Amos - Introduction

      Amos lived in a time of prosperity. Israel and Judah no longer suffered invasions from their great enemy, Assyria, whose internal conflict had taken its attention. Jeroboam II had managed to end a century and a half of war with Syria.

      However, the prosperity wasn’t universal. The rich grew richer by taking the smaller land-holdings, creating a class of landless poor. The poor were sold for trifling debts, and exploited in the marketplace (for example, with false measures). They could get no justice in the law courts.
     The affluent portion of socity especially thought that all was well. They continued ritual religious practices, in fact may have been zealous in sacrifice and ritual, believing their prosperity was due to Yahweh’s intervention. No doubt they considered it a “practical necessity’ to show some respect to Ba’al, who was the feritlity god of the ancient near east.
     Amos was of the southern kingdom of Judah (remembering that after the death of Solomon, a civil war split Israel into two nations). Although most of his prophecy was directed at the northern kngdom of Israel, it was intended as a warning to Judah as well.
      Amos himself may not have been classed among the poor. He was a shepherd, but the word used to describe him as a shepherd is found only in the bible in reference to Mesha, king of Moab, a “sheep-breeder” who borugh a large annual tribute of sheep and wool to the king of Israel. Other references outside the bible also lead shcolars to believe that Amos was not a lone shepehrd guarding a small flock in the wilderness. He might have been responsible for temple flocks, or might have been self-employed.  What seems significant about the issue of his occupation is that of a person who may not have been wealthy, yet was still comfortable financially, calling for reform of how the poor were treating.   
       As a shepherd, however, he still wandered with his flock, seeking food and protecting them from wild-animals and other dangers. This may not have been in isolation, he probably crossed the routes to the main urban centers and thus interacted with people from various parts of his owrld. He certainly seems to be aware of the social conditions and realities throughout.
     Scholars date the prophet ministry to about 760 bce. Dating is derived from the names of reigning monarchs and also in relation to an earthquate that was remember centuries later in Zechariah 14:5. Amos’ minstry may have only lasted for two to three months.
     Amos begins by pronouncing doom on neighboring nations, including Syria. With the long enmity between them, his hearers must have intially greeted his words with delight, although the nature of his criticism against these nations should have given them second thoughts on the subject of delighting in the suffering of another. The nations are largely doomed because of their ill-treatment of others and ill will toward others.
     The oracles have a regular, almost monotonous form and could have been patterned after forms known at the time, even Egyptian texts, where curses are first pronounced on surrounding peoples and then on those within Egypt. Amos, as a canny observer of the human condition, might have developed or chosen such a format to initially disarm his hearers.
      Imagine their shock when after pronoucing judgement on foreign nations, then Judah (with whom they didn’t have the happiest of relationships), Amos turned his attention to Israel itself.