Then I said, "Lord Yahweh, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small."
      2. The prophet goes forth to meet him in the way of his judgments, and by prayer seeks to turn away his wrath, Amos 7:2; Amos 7:2. When he saw, in vision, what dreadful work these caterpillars made, that they had eaten up in a manner all the grass of the land (he foresaw they would do so, if suffered to go on), then he said, O Lord God! forgive, I beseech thee (Amos 7:2; Amos 7:2); cease, I beseech thee,Amos 7:5; Amos 7:5. He that foretold the judgment in his preaching to the people, yet deprecated it in his intercessions for them. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee. It was the business of prophets to pray for those to whom they prophesied, and so to make it appear that though they denounced they did not desire the woeful day. Therefore, God showed his prophets the evils coming, that they might befriend the people, not only by warning them, but by praying for them, and standing in the gap, to turn away God's wrath, as Moses, that great prophet, often did. Now observe here,