Amos 7:14

“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, etc.] With much freedom, boldness, and intrepidity, and yet with modesty and humility; not at all moved by his frowns or his flattery: I [was] no prophet, neither [was] I a prophet’s son: he was not a prophet originally, or from his youth, as Kimchi; he was not born and bred one; neither his father was a prophet, by whom he could get any instructions in the mystery of prophesying; nor was he a disciple of any of the prophets, or brought up in any of their schools as some were; he was no prophet till the Lord called him immediately, at once, from his secular employment to this office; and therefore did not take it up to get a livelihood by Jarchi and…”

“I was no prophet--in answer to Amaziah's insinuation (Amo 7:12), that he discharged the prophetical office to earn his "bread" (like Israel's mercenary prophets). So far from being rewarded, Jehovah's prophets had to expect imprisonment and even death as the result of their prophesying in Samaria or Israel: whereas the prophets of Baal were maintained at the king's expense (compare Kg1 18:19). I was not, says Amos, of the order of prophets, or educated in their schools, and deriving a livelihood from exercising the public functions of a prophet. I am a shepherd (compare Amo 7:15, "flock"; the Hebrew for "herdsman" includes the meaning, shepherd, compare Amo 1:1) in humble position, who did…”

“I was no prophet - The order of the words is emphatic. “No prophet I, and no prophet’s son I, for a herdsman I, and dresser of sycamores.” It may be, Amos would meet, for the people’s sake, Amaziah’s taunt. He had a living, simple indeed, yet that of the prophets was as simple. But chiefly he tells them of the unusual character of his mission. He did not belong to the order of the prophets, nor had he been educated in the schools of the prophets, nor had he any human training. He was thinking of nothing less; he was doing the works of his calling, until “God took him from following the flock,” and gave him his commission. Rup.: “He promises humbly what he had been, what he had been made, not…”

“No prophet - Not originally, or by study, or by any human designation. An herdman - By breeding and occupation I was and still am, an herdman. Sycamore fruit - This fruit was good food for man, or cattle. Amos 7:16”

“7:14 Amos was not a professional prophet or even a disciple in training. He had no financial incentive to leave his livelihood in order to prophesy. • shepherd: The Hebrew word here is not the same as in 1:1 and is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. It is related to a word for cattle, suggesting that Amos may have raised cattle as a breeder or herder (see Amos Book Introduction, “The Prophet Amos”). • The sycamore-fig was gathered for cattle feed.”

“neither: Kg1 20:35; Kg2 2:3, Kg2 2:5, Kg2 2:7, Kg2 4:38, Kg2 6:1; Ch2 16:7, Ch2 19:2, Ch2 20:34 an herdman: Amo 1:1; Zac 13:5; Co1 1:27 a gatherer: Rather, as bolais is rendered by the LXX and Vulgate, κνιζων, vellicans "a scraping," or a scraper of sycamores; for the fruit does not ripen till it is rubbed with iron combs. sycamore fruit: or, wild figs Amos 7:15”

“Amos first of all repudiates the insinuation that he practises prophesying as a calling or profession, by which he gets his living. "I am no prophet," sc. by profession, "and no prophet's son," i.e., not a pupil or member of the prophets' schools, one who has been trained to prophesy (on these schools, see the comm. on Sa1 19:24); but (according to my proper calling) a bōqēr, lit., a herdsman of oxen (from bâqâr); then in a broader sense, a herdsman who tends the sheep (צאן), a shepherd; and a bōlēs shiqmı̄m, i.e., one who plucks sycamores or mulberry-figs, and lives upon them. The ἁπ. λεγ. bōlēs is a denom. from the Arabic name for the mulberry-fig, and signifies to gather…”