HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND DATE

            The period in which Amos prophesied was one of great peace and prosperity. Some, such as Gerhard Hasel, have referred to the period as "a Golden Age in Israel.”[1] The favorable conditions of this period "resulted from a number of factors, one of the most important being the removal of Benhadad III of Syria (c. 796-776) as a military threat to the northern kingdom.”[2] Assyria, during the time of Amos, was not a major threat to Israel. "Assyria’s power had waned under a succession of inept rulers who had all they could manage in defending themselves against the kingdom of Urartu. Until the accession of Tiglath-Pileser III (745), Syria-Palestine was free from danger.”[3]

            During this time of turmoil for Assyria, "Jeroboam was able to restore Israel’s previous northern and southern borders east of Jordan. International trade expanded and produced new wealth.”[4] The book of Amos gives the reader insight into what went on during this period as a result of this expansion and freedom. From the writing of Amos, one can deduce that a class system had developed in Israel. The wealthy upper class oppressed the poor lower class.

We may conjecture as to the methods used by the wealthy in their oppression of the poor. The small farmers often had to borrow money in order to plant their crops, but rates of interest were very high. In the Assyrian empire of this period interest rates were often 20 percent or higher. In the sixth century B.C. the Jews of Elephantine in Egypt had to pay interest rates as high as 60 percent. In Palestine the rate of interest may well have been 25 percent or more. With such exorbitant rates, drought and other causes of crop failure could readily bankrupt a man, and bankruptcy often meant being taken into slavery.[5]   

The aforementioned proposal is speculation on the part of Hyatt, but it may not be too far-fetched since the class system and oppression of the poor must have been brought about by some factor.

            The archeological record attests that the class system mentioned by Amos was set up in Israel during this period:

The excavations at Tirzah (Tell el-Farah) uncovered evidence of the social revolution that had occurred. While the city’s houses in the tenth century had been of uniform size, in the eighth century by contrast there was a quarter of large, expensive houses, and one of small huddled structures. The result was the stark contrast between the luxury of the rich and misery of the poor which Amos repeatedly indicts. The rich enjoyed an indolent, indulgent existence (4:1f; 5: 1-6) in winter and summer houses (3:13; 6:11). The poor were a tempting target for legal and economic exploitation.[6]

            As a result of military might, international wealth, and other factors, Israel began to stray away from God. "Still enjoying the luxury of military victory during the reign of Jeroboam II, Israel allowed temporal security to replace her trust in the living God.”[7] Because Israel did not show love for the poor and did not have the attitude of righteousness and justice, God raised up Amos to call Israel back to covenant relationship.

            The question of the book’s date is easy to answer according to the book. "Without doubt Amos’ words were delivered in the days of Jeroboam ben Joash (Jeroboam II), who ruled Israel 793-755.”[8] "His date cannot date later than the 15^th year of Uzziah’s reign for he tells us he prophesied ‘in the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah, and Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.’”[9] One may question whether or not the author was honest about the book’s dating. The validity of time offered by most scholars, namely 760, depends on whether or not the person believes in predictive prophecy or not.

For some, the popular mood of confidence in the nation and the freedom from any fear of invasion points to the period ca. 760. For others, notably R.S. Cripps, Amos’ certainty that Israel is soon to be invaded indicates that he had knowledge of Tiglath-pileser III’s westward movement which began in 745 B.C. But Amos’ prediction of doom was based not on his knowledge of developments in Assyria, but rather on his conviction that such corruption and unfaithfulness as he saw in Israel could not long remain unpunished by Israel’s God.[10]

A person who does not believe in predictive prophecy, like R.S. Cripps, will attempt to explain the book’s prophesy in a more naturalistic way. However, if Amos was not aware of the accession of Tiglath-pileser III and his movements to the west, then Amos truly was a prophet because he prophesied specifically that Israel would go into exile beyond Damascus, though he did not tell who would take them there. 

            If a date for the earthquake under discussion could be nailed down, the mention of Amos’ ministry being two years before the earthquake would give a definite date for his work. Concerning the earthquake, Jack Lewis said, "It must have been of considerable magnitude, for four hundred years later people were still referring to it (Zech. 14:5).”[11]J. Merideth noted, "Josephus says it took place in connection with Uzziah’s trespass, but we do not know if he was correct.”[12] Since we do not know the exact time of the earthquake and are not sure which earthquake the author has in mind, the mentioning of it in Amos does very little to help us date the book. 

THE MAN: HIS HOME AND VOCATION

            Little is known about the man Amos. His name means "burdensome or burden-bearer.”[13] The book of Amos is the only time that Amos is mentioned by name in the Bible. From the biblical account, Amos was by profession a shepherd and dresser of sycamore figs. Amos hailed from Tekoa. Tekoa’s "written history begins with the period of the Conquest, in which it is noted that Ashur, Caleb’s half-brother, was the father, i.e. the founder, of Tekoa.”[14] Tekoa is mentioned more in the Bible than Amos is. "There are some 14 Biblical references to Tekoa, and at least one from the Apocrypha.”[15] In the Bible, one of David’s "mighty men” came from Tekoa. The ISBE notes concerning the city, "It was made a ‘city for defense’ by Rehoboam (2 Ch 11:6), and it may have in fact received its name from its remote and exposed position.”[16] "Tekoa is a small town about twelve miles south of Jerusalem, overlooking the ‘Wilderness of Judea’…It was in Judah rather than Israel; so Amos was a ‘foreign missionary’ – in part at least.”[17]