Amos 7:3

The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

The LORD {H3068} repented {H5162} for this: It shall not be, saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}.

So ADONAI changed his mind about this. "It won't happen," ADONAI said.

So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said.

Jehovah repented concerning this: It shall not be, saith Jehovah.

Amos 7:3 reveals a profound aspect of God's character and the power of intercessory prayer. This verse immediately follows the prophet Amos's plea to the Lord concerning a vision of devastating locusts, which threatened to consume all the harvest of Israel.

Context

The prophet Amos, active in the 8th century BC, delivered messages of judgment and warning to the northern kingdom of Israel due to their widespread idolatry, social injustice, and spiritual complacency. In Amos chapter 7, he recounts a series of five visions. The first vision (Amos 7:1-3) depicts a severe plague of locusts, similar to those that brought famine and destruction in ancient Near Eastern agriculture. Upon seeing this impending doom, Amos intercedes, crying out, "O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small" (Amos 7:2). Verse 3 is God's immediate, merciful response to that desperate prayer.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Mercy and Compassion: The most striking theme is God's willingness to relent from a declared judgment. Despite Israel's sin, God shows compassion in response to a sincere plea. This highlights His patience and His desire for humanity to turn from their wicked ways rather than face destruction.
  • The Power of Intercessory Prayer: Amos's intercession directly impacts God's course of action. This demonstrates the profound influence that the prayers of righteous individuals can have in averting divine wrath and bringing about mercy. It underscores the biblical principle that God hears and responds to the earnest prayers of His people (James 5:16).
  • God's Relenting, Not Changing: This verse, along with others like Jonah 3:10, shows God "repenting" or relenting. This does not mean God changes His immutable character or His eternal purposes. Instead, it signifies a change in His expressed intention or course of action in response to a change in human circumstances, repentance, or intercession. His ultimate will remains constant, but His methods and immediate judgments can be influenced by human response, demonstrating His interactive relationship with creation.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV word "repented" comes from the Hebrew verb nicham (נחם). While it can mean "to repent" in the sense of expressing sorrow for one's actions, when applied to God, it signifies "to relent," "to change one's mind," or "to feel sorrow/compassion." It's an anthropomorphism, describing God in human terms to convey that He altered His declared judgment or intention. This is not a moral change, but a change in His disposition towards a situation, often in response to prayer or a shift in human behavior, as seen when Moses interceded for Israel after the golden calf incident.

Practical Application

Amos 7:3 offers great encouragement for believers today. It reminds us that God is actively involved in human affairs and that our prayers are not in vain. We are called to be intercessors, praying for our communities, nations, and for those facing judgment or hardship. This verse reinforces the truth that while God is just and righteous, He is also "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" (Psalm 86:15). It inspires us to approach Him with confidence, knowing He is willing to hear and respond to our pleas for mercy and intervention.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 32:36

    For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that [their] power is gone, and [there is] none shut up, or left.

  • Jonah 3:10

    And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did [it] not.

  • Hosea 11:8

    ¶ How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

  • Joel 2:14

    Who knoweth [if] he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; [even] a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

  • Amos 7:6

    The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

  • Psalms 106:45

    And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

  • Jeremiah 26:19

    Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

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