Sola app.
Amos’s work was about patiently and deliberately preparing something that wouldn't mature on its own. This speaks volumes about his own calling. He, like the figs he tended, was being prepared by God for a specific purpose, even if that purpose seemed strange or intrusive to others. His labor was unseen, essential, and preparatory.
Amaziah, the religious leader, commands Amos to stop. But Amos’s response hinges on a higher authority and a commission he cannot ignore.
Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, tries to shut Amos down, telling him to stop prophesying and go back to Judah. He sees Amos as an outsider disrupting the peace and questions his authority. Amos’s response is a powerful defense of God’s direct commission.
Who Gave the Command?
Amos isn’t saying he wants to prophesy; he's saying he must. His identity isn't tied to being a prophet by trade, but his actions are dictated by the Lord who called him. This highlights a core truth: when human authority conflicts with a clear divine mandate, obedience to God takes precedence.
c. 750 BC
Assyrian Empire's Growing Power
The Neo-Assyrian Empire is expanding its influence in the region, posing a significant threat to the stability of the smaller kingdoms like Israel and Judah.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, its capital Samaria falls, and its people are deported, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment.
"Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs." — Amos isn't just saying he's not a professional preacher; he's emphasizing that his calling isn't derived from human systems or lineage, but directly from God, who "took him" from his humble work as a…
