Amos 7:8

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And Yahweh said unto me, What canst thou see, Amos? And I said, A plummet, - Then said My Lord, Behold me! fixing a plummet in the midst of my people Israel, I will not again any more forgive him.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said to me, "See, I will put a plumb line among my people Israel. I will not let their ‘crooked ways' pass inspection anymore.

New American Standard Bible
And the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will not spare them any longer.

New Century Version
The Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I will put a plumb line among my people Israel to show how crooked they are. I will not look the other way any longer.

New English Translation
The Lord said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" I said, "Tin." The sovereign One then said, "Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel. I will no longer overlook their sin.

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumb-line. Then said the Lord, Look, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to me, Amos, what seest thou? and I said, A plumb-line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Amplified Bible
The LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line [as a standard] Among My people Israel [showing the defectiveness of the nation, requiring judgment]. I shall not spare them any longer. [The door of mercy is shut.]

English Standard Version
And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them;

World English Bible
Yahweh said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide to me, What seest thou, Amos? And Y seide, A trulle of a masoun. And the Lord seide, Lo! I schal putte a trulle in the myddil of my puple Israel; Y schal no more putte to, for to ouerlede it;

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more:

Berean Standard Bible
"Amos, what do you see?" asked the LORD. "A plumb line," I replied. "Behold," said the Lord, "I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them:

Contemporary English Version
Then he asked, "Amos, what do you see?" "A measuring line," I answered. The Lord said, "I'm using this measuring line to show that my people Israel don't measure up, and I won't forgive them any more.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more;

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A weighted line. Then the Lord said, See, I will let down a weighted line among my people Israel; never again will my eyes be shut to their sin:

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai asked me, "‘Amos, what do you see?" I answered, "A plumbline." Then Adonai said, "I am going to put a plumbline in among my people Isra'el; I will never again overlook their offenses.

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. And the Lord said, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto me: 'Amos, what seest thou?' And I said: 'A plumbline.' Then said the Lord: Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of My people Israel; I will not again pardon them any more;

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto mee, Amos, what seest thou? And I sayd, A plumb-line. Then sayd the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel, I will not againe passe by them any more.

New Living Translation
And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I answered, "A plumb line." And the Lord replied, "I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins.

New Life Bible
The Lord said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A string." Then the Lord said, "See, I am about to put a straight string among my people Israel. I will not change My mind again about punishing them.

New Revised Standard
And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lorde saide vnto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A line. Then said the Lord, Beholde, I wil set a line in the middes of my people Israel, and wil passe by them no more.

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to me: What seest thou, Amos? And I said: A mason’s trowel. And the Lord said: Behold, I will lay down the trowel in the midst of my people Israel. I will plaster them over no more.

Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayde vnto me, Amos what seest thou? And I sayde, A line. Then sayd the Lorde, Beholde I will set a line in the mids of my people Israel, and wyll passe by them no more.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to me, What seest thou, Amos? And I said, An adamant. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I appoint an adamant in the midst of my people Israel: I will not pass by them any more.

Good News Translation
He asked me, "Amos, what do you see?" "A plumb line," I answered. Then he said, "I am using it to show that my people are like a wall that is out of line. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to me, "`Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Yisra'el. I will not again pass by them any more.

King James Version
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord , Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "A plummet." And my Lord said, "Look, I am going to set a plummet in the midst of my people, Israel. I will not pass them by again.

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumb line. And the Lord said, Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel. I will not again pass over him any more.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah saith unto me, `What art thou seeing, Amos?' And I say, `A plumb-line;' and the Lord saith: `Lo, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of My people Israel, I do not add any more to pass over to it.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the LORDE sayde vnto me: Amos, what seist thou? I answered: a masons trowell. Then sayde the LORDE: beholde, I will laye the trowell amoge my people of Israel, and will nomore ouersee them:

THE MESSAGE
God said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" I said, "A plumb line." Then my Master said, "Look what I've done. I've hung a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I've spared them for the last time. This is it! "Isaac's sex-and-religion shrines will be smashed, Israel's unholy shrines will be knocked to pieces. I'm raising my sword against the royal family of Jeroboam."

New King James Version
And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said: "Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said,"Behold, I am about to put a plumb lineIn the midst of My people Israel.I will pass over them no longer.

Contextual Overview

¹ Here, My Lord, Yahweh gave me to see, and lo! he was preparing the locust, in the beginning of the shooting up of the after-grass, - and lo! after-grass, cometh after the mowings for the king. ² And it came to pass, when they had made an end of eating the herbage of the land, that I said - Oh, My Lord, Yahweh, forgive, I beseech thee: By whom shall Jacob, arise? for, small, he is. ³ Grieved was Yahweh, over this, - It shall not be, said Yahweh? ⁴ Here, My Lord, Yahweh gave me to see, and lo! My Lord Yahweh proclaiming that, the controversy should be settled by fire, - which, having devoured the mighty roaring deep, should devour the inheritance. ⁵ Then said I, My Lord, Yahweh, forbear, I beseech thee, By whom shall Jacob, arise? for, small, he is. ⁶ Grieved was Yahweh, over this, - Even this, shall not be, said My Lord, Yahweh. ⁷ Here, he gave me to see, and lo! My Lord, stationed upon a pinnacle, - and, in his hand a plummet. ⁸ And Yahweh said unto me, What canst thou see, Amos? And I said, A plummet, - Then said My Lord, Behold me! fixing a plummet in the midst of my people Israel, I will not again any more forgive him. ⁹ So shall the high places of Isaac, be made desolate, and, the holy places of Israel, be laid waste, - and I will rise up, against the house of Jeroboam, with the sword.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Amos: Jeremiah 1:11-13, Zechariah 5:2

a plumbline: This was an emblem of strict justice; and intimated that God would now visit them according to their iniquities.

I will set: Lamentations 2:8

I will not: Amos 8:2, Jeremiah 15:6, Ezekiel 7:2-9, Micah 7:18, Nahum 1:8, Nahum 1:9

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 21:13 - I will stretch Isaiah 9:14 - will cut Jeremiah 24:3 - What Zechariah 4:10 - and shall

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou?.... This question was put to him, the rather, since he was silent, and did not upon this vision, as the former, make any supplication to the Lord; as also, because this vision portended something of moment and importance, which he would have the prophet attend to:

and I said, a plumbline; the same word as before, and is differently rendered, as already observed. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a plasterer's" or "mason's trowel"; with which they lay their plaster and mortar on in building: the Septuagint, an adamant: and which, by Pliny f, is called "anachites"; a word in sound near to this here used: the Targum renders it, "judgment": but Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, that in the Arabic tongue it signifies lead or tin, as it does g; and so a line with lead at the end of it;

then said the Lord, behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel; take an exact account of their actions, and see how they agree or disagree with the rule of the word; and in the most strict and righteous manner deal with them for their sins and transgressions, "lay judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet", Isaiah 28:17;

I will not again pass by them any more; wink at their sins, and overlook their transgressions, by not correcting and punishing for them; or will not pardon them, but inflict punishment on them. So the Targum,

"behold, I will exercise judgment in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not add any more to pardon them.''

Though some understand it of God's making such an utter end of them, that he should no more "pass through them" h, to destroy them, having done it at once, and thoroughly.

f Nat. Hist. l. 3. c. 4. g "plumbum, sive nigrum, sive album puriusque", Camusus; "plumbum et stannum", Ibn Maruph apud Golium, col. 176. Avicenna apud Castel. col. 161. Vid. Hottinger. Smegma Oriental. l. 1. c. 7. p. 122. h לא אוסיף עוד עבור לו "non adjiciam ultra pertransire eum", Montanus; "non ultra per eum transibit", some in Mercerus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Amos, what seest thou? - ^o: “He calls the prophet by name, as a familiar friend, known and approved by Him, as He said to Moses, “I know thee by name” Exodus 33:12, Exodus 33:17. For “the Lord knoweth them that are His. What seest thou?” 2 Timothy 2:19. God had twice heard the prophet. Two judgments upon His people He had mitigated, not upon their repentance, but on the single intercession of the prophet. After that, He willed to be no more entreated. And so He exhibits to Amos a symbol, whose meaning He does not explain until He had pronounced their doom. “The plumbline” was used in pulling down, as well as in building up. Whence Jeremiah says, “The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion; He hath stretched out a line; He hath not withdrawn His hand from destroying; therefore He made the rampart and wall to lament” Lamentations 2:8 : and Isaiah; “He shall stretch out upon it the line of wasteness” (as in Genesis 1:2) “and the stone of emptiness” Isaiah 34:11 (as in Genesis 1:2): and God said of Judah, “I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab” 2 Kings 21:13.

Accordingly God explains the vision, “Behold I will set,” that is, shortly, (literally, “am setting”) “a plumbline in the midst of My people Israel.” The wall, then, is not the emblem of Samaria or of any one city. It is the strength and defense of the whole people, whatever held it together, and held out the enemy. As in the vision to Belshazzar, the word “Tekel,” He “weighed,” was explained, “Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting” Daniel 5:27, so God here applies the plumbline, at once to convict and to destroy upon conviction. In this Judgment, as at the Last Day, God would not condemn, without having first made clear the justice of His condemnation. He sets it “in the midst of” His “people,” showing that He would make trial of all, one by one, and condemn in proportion to the guilt of each. But the day of grace being past, the sentence was to be final. “I will not pass by them,” literally, “I will not pass over” (that is, their transgressions) “to them (as in Amos 8:2) anymore,” that is, I will no more forgive them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 7:8. I will set a plumbline — I will visit them by justice without any mixture of mercy.