AbstractAmos 9:7

AbstractSee chap. 1: “The Eighth-Century Prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah and Micah)."

AbstractThe autumnal festival and the royal rite at Bethel as an intertext of Amos 7:10-8:14 and Hosea 9:1-9. It is argued that a text from the Samaritan Liturgy which describes a royal rite at Bethel on the last day of the autumnal festival, represents a reliable tradition. This text, as well as Deuteronomy 26:2-15 to which it is closely related, is used as the basis for a reconstruction of a royal rite at Bethel during the time of the monarchy. Amos 7:10-8:14 and Hosea 9:1-9 are read against this background. The said prophecies state exactly the opposite of what was expressed and intended by the royal rite. This accounts for the vehement reaction against Amos and Hosea from the side of the priests.

AbstractThe rhetoric of Amos includes a wonderful mixture of humour and threat, sarcasm and irony, hyperbole and prediction. Holding the fabric of this conversation together is Amos’s place within the prophetic minority – the Yahweh-only party (his anti-society). Making use of sociolinguistics, and particularly the idea of anti-language, I take a closer look at Amos, including his use of overlexicalisation, insider-humour and all the shades of irony one might expect. Typically of a member of an anti-society, Amos exaggerates the differences between insider and outsider, in this case, speaking of ‘ivory houses’, ‘the cattle of Bashan’ while appealing to his successful attempts to save the rich from the wrath of God. The offenses of the outsiders are sometimes crystal clear and at other times shrouded in metaphor, and so too is the fate of these people. In reading Amos, we are constantly in danger of falling victim to the persuasive power of his rhetoric. We are drawn into the world of Amos, quickly accepting his boundaries and the ideology of his anti-society, his depiction of reality and his stark caricature of the rich. The rhetoric is persuasive and the irony is divisive forcing a choice of black and white, believer and unbeliever, rich and poor, oppressors and oppressed. We struggle to swim against the current and instead long to respond to Amos’s invitation to live (Am 5:5) – perhaps even to discover that elusive hope at which the book hints: Most of history has been the forging of structures of security and appropriate loyalty symbols, to announce and defend one’s personal identity, one’s group, and one’s gender issues and identity. (Rohr 2011:4)

AbstractNo abstract available.

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AbstractThe prophetic book of Amos is widely studied yet one question remains unanswered: What happened to the prophet? This article attempts to answer this question. This article notes the brevity of the ministry of Amos as an indicator to a bad ending. By analyzing the narratives in 1 Kings 13 and 2 Kings 23, this article highlights similarities between Amos and the unnamed man of God such as place of origin, name of reigning king, centrality of Bethel and the lion. It is argued that on the balance of probabilities, Amos was a martyr. Through this analysis, this article argues that from Amos, Christians can learn from word and deed. Such an end is instructive for contemporary Christians faced with the options of being good neighbours or faithful believers. Overall, this article contends that while Christians must not actively seek persecution, they cannot compromise their faith to avoid persecution. doi: 10.7833/111-1-33

AbstractH.'s article explores Amos' attitude towards the offices of king, priest, and prophet against the background of the OT as a whole. His conclusion is that, for Amos, the institutions/offices/services should be instrumental in enabling people to function according to their individuality and as beings created in the image of God, i.e., as free and responsible. Amos does not call for the abolishment of these offices; these are, however, shaken to their foundations by his prophecies. The result intended by Amos' words was that the Israelite office-bearers would realize that God called them personally; their call was not merely an institutional matter. Office bearers, accordingly, should radically reform and adjust their approach. Faith should be God- centered and should involve a concern for the material and spiritual needs of people, those of the circle of believers, but others as well. H. concludes by highlighting some of the relevant aspects of his findings for the contemporary Reformed Churches in South Africa. [Adapted from published abstract--Christopher T. Begg].] Abstract Number: OTA24-2001-FEB-545

AbstractH.'s article explores the importance of the concept of the land in the Book of Amos and in Acts 15:15-17. In this connection H. cites the epilogue of the Book of Amos. His conclusion here implies that the concept of land--set within a universal context--retains an important place, even in the promise of a future existence. Other nations too will share in this new kingdom. The idea of a universal kingdom becomes so important in Acts that the concept of a/the land is not its primary focus. H. notes that this is also the case in the Heidelberg Catechism's interpretation of the fifth and tenth commandments. He further points out some theological implications for the land issue in South Africa and draws some conclusions about the "Day of the Vow." [Adapted from published abstract--Christopher T. Begg.] Abstract Number: OTA23-2000-OCT-1910

AbstractIn this essay, H. notes at the outset that much of the historical interpretation of Amos 9:7 has been done by Western scholars and has been for the most part negative in that the text is seen as a threat of judgment, with Israel being compared with the Cushites. For his part, H. proposes that the text might be interpreted through African lenses and with a trajectory that is not negative or judgmental. He further argues that interpretive context matters and that biblical interpretation in general cannot be done in a sterile environment where researchers do not bring their experience and contexts to bear on the biblical text. Noting the power that interpreters have, H. urges scholars to have a particular awareness with regard to socio-cultural contexts of interpretation. [Abstracted by: Hemchand Gossai] Abstract Number: OTA39-2016-JUN-1337

AbstractPurchase online the PDF of Le combat de l'église pour la justice sociale, Makunga, Lendo - Editions L'Harmattan - E-book

AbstractThis article applied rhetorical analysis to an analysis of Amos’ prophetic oracle against Israel’s social injustices in Amos 2:6–8. The prophet uses a major rhetorical genre, namely judicial rhetoric, and several smaller rhetorical devices including the oracle against the nations, geographical chiasmus, numerical formula (the N+1 formula), the sevenfold structure, rhetorical entrapment, repetition, the war oracle, parallel structure and chiasms. These devices are utilised by Amos to make a persuasive appeal to his audience to respond to divine indictment.

AbstractThe fact that a message of salvation follows the prophecy of doom appearmg in the rest of the book of Amos has given rise to many questions concerning the authorship of Amos 9: 11-15. This article outlines the problem with reference to the views of certain exegetes. The view advanced here is that Amos 9:11-15 was an unconditional message of salvation to the people of the southern kingdom. The message rests on their manifestly political view of God. This theological tradition is the matrix of the author's message of consolation to his people delivered either during the exile or afterwards. He does, however, make frequent allusions to the preceding sections of Amos. Amos was not himself the author of the promise of salvation.

AbstractFor a couple of decades, if not centuries, the textual, syntactical, and semantic problems of Amos 4:1-3 have so engaged the attention of commentators to the detriment of a straightforward interpretation of the oracle. is article sets out to examine afresh some of those thorny literary issues. Its findings show that the apparent illogical grammar and imagery of the oracle serve prophetic needs. For it is on such a figurative language that the prophet sets the polarity between YHWH's indictment and judgment of the upper rich class of Israelite society and, consequently, his message.

AbstractAfter examination of the person and message of the prophet Amos, O. argues that the "social landscape" of modern Nigeria is similar to Amos' Israel: oppression of the poor, judicial and governmental corruption caused by bribery and prejudice, and immorality. Nigeria's government has put in place commissions to restrain corruption, but "church leaders, who are the society's watchmen and custodians of moral and ethical values, should join the struggle to find a lasting solution to the factors impeding the desirable national development in Nigeria. This they could do "through preaching against these social vices at every opportune time" (p. 38). [Abstracted by: John W. Hilber] Abstract Number: OTA31-2008-OCT-1592

AbstractThis dissertation attempts to critically analyse the effect of ideology on the text of Amos 5 and how this impacts on hermeneutics. It begins with a look at the historical-political-sociological situations of Amos’ time. It also looks at ideology and the text and the effect of ideology both on the writer and the interpreter. Chapter 3 and 4 are exegetical and rhetorical readings of the texts of Amos 5. Chapter 4 focuses on the concept of justice and righteousness in Amos 5 and also in the entire book of Amos. Lastly, Chapter 5 looks at the concept of justice and righteousness and its contemporary relevance. In course of the study, it was discovered that time and experience play an important role in the Bible experience. Further, it was discovered that both the writer and the interpreter are considerably under the influence of ideology. None is exempt from it. This study therefore is about the struggles that a modern interpreter encounter in course of doing biblical interpretation and application. Since the texts is an ancient and was written at a time different from now. It implies therefore that contemporary interpreter has to interpret the text honestly in other for biblical message to be relevant to the present.

AbstractIt is the intention of this study to explore the trajectory of the transmission and reception of three elements from Amos 5:25-27 through the stages of its history in ancient religious literature. Four stages in its trajectory are explored, namely in the Amos Masoretic Text (MT), the quotations from the Jewish Damascus Scroll sect, the Jewish-Hellenistic context of the Septuagint (LXX) Amos, and the Early Christian context of Stephen's speech by Luke in Acts 7:42-43. The astral Mesopotamian deities of Amos MT changed to symbols which now stood for the law, the congregation, the prophets and the interpreter of the law in the sectarian context of the Damascus scroll. The LXX, in turn, understood these to be 'the tent of Moloch' and the 'star of your god Raiphan'. This version is used in Acts 7, but whereas the LXX shows traces of a connection with the Heaven-and-Sun god, particularly with the planet Saturn, Luke now places the same elements within the context of the exodus narrative in Stephen's speech. The investigation shows how the mutation of scripture becomes clear in the trajectory of its transmission and how it is constantly being reinterpreted to be relevant within the context of its time.

AbstractThe prophet Amos and social justice: The land promise as point of departure. In a previous article the author discussed the issue of social justice in the prophetic books, with special emphasis on the role played by the land promise. In that article he has concentrated on the prophet Micah and come to the conclusion that the land promise, together with its conditions and requirements, formed the basis of Micah's social criticism. In this article he takes the matter further to determine whether this is also true of the prophet Amos. His basic conclusion is that this is indeed the case. Amos also relies heavily on the land promise as the basis for his criticism of the many social injustices of his day. Even matters which at first seem to have no bearing on land and land ownership are indeed closely connected to elements of the land promise.

AbstractBlack scholars have been underrepresented in Old Testament scholarship, particularly in North America. This bibliography seeks to address this problem by highlighting the work of Black Old Testament scholars to encourage others to use these publications in research and teaching. The bibliography is not designed to be comprehensive, but merely to illustrate the range of scholarship available from these Black scholars.

AbstractThis article serves as a critique of the gospel of prosperity in general although particular focus is on Zimbabwean Pentecostal churches. The model for this critique is the prophetic book of Amos. The article assumes that Amos dethroned a theology similar to the gospel of prosperity – a system that legitimised ill-gotten wealth and condemned the poor for their predicament without critically assessing historical and economic policies militating against their advancement. Pentecostalism is equally blind to historical and economic policies that stand in the advancement path of the poor in Africa. With Africa being one of the fertile grounds for Pentecostalism, the critique of the gospel of prosperity becomes important

AbstractW. examines three terms for poverty (ʼbywn, dl, ʻnwym) and the language of oppression as used in Amos. The inclusio of 2:6-7 and 8:4-6 brackets an inner inclusio which hinges on 5:11-12, both inclusios highlighting the central message of Amos that debt slavery and legal injustice are at the heart of the nation's sin. The rhetorical technique of reversal in 2:4-8 (judgment turned against Judah and Israel) is utilized again at the end of the book (9:11-15), where another reversal highlights a message of hope. The book's message of social justice for the poor makes the same appeal to the affluent today as it did to those in Amos' time. [Abstracted by: John W. Hilber] Abstract Number: OTA28-2005-FEB-369

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to show that the prophetic witness of Amos is relevant for today's church in African countries for promoting social justice, because of the growing corruption in African societies, especially in democratic South Africa. Firstly, relevant concepts relating to the prophetic witness of the church for promoting social justice are defined. Secondly, an attempt is made-using three theological arguments-to demonstrate that the church is called upon by God to be a prophetic witness for social justice in secular society. Thirdly, a biblical examination of the prophetic witness of Amos is presented, especially relating to the context, the call and the message of Amos. Fourthly, a discussion on the relevance of the prophetic witness of Amos for African churches today, especially in South Africa, is provided. Sixthly, recent developments and challenges for today's church in African countries like South Africa to revive their prophetic witness are described. Finally, the article proposes certain practical guidelines-based on the prophetic witness of Amos-for today's church on how to promote social justice in African countries, especially in democratic South Africa.

AbstractNo abstract available.