Reading books: notes on Amos
We are interested in looking at the Book of Amos as a whole. Most biblical books (if not all) bear the marks of editorial shaping. So when we look at the final shape of a book such as Amos, we are not looking at the work of the prophet himself. At the very best we are considering a reshaping of his work. More likely, it is a combination of the words of the prophet, whose name the book bears, and the work of later editors and followers.
1. Date
Amos 1:1 is a later editorial comment. Uzziah was king of Judah from 783-742 BCE. Note that Uzziah was a leper from about 750 BCE. Jotham was co-regent with Uzziah for the last part of the Uzziah’s reign. So Amos could have prophesied before 750 BCE but not necessarily.
The Jereboam mentioned in Amos is in fact Jereboam II. He was king of Israel from 786-746 BCE. The time of his reign fits Amos's message. Other small nations in the region were not strong at that time. The threat from Assyria subsided in the first half of the 8th century. This allowed for a resurgence of Israel and Judah both economically and militarily. There was peace between the two of them at that time. It was also a time of material prosperity. This all fits with Amos's statements about the activities of those who were well-off.
The earthquake (1:1) might seem to be a possible clue to date. Excavations at Hazor suggest an earthquake c. 760 BCE but archaeological dating is not accurate enough to pinpoint a particular event, even if it were clear that a certain destruction layer at Hazor was associated with the event referred to in Amos 1:1.
Some scholars date Amos to the late 760s but it is not impossible to date him to the 750s BCE.
2. Structure of Book
Heading to book 1:13. Prophetic Language
Oracles against foreign nations 1:2 - 2:16
Oracles against Israel "Hear this word" 3:1 - 4:13
Oracles against Israel "laments and woes" 5:1 - 6:14
Visions 7:1-9
Amos before Amaziah (prose) 7:10-17
Further visions 8:1 - 9:14
Oracles of judgment 9:5-10
Oracle of hope 9:11-15
a. Messenger formula, "Thus says the Lord!"
This is a basic element of prophetic speech. It is based on diplomatic
language and the language of correspondence. The sense of the prophet being
the messenger of YHWH lies behind this. This form predominates in Amos
1-2. A variation on this is the concluding statement "says the Lord," which
can be found sprinkled throughout Amos 1-4.
b. In addition to the oracles delivered on YHWH's behalf we have material that is seen more directly as the words of the prophet. For example Amos 5:6-7, and 14-15 where Amos seems to add his own words to the oracle in vv. 4-5. Note that some passages are rather obscure as to whether they are seen to be YHWH's own words or the words of the prophet, for example 5:10-13 where the "I" of v. 12 is unclear.
c. Visions. There are 5 visions in all in Amos, 7:1-9; 8:1-3; and 9:1-4. They were arranged by a later editor in the book but could well be original to the prophet. Amos is the first prophet to be associated with recorded visions. The editor has split the visions by inserting oracles and other material between visions 3 and 4, and 4 and 5. The oracles are presented in a developing pattern.
d. Oracles against the nations. These are contained in Amos 1-2.
Note the general structure and that the first 6 oracles fit a pattern of:
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4. The final form
In its final form the book is addressed to generations later than the one to which Amos initially spoke. While Amos addressed the northern kingdom of Israel, the book in its final form was also intended to speak to the southern kingdom of Judah. The fact that the northern kingdom was eventually overcome by the Assyrians and destroyed would be seen as the fulfilment of Amos’s words of judgment. Thus the earlier threat against Israel becomes support for a later critique of Judah. So the text of the book itself, and particularly as it is purported to be the words of Amos, becomes its own proof for the later word of the editors to Judah. Note in this regard that the reference to the earthquake in 1:1 is no longer just a dating mechanism, but functions as proof of judgment in connection with lion roaring (1:2).
The inclusion of an oracle of hope in ch. 9 does not diminish the message
of judgment by Amos (on either Israel or Judah). In the context of
the book as a whole it takes on an eschatological dimension, “on that day”
(cf. 9:13-15). The fact that the northern kingdom, to which Amos had addressed
his words, was overtaken and did not see the fulfilment of the words of
hope supports this eschatological shift. Judgment will come to pass on
a people who do not remain faithful to YHWH. The word of hope lies beyond
that.
5. Reading on Amos
Boadt, 315-319 or
Anderson, Living World, 259-79
Background to Amos:
Blenkinsopp, Prophecy in Israel 80-95;
Coggins et al., Israel's Prophetic Heritage 32-43;
Koch , The Prophets Vol 1, 36-75;
Rendtorff, Introduction 220-223;
Soggin, Introduction 282-9;
Schmidt, Introduction 194-200
H. Wallace
May 2009