Topic
1. Author:
A. Amos, a shepherd & gatherer of Sycamore fruit, never again mentioned in scripture.
1) Not trained as a prophet
2) Amos 7:14
3) Name `Amos'(5986) means "Burden" [Gesenius, Pg.683]
B. From Tekoa
1) A small town approx. 6 miles S. of Bethlehem (which is 6 miles S-SW of Jerusalem) in the southern Kingdom of Judah.
2) (8620) "Pitching" as of tents [Gesenius, Pg.873]
3) See 2 Sam.14; 2 Chron.11:6; 20:20; Jer.6:1
2. Date:
A. Fixed by Amos 1:1 during the reign of Uzziah in Judah (792-740BC) and Jeroboam II in Israel (790-749BC)
1) See 2 Kings 14:25 and compare with Amos 7:2
B. Further stated as "Two years before the earthquake".
1) According to Josephus (Ant. ix.10.4) this earthquake occurred during the reign of Uzziah when he usurped the office of the priest.
2) It supposedly occurred in conjunction with an eclipse which astronomers have dated as occurring June 15, 763 BC.
3) See Chart #1.
3. Historical setting:
A. Period of relative prosperity in Judah & Israel. They had recaptured their border cities from Syria (See 2 Kings 13:25; 14:25)
B. There was great wealth located in many of the cities (See Amos 6:1 "at ease in Zion")
C. Rampant religious corruption which is testified to throughout the book.
4. Other Information:
A. The `man of God' (2 Kings 13:1-32) was the only other prophet from the Southern Kingdom of Judah sent specifically to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
B. Prophesied very soon after Jonah (2 Kings 14:25-15:1),
C. Contemporary with Hosea & Isaiah, (Isa.1:1; Hos.1:1)
D. Came just before Micah (Mic.1:1)
E. For Reference read 2 Kings 15:1-34
F. Quoted by James in Acts 15:13-16