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Bible in Basic English

Amos 7:4

This is what the Lord let me see: and I saw that the Lord God sent for a great fire to be the instrument of his punishment; and, after burning up the great deep, it was about to put an end to the Lord's heritage.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Intercession;   Vision;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Visions;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abyss;   Amos, Theology of;   Forgiveness;   Grief, Grieving;   Providence of God;   Spirituality;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Joel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Repentance of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amos;   Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Fire;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Writing;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Revelation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord God showed me this: The Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land.
Hebrew Names Version
Thus the Lord GOD showed me and, behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
King James Version (1611)
Thus hath the Lord God shewed vnto me; and behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.
King James Version
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
English Standard Version
This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.
New American Standard Bible
So the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farmland.
New Century Version
This is what the Lord God showed me: The Lord God was calling for fire to come down like rain. It burned up the deep water and was going to burn up the land.
Amplified Bible
Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD called for punishment with fire, and it devoured the great deep [underground sources of water] and began to consume the land.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus also hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, and behold, the Lord God called to iudgement by fire, and it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land.
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus Lord Yahweh showed me, and behold, Lord Yahweh was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land.
Berean Standard Bible
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord showed me that he is going to send a ball of fire to burn up everything on earth, including the ocean.
Complete Jewish Bible
Next Adonai Elohim showed me this: Adonai Elohim was summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too.
Darby Translation
Thus did the Lord Jehovah shew unto me; and behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and ate up the inheritance.
Easy-to-Read Version
This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw the Lord God calling for judgment by fire. The fire destroyed the ocean and was beginning to eat up the land.
George Lamsa Translation
Thus has the LORD God showed me: and, behold, the LORD God called the people to judge them by fire, and it devoured the great deep and did eat up a part.
Good News Translation
I had another vision from the Sovereign Lord . In it I saw him preparing to punish his people with fire. The fire burned up the great ocean under the earth and started to burn up the land.
Lexham English Bible
This is what my Lord Yahweh showed me, and look, my Lord Yahweh was going to call for a legal case with fire, and it devoured the great deep and it ate up the plots of ground.
Literal Translation
The Lord Jehovah made me to see this: And, behold, the Lord Jehovah was calling to contend by fire. And it consumed the great deep, and it was devouring part of it.
American Standard Version
Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thus the Lord GOD showed me; and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus also hath the Lord God shewed vnto me, and behold, the Lord God called to iudgement, by fire, & it deuoured the great deepe, and did eate vp a part.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thus has the Lord shewed me; and, behold, the Lord called for judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and devoured the Lord’s portion.
English Revised Version
Thus the Lord GOD shewed me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
World English Bible
Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me and, behold, the Lord Yahweh called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord God schewide to me these thingis; and lo! the Lord God schal clepe doom to fier, and it schal deuoure myche depthe of watir, and it eet togidere a part.
Update Bible Version
Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me: and, look, the Lord Yahweh called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thus hath the Lord GOD shown to me: and behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
New English Translation
The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.
New King James Version
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, the Lord GOD called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory.
New Living Translation
Then the Sovereign Lord showed me another vision. I saw him preparing to punish his people with a great fire. The fire had burned up the depths of the sea and was devouring the entire land.
New Life Bible
This is what the Lord God showed me: The Lord God was calling for a punishment by fire. It dried up the deep waters and began to destroy the farm land.
New Revised Standard
This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord God was calling for a shower of fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Here, My Lord, Yahweh gave me to see, and lo! My Lord Yahweh proclaiming that, the controversy should be settled by fire, - which, having devoured the mighty roaring deep, should devour the inheritance.
Douay-Rheims Bible
These things the Lord God shewed to me: and behold the Lord called for judgment unto fire, and it devoured the great deep, and ate up a part at the same time.
Revised Standard Version
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.
Young's Literal Translation
Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, the Lord Jehovah is calling to contend by fire, and it consumeth the great deep, yea, it hath consumed the portion, and I say:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Agayne, ye LORDE shewed me this vision: beholde, the LORDE God called the fyre to punysh withall, and it deuoured the greate depe: yee it consumed a parte allredy.
THE MESSAGE
God showed me this vision: Oh! God , my Master God was calling up a firestorm. It burned up the ocean. Then it burned up the Promised Land.

Contextual Overview

1 This is what the Lord God let me see: and I saw that, when the growth of the late grass was starting, he made locusts; it was the late growth after the king's cutting was done. 2 And it came about that after they had taken all the grass of the land, I said, O Lord God, have mercy: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small. 3 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, It will not be. 4 This is what the Lord let me see: and I saw that the Lord God sent for a great fire to be the instrument of his punishment; and, after burning up the great deep, it was about to put an end to the Lord's heritage. 5 Then said I, O Lord God, let there be an end: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small. 6 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, And this will not be. 7 This is what he let me see: and I saw the Lord stationed by a wall made straight by a weighted line, and he had a weighted line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A weighted line. Then the Lord said, See, I will let down a weighted line among my people Israel; never again will my eyes be shut to their sin: 9 And the high places of Isaac will be unpeopled, and the holy places of Israel will be made waste; and I will come up against the family of Jeroboam with the sword.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

showed: Amos 7:1, Amos 7:7, Revelation 4:1

called: This is supposed to denote the invasion of Tiglathpileser, which threatened entire destruction. Amos 1:4, Amos 1:7, Amos 4:11, Amos 5:6, Exodus 9:23, Exodus 9:24, Leviticus 10:2, Numbers 16:35, Isaiah 27:4, Isaiah 66:15, Isaiah 66:16, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 21:12, Joel 2:30, Micah 1:4, Nahum 1:6, Hebrews 1:7

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 8:10 - the Lord Job 1:16 - there came Psalms 148:8 - Fire Isaiah 9:18 - wickedness Jeremiah 24:1 - Lord Jeremiah 27:2 - saith the Lord Joel 1:19 - the fire Amos 8:1 - General Haggai 1:11 - I called Acts 11:5 - and it Revelation 8:8 - burning

Cross-References

Genesis 2:5
In the day when the Lord God made earth and heaven there were no plants of the field on the earth, and no grass had come up: for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to do work on the land.
Genesis 6:3
And the Lord said, My spirit will not be in man for ever, for he is only flesh; so the days of his life will be a hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 6:7
And the Lord said, I will take away man, whom I have made, from the face of the earth, even man and beast and that which goes on the earth and every bird of the air; for I have sorrow for having made them.
Genesis 6:13
And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come; the earth is full of their violent doings, and now I will put an end to them with the earth.
Genesis 6:17
For truly, I will send a great flow of waters over the earth, for the destruction from under the heaven of all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything on the earth will come to an end.
Genesis 7:10
And after the seven days, the waters came over all the earth.
Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep came bursting through, and the windows of heaven were open;
Genesis 7:12
And rain came down on the earth for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:17
And for forty days the waters were over all the earth; and the waters were increased so that the ark was lifted up high over the earth.
Genesis 7:21
And destruction came on every living thing moving on the earth, birds and cattle and beasts and everything which went on the earth, and every man.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus hath the Lord showed unto me,.... Another vision after this manner:

and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire; gave out that he would have a controversy with his people Israel, and proclaimed the time when he would try the cause with them, and that by fire: or he called his family, as Jarchi; that is, his angels, as Kimchi, to cause fire to descend upon Israel, as upon Sodom and Gomorrah; so other Rabbins Kimchi mentions: or, as he interprets it, the scorching heat of the sun, like fire that restrained the rain, dried up the plants, and lessened the waters of the river, and so brought on a general drought, and in consequence famine: or rather a foreign army, involving them in war, burning their cities and towns; see Amos 1:4;

and it devoured the great deep; it seemed, as if it did; as the fire from heaven, in Elijah's time, licked up the water in the trench, 1 Kings 18:38; so this, coming at God's command, seemed to dry up the whole ocean; by which may be meant the multitude of people, nations, and kingdoms, subdued by the Assyrians; see Revelation 17:15;

and did eat up a part; a part of a field, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; of the king's field, Amos 7:1; as Kimchi; showing, as he observes, that the reigning king was a bad king, and that this was for his sin: or rather a part of the land of Israel; and so refers, as is generally thought, to Tiglathpileser's invasion of the land, who carried captive a part of it, 2 Kings 15:29.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

God called to contend by fire - that is, He “called” His people to maintain their cause with Him “by fire,” as He says, “I will plead” in judgment “with him” (Gog) “with” (that is,” by”) pestilence and blood” Ezekiel 38:22; and, “by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh” Isaiah 66:16; and, “The Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people” Isaiah 3:13. Man, by rebellion, challenges God’s Omnipotence. He will have none of Him; he will find his own happiness for himself, apart from God and in defiance of Him and His laws; he plumes himself on his success, and accounts his strength or wealth or prosperity the test of the wisdom of his policy. God, sooner or later, accepts the challenge. He brings things to the issue, which man had chosen. He “enters into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14, etc.) with him. If man escapes with impunity, then he had chosen well, in rejecting God and choosing his own ways. If not, what folly and misery was his short-sighted choice; short-lived in its gain; its loss, eternal! “Fire” stands as the symbol and summary of God’s most terrible judgments. It spares nothing, leaves nothing, not even the outward form of what it destroys. Here it is plainly a symbol, since it destroys “the sea” also, which shall be destroyed only by the fire of the Day of Judgment, when “the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” 2 Peter 3:10. The sea is called the “great deep,” only in the most solemn language, as the history of the creation or the flood, the Psalms and poetical books. Here it is used, in order to mark the extent of the desolation represented in the vision.

And did eat up a part - Rather literally, “The portion,” that is, probably the definite “portion” foreappointed by God to captivity and desolation. This probably our English Version meant by “a part.” For although God calls Himself “the Portion” of Israel Deuteronomy 32:9; Jeremiah 10:16; Zechariah 2:12, and of those who are His (Psalms 16:5; Psalms 73:26, etc; Jeremiah 10:16), and reciprocally He calls the people “the Lord’s portion Jeremiah 12:10, and the land, the portion Micah 2:4 of God’s people; yet the land is nowhere called absolutely “the portion,” nor was the country of the ten tribes specially “the portion,” given by God. Rather God exhibits in vision to the prophet, the ocean burned up, and “the portion” of Israel, upon which His judgments were first to fall. To this Amos points, as “the portion.” God knew “the portion,” which Tiglath-Pileser would destroy, and when he came and had carried captive the east and north of Israel, the pious in Israel would recognize the second, more desolating scourge, foretold by Amos; they would own that it was at the prayer of the prophet that it was stayed and went no further, and would await what remained.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 7:4. The Lord God called to contend by fire — Permitted war, both civil and foreign, to harass the land, after the death of Jeroboam the second. These wars would have totally destroyed it, had not the prophet interceded.

It devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. — We are here to understand the partially destructive wars which afterwards took place; for the Lord causes all these things to pass before the eyes of Amos in the vision of prophecy; and intimates that, at the intercession of his prophets, total ruin should be prevented.


 
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