Prophet Old Testament

Prophet Amos

Also known as Amos of Tekoah

The third of the Minor Prophets, a herdsman of Tekoah in Judah called by God to prophesy in Israel, crying out for justice and mercy and against the idolatry of his day.

Feast Day

June 15

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Commemorated as

The Holy Prophet Amos

Life

Amos was an eighth-century BC prophet of the Old Testament, the third of the Twelve Minor Prophets, who came from Tekoa, a town in the southern Kingdom of Judah south of Jerusalem. A herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees rather than a trained member of any prophetic guild, he was called by God to carry his message northward to the Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II, while Uzziah ruled in Judah.

His preaching, delivered chiefly at the royal sanctuary of Bethel and against the prosperous capital of Samaria, condemned idolatry and social injustice and insisted that ritual worship was worthless apart from righteousness toward the poor. Amos is traditionally regarded as the first of the prophets to commit his messages to writing, and the book that bears his name became a foundational work of the literary prophetic tradition.

In his own words Read Hide

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Amos, 5:24 · King James Version (PD)

Timeline 3 moments Read Hide

8th century BC Origins in Tekoa Amos was born and raised at Tekoa in Judah, where he worked as a shepherd of sheep and goats and tended sycamore trees. He is described as simple and unlettered, with no formal prophetic or priestly training before his calling.
Reign of Jeroboam II Mission to the Kingdom of Israel Though a man of Judah, Amos was sent to prophesy in the northern Kingdom of Israel, denouncing the idolatrous worship centered at Bethel and the injustices of a prosperous society. He warned of foreign conquest and judgment to come upon the nation because of its ungodliness.
Later tradition Suffering and repose By tradition Amos repeatedly endured beatings and torture for his preaching. He was struck with a club, gravely wounded, and carried back to his native village, where he died two days later and was buried in his homeland.

Contributions & Legacy

2 contributions Read Hide

Prophetic Message

A strict monotheist, Amos rejected the pagan worship practices that had taken hold in Israel and proclaimed that prayers and sacrifices could not compensate for unjust deeds. His central concern was economic and social justice: he condemned the disparity between the wealthy and the poor and taught that behaving justly mattered far more than ritual observance.

He confronted the established religion of the northern kingdom at Bethel and foretold the misfortunes that would befall Israel, including foreign conquest and the downfall of those who led the people into idolatry.

The Book of Amos

Amos is traditionally counted as the first of the prophets to write down all the messages he received, and the nine-chapter book attributed to him is reckoned among the earliest of the literary prophetic books. It comprises a series of oracles against the surrounding nations, addresses to various groups within Israel, and five symbolic visions of divine judgment depicting locusts, fire, a plumb line, a basket of summer fruit, and the Lord standing beside the altar.

The visions are interrupted by an account of a confrontation at Bethel between Amos and the priest Amaziah, and the book closes with an epilogue promising eventual restoration. Among its enduring contributions is the theme of the Day of the Lord, presented not as a day of triumph for Israel but as a day of reckoning brought on by injustice toward the poor and vulnerable.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints