Amaziah calls Amos a “seer” (a translation of one of the Hebrew terms used to designate a prophet). But Amos does not regard himself as a prophet in the normal sense, a “son of a prophet” (v. 14), that is, a member of a group or fraternity of prophets, of which there were many in Israel, at least from the time of King Saul onwards (cf. 1 Sam 10:10–13; 19:20–24), nor is he an “official” prophet, a member of the staff of the royal household. Amos’ reply is clear: he is a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores.