Editing Book of Amos (section)

==Composition==
[[Amos (prophet)|Amos]] prophesied during the reigns of [[Jeroboam II]] of [[Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)|Israel]] and [[Uzziah]] of [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]; this places him in the first half of the 8th century BC. According to the book's superscription (Amos 1:1) he was from [[Teqoa#In the Hebrew Bible|Tekoa]], a town in Judah south of Jerusalem, but his prophetic mission was in the northern kingdom. He is called a "shepherd" and a "dresser of sycamore trees", but the book's literary qualities suggest a man of education rather than a poor farmer.{{sfn|Carroll|Daniel|2003|p=690}}

Scholars have long recognized that Amos utilized an ancient hymn within his prophecy, verses of which are found at 4:13, 5:8–9, 8:8, and 9:5–6.<ref>H.W. Wolff, Joel und Amos (Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977), p. 215.</ref> This hymn is best understood as praising [[Yahweh]] for his judgment, demonstrated in his destructive power, rather than praise for creation.<ref>P. Carny, ‘Doxologies: A Scientific Myth’, Hebrew Studies 18 (1977), pp. 149–59 (157)</ref> Scholarship has also identified [[City Lament|'Sumerian City Lament' (SCL)]] motifs within Amos and particularly the hymn, offering the possibility that Amos used SCL as a literary template for his prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction.<ref>J. Radine, The Book of Amos in Emergent Judah (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2010)</ref> The Amos hymn has also been discussed in terms of a "covenant curse" which was used to warn Israel of the consequences of breaking the covenant, and in particular a "Flood covenant-curse" motif, first identified by D.R. Hillers.<ref>D.R. Hillers, ‘Treaty-Curses and the Old Testament Prophets’ (unpublished PhD dissertation); Rome: [[Pontifical Biblical Institute]], 1964</ref> Recent scholarship has shown Amos's hymn is an ancient narrative text, has identified a new verse at 7.4; and has compared the hymn to the Genesis Flood account and Job 9:5–10.<ref>G. Cox, "The ‘Hymn’ of Amos: An Ancient Flood Narrative." ''Journal for the Study of the Old Testament'' Vol 38.1 (2013): pp. 81–108</ref>