Amos 7:5

Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he [is] small.

Then said {H559} I, O Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}, cease {H2308}, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob {H3290} arise {H6965}? for he is small {H6996}.

But I said, "Adonai ELOHIM, stop - please! How will tiny Ya'akov survive?"

Then I said, โ€œLord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?โ€

Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? for he is small.

Commentary

Amos 7:5 records the prophet Amos's second passionate plea to the Lord God, begging Him to cease the impending judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel, referred to as 'Jacob'. Amos appeals to God's mercy, highlighting Israel's vulnerable state and inability to recover on their own, stating, "for he is small."

Context

This verse is part of a series of five visions of judgment that God reveals to Amos. Following visions of a devastating locust plague and consuming fire, Amos intercedes on behalf of Israel. In both previous instances (Amos 7:2 and Amos 7:5), God relents, demonstrating His patience and responsiveness to prophetic prayer (Amos 7:3 and Amos 7:6). This particular plea emphasizes Israel's weakness and their utter dependence on divine intervention amidst their widespread social injustice and spiritual idolatry under King Jeroboam II.

Key Themes

  • Prophetic Intercession: Amos acts as a mediator, standing in the gap between God's righteous judgment and His people. This mirrors other great intercessors in the Bible, such as Moses pleading for Israel.
  • God's Mercy and Patience: Despite Israel's sin, God shows mercy and listens to the prophet's cry, highlighting His compassionate nature and willingness to defer judgment when there is a sincere plea.
  • Israel's Vulnerability: The phrase "Jacob is small" underscores the nation's inherent weakness and inability to withstand divine punishment or recover from it without God's sustaining hand. It's a reminder that their true strength was never in themselves, but in God's covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:7).

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "cease," แธฅฤƒแธal (ื—ึฒื“ึทืœ), is an imperative, conveying a direct and urgent command or plea from the prophet to God.
  • "Jacob" (yaโ€˜ฤƒqลแธ‡ - ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนื‘) is a common poetic and prophetic designation for the nation of Israel, often used to evoke their patriarchal roots and covenant relationship with God.
  • "Small" (qฤแนญลn - ืงึธื˜ึนืŸ) implies not just physical size, but also insignificance, weakness, or inability to cope. It suggests Israel lacks the resources, power, or resilience to survive the predicted devastation.

Practical Application

Amos's intercession in this verse offers profound lessons for believers today:

  • The Power of Prayer: Amos's fervent prayer demonstrates the profound impact of intercession. It reminds believers that God hears and responds to the cries of His people, and that interceding for others is a vital spiritual discipline.
  • Humility and Dependence: The recognition that "Jacob is small" serves as a timeless reminder of human fragility and our absolute dependence on God's grace and strength. We are inherently weak and cannot overcome spiritual or physical challenges in our own power.
  • Compassion for the Vulnerable: Amos's plea reflects a deep compassion for his people, even in their sin. It encourages believers to cultivate a similar heart for those who are struggling or facing judgment, acting as advocates and intercessors on their behalf.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 85:4

    Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

  • Jeremiah 30:19

    And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

  • Isaiah 10:25

    For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

  • Joel 2:17

    Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where [is] their God?

  • Amos 7:2

    And it came to pass, [that] when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he [is] small.

  • Amos 7:3

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

  • Isaiah 1:9

    Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [and] we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
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