4. The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.
5. I said, “Sovereign Lord, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is too weak!”
6. The Lord decided not to do this. The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”
7. He showed me this: I saw the sovereign One standing by a tin wall holding tin in his hand.
8. The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “Tin.” The sovereign One then said,“Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel. I will no longer overlook their sin.
9. Isaac’s centers of worship will become desolate;Israel’s holy places will be in ruins.I will attack Jeroboam’s dynasty with the sword.”
10. Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! The land cannot endure all his prophecies.
11. As a matter of fact, Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile away from its land.’”
12. Amaziah then said to Amos, “Leave, you visionary! Run away to the land of Judah! Earn your living and prophesy there!
13. Don’t prophesy at Bethel any longer, for a royal temple and palace are here!”
14. Amos replied to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. No, I was a herdsman who also took care of sycamore fig trees.
15. Then the Lord took me from tending flocks and gave me this commission, ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’