This offers a new translation and interpretation of the book of Amos that are certain to stimulate widespread discussion.
Challenging the last century of research on Amos, Hayes calls into question the basic assumptions that underlie modern treatments of the book: that the prophet was primarily concerned with justice in the legal system, rather the politics, that the book of Amos is composed of numerous isolated short saying put together by later editors; that the words of the prophet have been extensively supplemented by redactors; and that Amos's outlook on Israels's future was totally bleak.
The author pays special attention to the historical context within which Amos worked and shows that at that time Israel was still on good relations with its long-time ally, Assyria. Israel's enemies were an anti-Assyrian coalition of western kingdoms. This historical perspective casts a totally new light on the work of Amos.