Original Research

The land as a Leitmotiv in the book of Amos

S D Snyman
Verbum et Ecclesia | Vol 26, No 2 | a238 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v26i2.238 | © 2005 S D Snyman | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 03 October 2005 | Published: 03 October 2005

About the author(s)

S D Snyman, University of the Free State, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (229KB)

Abstract

The hypothesis argued is that the  theme of the land serves as a leitmotiv in the book of Amos. The focus of this investigation will be on the occurrence of the words normally used in connection with the land, that is  eretz (Jra) and  adamā (hmda), in the book of Amos. The land is promised and granted (2:9-10; 3:2,9) to the people to live in and enjoy the produce the land yields but their stay in the land is not unconditional. Unfortunately, only a small part of the population shared in the wealth of the land. People that also ought to have shared in the bounty of the land, were exploited only to make the rich even richer and the poor even poorer. Consequently, the land would turn against the people living in and of it (1:2; 4:4-12;8:4, 8-9, 11). Ultimately the land would be lost in exile (3:11, 15; 4:1-3; 7:10-17). At the end of the book it is foreseen that the land will once again be restored to the people (9:11-15). In light of the importance of the land in the book and the looming threat of a coming exile due to the conditions in the land, it is suggested that the reference to the earthquake in 1:2 may take on an additional metaphorical meaning. The reference to the earthquake is perhaps a premonition of what may be expected: turmoil and upheaval in the land and even expulsion from the land instead of peace and stability. Mentioning the earthquake right at the beginning may be a subtle reminder that the land is at stake in the prophecies that will follow in the rest of the book. 

Keywords

No related keywords in the metadata.

Metrics

Total abstract views: 3192
Total article views: 3554

 

Crossref Citations

1. Motyw wody w cyklu Eliasza (1 Krl 17 – 2 Krl 2)
Kacper Józefczyk
Scriptura Sacra  issue: 26  year: 2023  
doi: 10.25167/ScrS/5038