Amos 7:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In the first of three visions, God shows Amos a swarm of locusts forming to devour the late crop just as it springs up.
What Does Amos 7:1 Mean?
A new section opens with the first of a series of visions, each beginning, "Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me." Amos does not seek these sights; they are given. Here he sees God forming a swarm of locusts at the worst possible moment -- when the second growth is sprouting, after the king has already taken the first mowing for himself.
The timing makes the threat severe. This late growth was what the common people depended on to survive after the royal share was gone. To strip it bare would leave nothing. The vision shows that judgment is not abstract; it touches the bread on the table and the survival of ordinary families. From the start, Amos is made to feel the weight of what is coming upon his people, and that weight will shape how he responds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amos 7:1
What does Amos 7:1 mean?
In the first of three visions, God shows Amos a swarm of locusts forming to devour the late crop just as it springs up.