Amos was a shepherd before being called by God.
Amos was a shepherd and sycamore-fig farmer from Tekoa before becoming a prophet. His home was in the southern Kingdom of Judah, but his prophetic preaching was directed mainly toward the northern Kingdom of Israel, especially Samaria and Bethel.
Amos was active during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah, commonly dated to about 760–755 BCE. His messages condemned exploitation, corruption, and the oppression of the poor, insisting that religious ritual could not substitute for justice. The Book of Amos is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets.
A common mix-up comes from the many biblical prophets associated with rural or humble backgrounds. Amos is especially distinctive because he says he was not a professional prophet or a member of a prophetic guild; he presents his calling as coming directly from God. Micah and Hosea were also eighth-century prophets, but the shepherd description belongs to Amos.