Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)

n Who

the Kingdom of Judah, twelve miles south of Jerusal

dried, ground into flour and used for making coarse bread. This bread w

uit, out of which poor bread was made, for po

olish war between Amaziah of Judah and Joash of Israel broke out, this "dre

the fortifications of Jerusalem, this man, fighting valiantly in the front ranks, with many other patriotic Judeans, la

fter the war, the burden of finding a living for the two was soon thrust upon him. Ther

y could he not dry and grind the sycamore fruit himself? This he did and increased his income. Then, his mother sugges

ter price in Jerusalem. He asked for permission to go there and his mother, desiring more th

, and God b

followed, made a great impression upon the young

ible results of the war with Amaziah of Israel; King Uzziah had not yet restored the treasures and vessels of which the temples

his father's grave, a wonderful thought came to him. A new light entered into his life and a great determination for his future career. H

ss trips to Jerusalem, Amos bought sheep and goats and be

mestone hills of Tekoah down to the Dead Sea was j

f his old trade, he dealt, also, in goat m

e things he saw and heard in Jerusalem. He had heard there that Bethel, one of the sanctuaries of Israel, was alwa

greatly di

wine and song, and altars reeking with blood of fatted lambs a

religious laws of the state; and it was also commanded that a portion of the sacrifice should be consumed by him who b

t the sacrifices, as prescribed by the priests at the sanctuaries; a portion of the slaughtered animal was given to God on the altar, and the portion that was eaten by the sacrificer was looked u

God was not right, but he had n

d master herdsman, took the advantage afforded by the peace and improved business conditions. He traveled with his stock-in-trade to far northern ma

ever he led his caravans. He talked with strangers about other lands which he had not visited a

ld himself a palace, but remained with his mother in the village of Tekoah, where he was born and raised. H

ould betake himself to his beloved hills and sycamore groves and flocks. He would work with the most lowly

a and the wealth he saw displayed in Bethel did not deceive him. Neither did the peace compact between Jerobo

ew that Damascus, which had been weakened by Jeroboam II beyond hope of recovery, would be the first point of conquest for the young and energetic Pul, as Tiglath-Pileser was called. Next before

hen Israel would have to fight again for its independence an

he poor had become unfit for war, because of their oppression by the rich. Should the Assyr

en again! The poor must be given their rights, must be treated justly and righteously, that they may become manly men again! Only a nation of moral, upright,

efore, when, one day, upon his return from a long trip into Assyria, Amos said to

ead, she repeated the blessing with which she had blessed him w

, and God b

h, had dared to speak for the poor people in S

n various parts of the country, to the same effect, follow

d, how to worship Him and what He demanded of them, was the cause of all the evil. Amos, therefo

oam brought his sacrifices and where the great nobles and soldi

pon a reveling group, w

meet thy God

ring their sacrifices, believed that they were with their God. Some one told Amos as

ly, however, when Amos bega

hich I take up for a

e of I

to rise, is th

pon her soi

one to rai

aketh the field

a hundr

taketh the fiel

ut ten

om, had been grossly insulted, rushed forth from the crowd and

ouse of Israel. God was with them, he said, and was gracious to them. Israel was stronger, mightier than eve

and listened until the

he re

od to the hou

the poor and c

just and cause the poo

Me an

ek not

al do no

heba go

all surely go

shall com

d and n

ye ma

, the Lord

th you, a

l and lo

sh justice

od will b

ts, to a remna

and walked away. Others, however, remained

ught they had fallen, like seeds, upon fertile soil. Would these seeds take root? W

Amos came, when he ha