Sefer Amos is the book of the prophecies of Amos, one of the nokdim (sheep breeders) of Tekoa (south of Bethlehem, in Yehudah), and one of the books of the Neviim Acharonim (the Later Prophets). It is one of the Trei Asar (the Twelve), the twelve short books of the Neviim which, the Gemara says (Bava Batra 14b), are written together as one sefer. Amos prophesies about Yisrael in the days of King Uziyah (Uzziah) of Yehudah (Judah) and King Yeravam (Jeroboam) son of Yoash of Yisrael, two years before the earthquake (1:1). He speaks mostly to the northern kingdom, in Shomron (Samaria) and at Beit El (north of Jerusalem).
The sefer opens with Hashem's judgment on the nations around Yisrael, Damesek (Damascus), Azah (Gaza), Tzor (Tyre), Edom, Ammon and Moav, each for its cruelty, and then on Yehudah for rejecting the Torah of Hashem. Then Amos, a navi (prophet), turns to Yisrael. Its people trade away the righteous for money, silence the neviim (prophets), and lie at ease on beds of ivory while the poor are crushed. Hashem chose them out of every family on earth, and so He holds them to account for their actions. Amos calls on them to seek Hashem and live, and to let justice flow like water, because without it Hashem rejects their festivals and korbanot (offerings).
Amos sees five visions, the locusts, the fire, the plumb line, the basket of summer fruit, and Hashem standing by the mizbeach (altar). Amatzyah (Amaziah), the kohen (priest) of Beit El, tells Amos to go back to Yehudah, and Amos answers that he was a herdsman until Hashem sent him. The sefer ends with comfort. Hashem will raise up the fallen sukkah of David, bring back the captives of His people and plant them in their land, never to be uprooted.
Sefer Amos has nine perakim, and two haftarot come from it, the haftarot of Parshat Vayeishev (2:6–3:8) and Parshat Acharei Mot (9:7–15).