When was Amos written?

God called Amos to prophetic ministry in the eighth century BC. Although Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah, he prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel. His message focused on Israel’s need to repent of its immorality and idolatry. He also pronounced judgment on the surrounding nations. It was during this period of internal national decline and external foreign threats, specifically around 755 BC, that Amos wrote the book named for him.

Knowing the evidence for Amos’s authorship sheds light on when the book was written. The prophet identifies himself in the opening verse: “The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel” (Amos 1:1).

Amos also refers to himself later in the book, where he speaks in the first person. He describes his background as a shepherd and caretaker of sycamore-fig trees before God called him to prophesy to Israel. He writes, “The Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel’” (Amos 7:15). These personal references, combined with the historical details in the opening verse, support both his authorship and the dating of the book.

The references to Uzziah and Jeroboam II in the first verse also help determine when Amos was written. Uzziah reigned in Judah from about 792 to 740 BC, while Jeroboam II ruled Israel from about 793 to 753 BC. This overlap in their reigns is consistent with other details mentioned in Amos 1:1, supporting the view that the book was written in the mid-eighth century BC.

The earthquake Amos mentions in the first verse of his book, which occurred during Uzziah’s reign, also helps date his ministry and the written record of it. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a massive eighth-century BC earthquake at sites throughout Israel and Jordan. Based on the extent of the destruction, some researchers estimate that the quake may have reached a magnitude of 7.5 to 8.0 on the Richter scale. Its impact was so significant that Zechariah later referred to it as “the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah,” even though he wrote nearly 300 years afterward (Zechariah 14:5).

Furthermore, Amos ministered at the same time as other prophets like Hosea, Isaiah, and Jonah. All four prophets either mention or ministered during the reigns of the same kings (Isaiah 1:1; Hosea 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25).

Despite the difficult era in which Amos lived, he remained confident in God’s sovereign rule over Israel, Judah, and the surrounding nations. He declared, “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Nevertheless, God rebuked Israel’s corruption and injustice. He wanted them to live in a way that honored Him. Amos showed this when he wrote, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24).