Amos

What this page covers

Where the songs go in Amos

The 9 songs here set 4 of the 4 movements in Amos to music: “For Three Transgressions, and for Four” (Amos 1–2), “Come to Bethel and Transgress” (Amos 3–5), “Woe to Them That Are at Ease in Zion” (Amos 6–7) and “A Basket of Summer Fruit” (Amos 8–9).

For Three Transgressions, and for Four (Amos 1–2). A shepherd from Tekoa works his way round the map, naming the crimes of Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon and Moab, and every listener would have nodded along at each one.

Woe to Them That Are at Ease in Zion (Amos 6–7). Beds of ivory, lambs out of the flock, wine drunk by the bowl, instruments invented for the fun of it like David, and not one of them grieved for the ruin of Joseph.

A Basket of Summer Fruit (Amos 8–9). A basket of ripe fruit means the end is ripe.