Historical Context

Amos prophesied in the middle of the eighth century bc, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, ruled Israel. He prophesied two years before the earthquake, which is possibly dated to 760 bc (Amos 1:1; Mays, Amos, 2). This earthquake was devastating, as it was remembered more than two centuries later (Zech 14:5).

By this time, the united monarchy of David and Solomon was a distant memory. When the schism occurred in 931 bc, Jeroboam son of Nebat—king of the north—set up a rival cult complete with non-Levite priests, a non-prescribed festival in the eighth month, and golden calves in Bethel and Dan. He declared the calves to be “your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (1 Kgs 12:26–33).

These blasphemies prompted God to send an unnamed prophet from Judah to him (1 Kgs 13). Some of Amos’ audience would probably have been reminded of that event as Amos, a prophet from Tekoa in Judah, came north to declare God’s judgment on the “sanctuaries of Israel” and “the house of Jeroboam” (Amos 1:1; 7:9). Amaziah reported Amos’ potentially treasonous words to Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, in even more threatening words; “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile …” (Amos 7:11).