He was not a lowly shepherd but a man of some responsibility. He also worked with sycamore trees, probably in the area of the Dead Sea, but it is not clear what his responsibilities were

Amos was an educated person who had a wide understanding of the political affairs of his day (1:3–2:3). He had a grasp of international relationships which included details about foreign kings (1:4), major cities in different countries (1:5, 8, 12, 14; 2:2), previous battles (1:3, 13; 2:1), and some ancient history (1:5; 9:7). He also understood the social and religious situation of his audience in Israel (6:2, 13–14). He had observed the way the poor were being treated by the wealthy (2:6–8; 3:9–10; 4:1), how the merchants managed to dishonestly conduct business (8:4–6), how the courts operated on the basis of bribery instead of integrity (5:10, 12, 15), and how the landlords drove people into slavery through heavy rents (5:11). In his eyes the beautiful palace-fortresses of the rich stood out as landmarks of greed and luxury (3:15). Their opulent banquets were but another evidence of the degenerate state of Israel’s upper class (6:1–7). With these insights into the thinking and social behavior of his audience, Amos was able to deliver a message which addressed the deep spiritual depravity within the nation.

The opening proclamation of the prophet’s message serves as the theme verse for the entire book: “The LORD’s voice will roar from Zion” (1:2). Beyond this, the oracles against the nations (1:3–2:16) set the tone for the message of the book in that they all emphasize destruction and in some cases exile