Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

AMOS 7:5KJV
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Amos 7:5 (KJV)

What does Amos 7:5 mean?

Amos 7:5 shows the prophet Amos pleading with God to stop a coming judgment, saying that Jacob (meaning Israel) is too small and weak to survive it. Amos is asking God to have mercy, questioning how Israel could possibly recover if the punishment continues.

In this verse, Amos is speaking directly to God after seeing a vision of disaster. He calls out, "O Lord GOD, cease," using a strong appeal for God to stop the judgment. The mention of "Jacob" refers to the people of Israel, and Amos describes them as "small," highlighting their vulnerability. The verse captures Amos’s role as an intercessor, deeply concerned for his people’s survival.

The Hebrew behind Amos 7:5

  • אֲדֹנָי (’adonai, "Lord") and יְהוִה (YHWH, "GOD"): Amos addresses God with both titles, showing deep respect and acknowledging God's supreme authority.
  • חָדַל (chadal, "cease"): This word means to stop or hold back. Amos is urgently asking God to put an end to the judgment he has seen in the vision.
  • יַעֲקֹב (ya‘aqov, "Jacob"): This is a name for the nation of Israel, emphasizing their identity as descendants of Jacob and their personal relationship with God.
  • קָטֹן (qaton, "small"): This word means little or insignificant, stressing Israel’s weakness and inability to withstand more suffering.

Why Amos 7:5 matters

  • Amos 7:5 shows the prophet’s compassion and his willingness to stand in the gap for his people, even when they are facing consequences for their actions.
  • The verse highlights Israel’s fragile state, reminding the reader that God’s people are not strong on their own and depend on God’s mercy.
  • This plea is part of a pattern in Amos 7, where Amos repeatedly intercedes for Israel, and God responds, showing that prayer and honest appeals can make a difference in the biblical narrative.

Where else these words appear

“cease” Hebrew H2308 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
  • Ruth 1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
  • Job 16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

“small” Hebrew H6996 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
  • 1 Samuel 15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
  • 2 Chronicles 31:15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small: