שׁוב shub
common word for "turn, turn back, turn around" etc. It has three
uses in Amos:
- in the Oracles against the Nations in Chapters 1-2 the hiphil
(causative) is used to say that Adonai will not "call back" the
punishment: (1:3, 6,
9, 11,
13; 2:1,
4, 6)
- in Chapter four the qal
expresses the fact that Israel, despite warnings, has failed to "return"
to Adonai (4:6. 8,
9, 10, 11)
- finally in the closing verses of the book the qal expresses the notion that
Adonai will at last "restore" Israel's fortunes (9:14).