CHAPTER VIII THE BEGINNINGS OF PROPHETIC LITERATURE Amos and Hosea (About 750 to 735 B.C.) No one of the many books of prose or poetry considered in the preceding chapters has come down to us in its original form. The Wars of Yahweh, the Book of Jashar, the Judean History, the Ephraimite History, and all the rest are known only as they are referred to in later books or as they may be unravelled from other strands with which they were later inwoven in the processes of compilation. This should not seem strange if we recall the fact that many of the most famous books of antiquity belonging to other literatures are known only as preserved in later writings and in the most fragmentary form. It was in the later years of Jeroboam II, about 750 B.C., that a tiny book was written which has survived the vicissitudes of the centuries and exists to-day with relatively slight changes from its original form. It is the book of Amos. Printed in modern form it would make a pamphlet of a few pages; a single instalment of almost any serious magazine article is longer. Ancient books were usually brief in comparison with modern,' but this one was a very small affair among the little books of antiquity. In later Jewish times, it was customary to write it along with eleven others, some longer and some shorter, on one roll which came to be known as The Book of the Twelve. Commonly styled "minor" because of its brevity, somewhat obscure to readers separated from its time by centuries, until recent years, the book of Amos has been much neglected; yet it 1 One has but to recall the bulk of almost any volume of the famous classical writings, even when printed with introduction, copious notes, and glossary, to realize this fact. should be a book of profound interest, not merely because it is the first preserved from ancient Israel, but because it is one of the most significant mile-posts in the upward progress of humanity. In literary form, the book is quite different from any previous writing of which we have knowledge. Amos was the first of the so-called "writing prophets," a group of writers of whom it has recently been said by a man of letters: "One who has read the Hebrew prophets, the Greek dramatists, and Shakespeare has a view of the essentials of life in its greatness that requires little supplementing; his reading thereafter is for definition and detail, for the temporal modeling of life in different periods and races and nations, for the illumination of it in exceptional men and women and in high types of character or romantic circumstances; it is, in general, rather verification of old truth than anything new that he finds." In our study of the Hebrew prophets we shall strive to appreciate their development in relation to the general history of Israel, the distinctive qualities of their means of selfexpression, and their interpretation of the meaning of life. 2 The book of Amos is made up chiefly of the prophet's addresses, 1 That is, the prophets who themselves wrote down their messages, or whose words were recorded as separate books by their immediate followers. These books are commonly known among Christian readers simply as "the prophets"; but the Jews class Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings also as "prophets," and, in recent years, it has become widely prevalent among Biblical scholars to style the Judean and Ephraimite documents of the Pentateuch as prophetic writings a usage already followed in earlier chapters of this volume. Evidently in any full appreciation of the development and significance of Hebrew prophecy, much Old Testament material in addition to the books commonly styled prophets must be taken into account; the writing prophets had forerunners, whether considered from the point of view of their thought and work or of their literary form. The earlier book that most nearly resembled Amos and Isaiah, so far as we know the earlier books, was the Elijah document. While this may be acknowledged, it would be difficult to point out in any literature a more distinct step to a new literary form and to new thought than that marked by the book of Amos. To avoid cumbrous terminology in this and succeeding chapters "prophetic literature" or "prophecy" will be used to designate the writing prophets alone, except where it may seem necessary for some special purpose to adopt the more inclusive use of the terms. 2 Woodberry, The Appreciation of Literature, p. 192. preserved in brief form and not always clearly distinguished from one another. If we arrange the material in accordance with its natural divisions, it will appear as made up of: (1) An opening address, chapters 1 and 2; (2) a series of three supplementary addresses, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapters 5 and 6; (3) a section made up chiefly of visions described in public address, chapters 7-9. In the last main division, there appear an interjected historical statement (7 10-17) and an address similar to those of the second section (8 4-14). For an understanding of the thought of the book, a knowledge of the historical events lying behind the addresses as first delivered is essential. Amos was a man keenly alive to the conditions and events of his own day and entirely familiar with the history of previous generations. The opening address of the book is bristling with allusions to the late wars with Syria, in which the east-Jordan Hebrews had suffered terribly, to the conduct of Philistia and Phoenicia, who had taken advantage of Israel's misfortunes in war to sell her captives as slaves, to the ruthless action of Edom and Moab, and to the social injustices and debauchery of Israel herself. A mere reading by one who is not familiar with the historical situation is about as confusing as for a citizen of South Africa to read the report of a political speech or reform sermon delivered in America. Should such a reader study the American address thoughtfully, he might begin to see what the general conditions were which called it forth, and should he follow this with reading upon the national, state, and municipal developments of America in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, he would come to understand vastly more of what the address meant. Similarly, the thought of Israel's prophets is being restored to the world through the study of their writings with attention to their literary form and to the events and conditions that called them forth. The prophets were first of all men of their time.1 The example used of modern political orations or reform sermons may serve to illustrate the prophetic writings with respect to their character as addresses dealing with current history and conditions which the speaker would see reformed; beyond this the illustra 1 James Robertson, The Old Testament and Its Contents, p. 85. tion can hardly serve; such orations and sermons are not ordinarily to be classed as literature and certainly not in the form that they are reported. When, however, one has a Demosthenes or an Amos discussing the conditions on which alone national independence may be preserved, then the address, when written down, is a part of the world's literature. The general subject and period are indicated in what we may style the title page of the book (11): THE WORDS OF AMOS WHO WAS AMONG THE HERDSMEN OF TEKOA CONCERNING ISRAEL IN THE DAYS OF AND IN THE DAYS OF JEROBOAM THE SON OF JOASH KING OF ISRAEL The long reigns of Jeroboam the son of Joash (Jeroboam II) and of Uzziah were almost synchronous, extending from the early part of the eighth century to 740 and 737 B.C., respectively. The brief account of Jeroboam's reign in 2 Kings 14 23-29 speaks of his success in restoring the ancien borders of Israel to the far north of Palestine and to the east. Amos alludes again and again to the prosperity and national confidence of the people. He speaks of the winter house and the summer house, of the houses of ivory and of hewn stone. He pictures the people lying upon beds of ivory, stretching themselves upon their couches, singing idle songs to the sound of the viol, drinking wine in bowls and anointing themselves with the chief oils. In the mountain of Samaria, they are secure and say, "Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?" Such allusions doubtless reflect the conditions of the latter half of Jeroboam's reign when successful warfare has been waged and its demoralizing fruits have begun to be manifest. The place and immediate circumstances of the prophet's preaching are indicated in the historical section of chapter 7. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thou away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.1 Though Amos was a herdsman of Tekoa, a little mountain hamlet twelve miles south of Jerusalem, he comes to the royal sanctuary of Northern Israel where Jeroboam's priest is in charge and where, no doubt, the people have assembled in large numbers to observe the ritual practices of their religion. Here they hold their solemn assemblies and offer to Jehovah their burnt offerings, meal offerings, and peace offerings of their fat beasts; here is heard the noise of their songs and melody of their viols.2 To the priest whose bread is gained by performing his professional duties at the sanctuary, it seems that the seer from Judah is seeking his living at the king's sanctuary, where he has no right, save as he comes to divine things favorable to the king's rule. Amos understands the implication in the command to go to his own country "and there eat bread," and indignantly denies that he belongs to the professional prophets. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomoretrees and Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy sword against the house of Isaac; therefore thus saith Jehovah : Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou thyself shalt die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.3 It is not expressly stated that all of Amos's addresses were delivered at the Bethel sanctuary, but, from the entirely secondary character of all allusions to Judah, the prophet's own nation, it is clear that Amos's message was designed for Israel, and it is prob1 vv. 10-13. 37 14-17. 2 5 21-23. |