Amos 8

“Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD : there shall be many dead bodies in…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.” Naming Jacob and Surely keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD , that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all…” The line’s distinctive content terms include mourning, baldness, bitter. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD , that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst…” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.