Page "Book of Amos" Paragraph 1

Amos was a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam ben Joash ( Jeroboam II ), ruler of Israel from 793 BC to 753 BC, and the reign of Uzziah, King of Judah, at a time when both kingdoms ( Israel in the North and Judah in the South ) were peaking in prosperity.

He was a contemporary of the prophet Hosea, but likely preceded him.

Many of the earlier accounts of prophets found in the Tanakh are found within the context of other accounts of Israel's history.

Amos, however, is the first prophet whose name also serves as the title of the corresponding biblical book in which his story is found.

Amos also made it a point that before his calling he was a simple husbandman and that he was not a " professional " prophet of the prophetic guild.