7:1-3
1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
This is what God showed me:
God formed grasshoppers who ate grass.
When they finished eating, I said to God,
How will Jacob stand up?
He's small.
3The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
God repented and said,
It won't happen.
7:4-6
4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
6The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.
God also showed me this:
God started a fire that burned part of the ocean.
I said to God,
Please stop.
How will Jacob get up? He's small.
God repented and said,
It won't happen. [1]
God stood on a wall with a plumbline in his hand
7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
God also showed me this:
God stood on a wall with a plumbline in his hand. [2]
God said to me, "Amos, what do you see?"
I said, "I see a plumbline."
He said,
I'll hang a plumbline in the midst of my people.
I won't pass by them anymore.
The high places of Israel will be destroyed,
and I'll fight against Jeroboam's family with a sword.
Your wife will be a harlot
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
Amaziah sent a message to King Jeroboam, saying,
Amos has conspired against you, saying,
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Jeroboam will die with the sword,
and Israel will be enslaved.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
Then Amaziah said to Amos,
Run away to Judah.
Eat bread and prophesy there.
13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
But don't prophesy at Bethel anymore.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
Amos said to Amaziah,
I'm not a prophet, I'm just a shepherd and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.
15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
God told me to prophesy to Israel.
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
But now you tell me not to prophesy against Israel.
17Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Well, here's what God says to you:
Your wife will be a harlot,
your children will be killed with the sword,
your land will be divided,
you will die in a polluted land,
and Israel will be enslaved.