Amos 7:14-15
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. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Amos isn't just saying he wasn't formally trained; he's emphasizing his humble, practical origins. He was a working man, tending animals and tending to trees, not someone from a professional prophetic lineage, highlighting that his message came directly from God, not human tradition.
The priest Amaziah of Bethel has just commanded Amos to stop prophesying in Israel and return to Judah, accusing him of sedition. Amos responds by asserting that his prophetic call is not a professional career or a family tradition, but a direct commission from God. He explains his humble background as a herdsman and cultivator of sycamore figs, emphasizing that God Himself took him from his ordinary life to deliver this message.
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, accused Amos of being a professional prophet, likely implying he was a hireling seeking payment. Amos's response cuts through this assumption.
Amos declares, 'I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son.' This isn't just a humble denial; it's a statement about his calling.
Amos's description of his former life isn't just biographical trivia; it's essential to understanding his message and his unique perspective.
Amos identifies himself as 'a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.' These were not prestigious roles, but they shaped him profoundly.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, representing His self-existence, faithfulness, and His active role in the lives of His people.
This verse highlights that Amos was not a 'professional' prophet trained in a school, but an ordinary man called directly by God. This emphasizes that God can use anyone, regardless of background, to deliver His message, and that true authority comes from God, not human institutions.
c. 765 BC— this verse
Amos's Call to Prophecy
Amos, a shepherd and dresser of sycamore figs from Tekoa in Judah, is divinely called to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
c. 765-760 BC
Amos's Ministry in Israel
Amos travels to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, likely Bethel, and boldly denounces the people's social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and idolatry.
c. 762 BC
Amos Confronted by Amaziah
The priest of Bethel, Amaziah, confronts Amos, accusing him of sedition and demanding he return to Judah. This verse is part of Amos's response.
c. 760 BC
Amos's Ministry Ends
Amos is likely exiled or forced to flee the Northern Kingdom after his confrontation with Amaziah and his continued prophecies.
This passage shows a similar divine call to a young, untrained individual, Samuel, who was not initially expecting to be a prophet, highlighting that God can choose anyone, regardless of their background or prior training.
Jeremiah 1:4-10Jeremiah also expresses reluctance and feelings of inadequacy when called by God to prophesy, mirroring Amos's humble declaration of his origins and emphasizing that God equips those He calls, even when they feel unqualified.
Exodus 3:1-10Moses, like Amos, was tending his flock when God called him to a significant mission. This connection underscores God's pattern of calling ordinary people from humble occupations to accomplish His purposes.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29Paul reflects on how God often chooses those considered weak or unimpressive by the world to carry out His work. This echoes Amos's self-description as a herdsman, highlighting God's preference for using the humble to shame the proud and demonstrate His power.
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 wasn't formally trained; he's emphasizing his humble, practical origins. He was a working man, tending animals and tending to trees, not someone from a professional prophetic lineage, highlighting that his message came directly from God, not human tradition.
The priest Amaziah of Bethel has just commanded Amos to stop prophesying in Israel and return to Judah, accusing him of sedition. Amos responds by asserting that his prophetic call is not a professional career or a family tradition, but a direct commission from God. He explains his humble background as a herdsman and cultivator of sycamore figs, emphasizing that God Himself took him from his ordinary life to deliver this message.
The priest Amaziah of Bethel has just commanded Amos to stop prophesying in Israel and return to Judah, accusing him of sedition. Amos responds by asserting that his prophetic call is not a professional career or a family tradition, but a direct commission from God. He explains his humble background as a herdsman and cultivator of sycamore figs, emphasizing that God Himself took him from his ordinary life to deliver this message.
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"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. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’" — Amos isn't just saying he wasn't formally trained; he's emphasizing his humble, practical origins. He was a working man, tending animals and tending to trees, not someone from a professional propheti…
