ABSTRACT
One of the most significant issues to notice in Amos 1-4 is the tension set up between the prophet and God. Most of the section all but ignores Amos as a character. Beyond these structural points, however, there is much more to say of Amos' opening two verses. As is typical in the Hebrew Bible's prophetic literature, people are introduced to the prophet immediately. The second verse of Amos gets straight to the point, highlighting the impact of the deity's words on the world. Often called the motto of the book, Amos 1:2 has been the subject of debate. As is well known, there are numerous connections between this passage and subsequent parts of Amos. The voices are heard among the clamour of the earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1. It provides more than information about the date of the Amos.
