The prophet Amos came from Tekoa in Judah, 10 miles south of Jerusalem, and was a "sheepbreeder"—a term used elsewhere in Scripture only of King Mesha of Moab (2 Kings 3:4). Mesha's business was enormous—regularly paying 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams as tribute to Israel. In contrast, Amos' was obviously a small business. For, like David, he took care of the flocks (Amos 7:15), and he tended sycamore fig trees (Amos 7:14). "The sycamore fig tree bears thousands of figs very much like the common fig, but smaller and not as good. Before this fruit could ripen properly, a small hole had to be pierced in the bottom of its skin. This piercing was done by hand and was a tedious and time-consuming task. Why was Amos obliged to tend the sycamore? Western Judah, the oasis of Jericho, and lower Galilee were the regions where sycamore figs grew most abundantly. The shepherds needed to bring their flocks to one of these regions in late summer, after the desert pastures had dried up. Since this was the time for piercing the sycamore fruit, landowners would exchange grazing rights for labor. A shepherd could watch his flock while sitting on the broad limbs of the sycamore, piercing its fruit. Thus Amos was not a wealthy man. Wealthy sheepbreeders hired shepherds to tend their flocks. Amos followed his flock himself (Amos 7:15), and when that meant piercing sycamore fruit, he pierced sycamore fruit" (Nelson Study Bible, introductory notes on Amos).
Beyond Today Bible Commentary: Amos
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The prophet Amos came from Tekoa in Judah, 10 miles south of Jerusalem, and was a "sheepbreeder"—a term used elsewhere in Scripture only of King Mesha of Moab (2 Kings 3:4). Mesha's business was enormous—regularly paying 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams as tribute to Israel. In contrast, Amos' was obviously a small business. For, like David, he took care of the flocks (Amos 7:15), and he tended sycamore fig trees (Amos 7:14). "The sycamore fig tree bears thousands of figs very much like the common fig, but smaller and not as good. Before this fruit could ripen properly, a small hole had to be pierced in the bottom of its skin. This piercing was done by hand and was a tedious and time-consuming task. Why was Amos obliged to tend the sycamore? Western Judah, the oasis of Jericho, and lower Galilee were the regions where sycamore figs grew most abundantly. The shepherds needed to bring their flocks to one of these regions in late summer, after the desert pastures had dried up. Since this was the time for piercing the sycamore fruit, landowners would exchange grazing rights for labor. A shepherd could watch his flock while sitting on the broad limbs of the sycamore, piercing its fruit. Thus Amos was not a wealthy man. Wealthy sheepbreeders hired shepherds to tend their flocks. Amos followed his flock himself (Amos 7:15), and when that meant piercing sycamore fruit, he pierced sycamore fruit" (Nelson Study Bible, introductory notes on Amos).
Table of Contents
Amos 8-9
Amos 1:1-2:3
Amos 2:4-3:15
Amos 4-5
Amos 6-7