Amos 8:2

And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

And he said {H559}, Amos {H5986}, what seest {H7200} thou? And I said {H559}, A basket {H3619} of summer fruit {H7019}. Then said {H559} the LORD {H3068} unto me, The end {H7093} is come {H935} upon my people {H5971} of Israel {H3478}; I will not again {H3254} pass {H5674} by them any more.

He asked, "'Amos, what do you see?" I answered, "A basket of summer [Hebrew: kayitz] fruit." Then ADONAI said to me, "The end [Hebrew: ketz] has come for my people, I will never again overlook their offenses.

“Amos, what do you see?” He asked. “A basket of summer fruit,” I replied. So the LORD said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel; I will no longer spare them.”

And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said Jehovah unto me, The end is come upon my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

Amos 8:2 presents a pivotal moment in the prophetic book of Amos, revealing the fourth of five visions given to the prophet concerning God's judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This verse marks a definitive shift, indicating that the time for repentance has passed and divine retribution is imminent.

Context and Setting

The prophet Amos, a shepherd and fig-picker from Judah, was called by God to prophesy against the prosperous yet morally corrupt kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel. While outwardly strong, Israel was riddled with social injustice, oppression of the poor, and rampant idolatry. Previous visions in Amos (the locusts, the fire, and the plumbline – see Amos 7:7) depicted impending judgment, but the Lord's patience and Amos's intercession had, in some instances, led to a reprieve or a delay. This fourth vision, however, conveys a stark and irreversible message.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Basket of Summer Fruit: The central image is a "basket of summer fruit" (Hebrew: qayits). Summer fruit was harvested at the end of the season and was highly perishable, needing to be consumed quickly before spoiling. This symbolism powerfully conveys that Israel's time was "ripe" for judgment and their moral decay had reached its peak, much like fruit that is ready to spoil.
  • Divine Wordplay and Imminent End: The Lord's response to Amos's vision employs a striking Hebrew wordplay. The word for "summer fruit" (qayits, קַיִץ) sounds remarkably similar to the word for "the end" (qets, קֵץ). This linguistic connection underscores the immediate and undeniable link between Israel's spiritual condition and their impending doom. God declares, "The end is come upon my people of Israel."
  • The End of God's Patience: The solemn declaration, "I will not again pass by them any more," signifies the cessation of God's forbearance. Unlike previous occasions where divine judgment might have been averted or lessened, this statement indicates that Israel's persistent sin and refusal to repent have exhausted God's long-suffering. It echoes a similar sentiment found in Genesis 6:3, where God declares His Spirit will not always strive with humanity.
  • Inevitable Judgment: This verse underscores the certainty and finality of God's judgment when a nation or people continually defies His covenant and principles. It highlights the consequences of widespread injustice, idolatry, and moral corruption.

Practical Application

Amos 8:2 serves as a powerful reminder that while God is infinitely patient and merciful, His patience has limits. Persistent sin, especially when accompanied by social injustice and spiritual apathy, will eventually lead to divine reckoning. For believers today, this verse calls for:

  • Self-Examination: A sober assessment of our own lives and communities to ensure we are not "ripe" for judgment through complacency or sin.
  • Repentance: A constant posture of humility and willingness to turn from wrongdoings.
  • Justice: A commitment to upholding justice and righteousness, particularly for the vulnerable, as these were core issues in Israel's downfall.

The message of the "basket of summer fruit" is a timeless warning: opportunities for repentance are not infinite, and God's declarations of judgment, though often delayed by His grace, will ultimately come to pass if His people do not heed His warnings. The ultimate fulfillment of Israel's judgment is seen in their exile, detailed in books like 2 Kings 17:6.

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.

  • Amos 7:8

    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:

  • Lamentations 4:18

    They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

  • Micah 7:1

    ¶ Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: [there is] no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

  • Jeremiah 1:11

    ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

  • Jeremiah 1:14

    Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

  • Jeremiah 24:1

    ¶ The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs [were] set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 24:3

    Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

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