Bible Verse Lookup
Method.
A step-by-step reading of the received text highlights its verbal and thematic interconnections, and its shifting moral and theological perspectives. As far as possible, the text is interpreted within its own literary context, in an attempt to do justice to it as a whole. Historical issues, although addressed where appropriate, are not the main focus. This is not because they are unimportant but because they interrupt the sequence of the text, and also because, within the limits of a short commentary, it is impossible to discuss them thoroughly. For further information see e.g. Wolff 1977; King 1988: Andersen and Freedman 1989 . Speculation about compositional process is, for the same reason, generally avoided. As part of the Twelve, Amos necessarily reflects Second Temple shaping; an understanding of the text against this background is a necessary preliminary to considering questions of historical origins and redactional development.
