James R. Linville, «Visions and Voices: Amos 7–9», Vol. 80 (1999) 22-42

The final chapters of Amos are read synchronically to highlight the relationship between the divine voice, which demands that its hearers prophesy (Amos 3,8), the voice of Amos, and those of other characters. Amos’ intercessions soon give way to entrapping word-plays and these are related to the rhetorical “traps” in Amos 1–2. Divine and prophetic speech defy the wish of human authority that they be silent. The figure of Amos eventually disappears from the reader’s view, but not before the prophet has been used as a focal point for the readers’ projections of themselves into the literary world of the text. As the scenes change from ultimate destruction to restoration, the readers appropriate the prophetic voice themselves, especially in the final verse which ends with a declaration of security uttered by “your God”.

more subtle, and directed against the audience of the text itself. These chapters feature seductive condemnations of six foreign nations, which only lead the reader to agree to the condemnation of Israel¹⁰. In my estimation, this trap is made all the more complex because of the ambiguous phrase found in each oracle, wnb#) )l , which may be translated literally as "I will not cause it (or him) to return". Having numerous options for what "it" might be (typically regarded as "the punishment" or the "decree of punishment") only leads to the trap of having ruled out any hope for the expression indicating a possible reconciliation between Israel and YHWH. For instance, one might read "Shall I not bring him (collective singular, referring to the accused nations) back?" which in six cases may be a rather sarcastic question, but in the last two cases challenges the reader’s sense of YHWH’s ultimate reconciliation with his people predicted in Amos 9,11-15¹¹. In Amos’ first two visions (7,1-6) Amos himself dares to intercede with God. There is also a trap in Amos 3,3-8. The reader (along with the implied audience) is asked a number of rhetorical questions which are easy to answer, although there is a growing morbidity to the different scenarios. In v. 8, the reader must agree that the roaring lion causes one to fear. But then the trap is revealed. The lion’s roar becomes a metaphor for divine speech and fear turns into prophecy. If one reads the text with the understanding that Amos is addressing Israel, then Amos is implying that they should begin to prophesy as he has done. But, of course,