AMOS, one of the minor prophets, was contempora ry with Hosea, and prophesied about 780 years before Christ. He was by profession a herdsman, and appears to have been born in the territories ol Israel ; but, after being driven from Bethel, (Amos vii. 10, &c.) he re tired to Tckoah, in the kingdom of Judah, about four leagues south from Jerusalem. His prophecies are di rected chiefly against the kingdom of Israel; but he often denounces judgments also against Judah, and the different nations bordering upon Palestine. He clearly foretels the captivity and sufferings of the ten tribes, and declares as expressly their future restoration under the Messiah. There are several traditions, but no certain accounts, of the time and manner of his death. It has been remarked, that his comparisons are drawn from the rural scenes, and pastoral life, to which he was fa miliarized by his employment; but this is by no means peculiar to Amos; and the principal images in the poeti cal and prophetical parts of scripture are taken from the same natural objects. Jerome considers this pro
phet as low and coarse in his style, applying to him the words of Paul, " rude in speech, yet not in knowledge ;" (2 Cor. xi. 6.) and, upon the authority of that father, he is frequently represented as deficient in lofty ideas, and elegant expressions. In the opinion, however, of bishop Lowth, Amos is equal to any ol the prophets in sublimity of sentiment, splendour of diction, and beauty of compo sition. His descriptions of the Almighty arc peculiarly magnificent, and his whole writings are distinguished by a masculine eloquence.—Calmet. Bettyman's The ology. Gray. (0