No appeal is made to God’s reputation (Exodus 32:11–13) or the covenant between the Lord and Israel (Psalm 74:20). The grounds for the request is Israel’s frailty and vulnerability. God had chosen Jacob (Genesis 25:1 – 28:22; Malachi 1:1–2; Romans 9:10–14) and now Amos asks the Lord to stand by him and forgive.
2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!”