Amos 8:2
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 upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Amos prophesied during Jeroboam II's prosperous reign (793-753 BC), approximately 30-40 years before Assyria conquered Israel (722 BC). This gap demonstrates God's patience—even after declaring "the end is come," God gave decades for repentance. Yet Israel's subsequent kings (Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea) continued wickedness, sealing their fate. Assyrian records confirm brutal conquest, mass deportation, and resettlement of foreign peoples in Israel's territory (2 Kings 17:1-6, 24).
The "end" (qets) wasn't merely political defeat but covenant termination—the northern kingdom never returned from exile. Unlike Judah, who returned after 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10), the ten northern tribes were permanently scattered. Amos's prophecy proved devastatingly accurate.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's patience in delaying judgment for decades after declaring "the end is come" demonstrate both His mercy and the danger of presuming on that mercy?
- What does it mean that covenant relationship with God increases rather than decreases accountability, and how does this apply to Christians today?
Analysis & Commentary
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 upon my people of Israel—God asks what Amos sees, receives his answer, then delivers the interpretation through devastating wordplay. Summer fruit (קַיִץ, qayits) sounds like end (קֵץ, qets)—the phonetic similarity drives home the message: Israel's summer (qayits) means their end (qets). This Hebrew pun makes the judgment unmistakable and memorable.
The declaration The end is come (בָּא הַקֵּץ, ba haqets) echoes Ezekiel's later prophecy against Jerusalem: "An end is come, the end is come" (Ezekiel 7:2, 6). The verb bo (בּוֹא, "come/arrive") presents judgment as imminent reality, not distant possibility. The phrase upon my people of Israel (אֶל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, el-ammi Yisrael) is heartbreaking—despite covenant violation, they remain "my people," yet this doesn't avert judgment but intensifies it (recall 3:2: "You only have I known... therefore I will punish you").
The final declaration I will not again pass by them any more (לֹא־אוֹסִיף עוֹד עֲבוֹר לוֹ, lo-osif od avor lo) repeats 7:8's refrain, emphasizing divine decision. The phrase "pass by" (avor) means "overlook" or "spare"—God will no longer extend mercy. This doesn't mean God stops loving Israel but that His holy justice now demands execution of covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28). The repetition "any more" (od, "again/still") underscores finality—the age of warnings has ended; judgment arrives. Within 30 years, Assyria fulfilled this prophecy (722 BC).