1. I had a vision from the Sovereign Lord. In it I saw him create a swarm of locusts just after the king's share of the hay had been cut and the grass was starting to grow again.
2. In my vision I saw the locusts eat up every green thing in the land, and then I said, “Sovereign Lord, forgive your people! How can they survive? They are so small and weak!”
3. The Lord changed his mind and said, “What you saw will not take place.”
4. I had another vision from the Sovereign Lord. In it I saw him preparing to punish his people with fire. The fire burnt up the great ocean under the earth, and started to burn up the land.
5. Then I said, “Stop, Sovereign Lord! How can your people survive? They are so small and weak!”
6. The Lord changed his mind again and said, “This will not take place either.”
7. I had another vision from the Lord. In it I saw him standing beside a wall that had been built with the help of a plumb line, and there was a plumb line in his hand.
8. He asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”“A plumb line,” I answered.Then he said, “I am using it to show that my people are like a wall that is out of line. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.
9. The places where Isaac's descendants worship will be destroyed. The holy places of Israel will be left in ruins. I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to an end.”