Today, I read Shalom Paul’s introduction to his commentary on the Book of Amos. Paul believes that the prophecy was delivered in the eighth century B.C.E., prior to Assyria’s emergence as a threat to Northern Israel. Paul notes that the prophecy never mentions Assyria, but only discusses an anonymous nation that God will use to punish Israel.
Paul doesn’t appear to care for the attempts of scholars to identify certain layers in the book: the first two layers from the time of Amos (Amos 3-6, then the oracles against the nations), the third layer from Amos’ ”school of disciples” during the years 760-730, the fourth layer (the Bethel redaction) during the time of Josiah, the fifth layer from the Deuteronomist, and the sixth layer (a message of salvation) in Israel’s post-exilic period.
According to Paul, Amos prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II. It was a time of Northern Israelite expansion, security, and economic prosperity, at least for the few, who lived in opulence while oppressing and exploiting the masses. This was a time when Northern Israel pat itself on the back as God’s people. But Amos aimed to knock the Northern Israelites off their high horse. One point he made was that God delivered other nations besides Israel, and so Israel shouldn’t assume that she’s so special in God’s eyes.