Israel’s Crisis: Prosperity & Poverty — Amos 8

In the 8th century BC, Israel experienced economic prosperity under the political shifts brought about by Assyria and the rule of powerful kings. However, large-scale export-oriented agricultural policies gave rise to serious social problems, including the impoverishment of tenant farmers and rapid soil depletion.

Israel’s Crisis: Prosperity & Poverty

The political shifts that occurred in the early 8th century BC centered on Assyria’s expansion and its conquest of Damascus. Israel extended its economic interests and recovered control over vast territories beyond the Jordan.

Moreover, in the first half of the 8th century, both Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah ruled as powerful kings over their respective kingdoms.

These circumstances made it easier to establish economic policies focused on the mass production of all export commodities. The broad lowland regions of the Shephelah and the low valley areas had already been allocated as wheat-producing zones (2 Chr 26:10).

As the 8th century BC progressed, the elites were able to apply these economic policies to the smaller farms and villages of the hill country.

As a result, the previous agricultural strategy of diversifying risk between herding and farming was abandoned, and the land was converted into cultivation zones for specific high-yield cash crops.

The small tenant plots of debt-ridden farmers were absorbed into large estates. Yet this seemingly efficient use of land caused the diverse grains previously grown in villages to disappear, and the soil became exhausted far more quickly.

The practice of leaving fields fallow or grazing livestock on harvested fields either disappeared entirely or was placed under strict control.

Under this new policy, efforts were made to increase exports. Meanwhile, the nobility and merchant class were brought to the point of facing the very real problem of hunger.

Thus, on top of rising prices for basic staples such as wheat and barley, impoverished farmers were left with no choice but to become slaves or day laborers in order to repay their debts.

When we see them suffering under the abuse of exploitative employers and being deceived by unscrupulous merchants who mixed impurities or inferior goods into their grain, it is no surprise that Amos spoke passionately against the wealthy and pointed out their indifference toward the poor.

It is within this atmosphere of social injustice, agricultural specialization, and economic speculation that Amos calls the people of Israel to remember their covenant obligations.

Like the eloquent peasant of 20th-century BC Egypt, Amos warns that corrupt judges and dishonest merchants can expect no mercy before the wrath of God.

Reference: IVP Bible Background Commentary

Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com