Warnings to Zion and Samaria

Woe (A)to you who are at (B)ease in Zion,
And (C)trust in Mount Samaria,
Notable persons in the (D)chief nation,
To whom the house of Israel comes!
(E)Go over to (F)Calneh and see;
And from there go to (G)Hamath the great;
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
(H)Are you better than these kingdoms?
Or is their territory greater than your territory?

Woe to you who (I)put far off the day of (J)doom,
(K)Who cause (L)the seat of violence to come near;
Who lie on beds of ivory,
Stretch out on your couches,
Eat lambs from the flock
And calves from the midst of the stall;
(M)Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,
And invent for yourselves (N)musical instruments (O)like David;
Who (P)drink wine from bowls,
And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
(Q)But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Therefore they shall now go (R)captive as the first of the captives,
And those who recline at banquets shall be removed.

(S)The Lord God has sworn by Himself,
The Lord God of hosts says:
“I abhor (T)the pride of Jacob,
And hate his palaces;
Therefore I will deliver up the city
And all that is in it.”

Then it shall come to pass, that if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. 10 And when [a]a relative of the dead, with one who will burn the bodies, picks up the [b]bodies to take them out of the house, he will say to one inside the house, “Are there any more with you?”

Then someone will say, “None.”

And he will say, (U)“Hold your tongue! (V)For we dare not mention the name of the Lord.”

11 For behold, (W)the Lord gives a command:
(X)He will break the great house into bits,
And the little house into pieces.

12 Do horses run on rocks?
Does one plow there with oxen?
Yet (Y)you have turned justice into gall,
And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,
13 You who rejoice over [c]Lo Debar,
Who say, “Have we not taken [d]Karnaim for ourselves
By our own strength?”

14 “But, behold, (Z)I will raise up a nation against you,
O house of Israel,”
Says the Lord God of hosts;
“And they will afflict you from the (AA)entrance of Hamath
To the Valley of the Arabah.”

Vision of the Locusts

Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the [e]beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king’s mowings. And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said:

“O Lord God, forgive, I pray!
(AB)Oh,[f] that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
So (AC)the Lord relented concerning this.
“It shall not be,” said the Lord.

Vision of the Fire

Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, the Lord God called [g]for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the [h]territory. Then I said:

“O Lord God, cease, I pray!
(AD)Oh, that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
So the Lord relented concerning this.
“This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Vision of the Plumb Line

Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”

And I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

“Behold, (AE)I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
(AF)I will not pass by them anymore.
(AG)The [i]high places of Isaac shall be desolate,
And the [j]sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste.
(AH)I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.”

Amaziah’s Complaint

10 Then Amaziah the (AI)priest of (AJ)Bethel sent to (AK)Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to [k]bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said:

‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
And Israel shall surely be led away (AL)captive
From their own land.’ ”

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos:

“Go, you seer!
Flee to the land of Judah.
There eat bread,
And there prophesy.
13 But (AM)never again prophesy at Bethel,
(AN)For it is the king’s [l]sanctuary,
And it is the royal [m]residence.”

14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah:

“I was no prophet,
Nor was I (AO)a son of a prophet,
But I was a (AP)sheepbreeder
And a tender of sycamore fruit.
15 Then the Lord took me [n]as I followed the flock,
And the Lord said to me,
‘Go, (AQ)prophesy to My people Israel.’
16 Now therefore, hear the word of the Lord:
You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
And (AR)do not [o]spout against the house of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore(AS) thus says the Lord:

(AT)‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city;
Your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
Your land shall be divided by survey line;
You shall die in a (AU)defiled land;
And Israel shall surely be led away captive
From his own land.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Amos 6:10 Lit. his loved one or uncle
  2. Amos 6:10 Lit. bones
  3. Amos 6:13 Lit. Nothing
  4. Amos 6:13 Lit. Horns, a symbol of strength
  5. Amos 7:1 Lit. beginning of the sprouting of
  6. Amos 7:2 Or How shall Jacob stand
  7. Amos 7:4 to contend
  8. Amos 7:4 Lit. portion
  9. Amos 7:9 Places of pagan worship
  10. Amos 7:9 Or holy places
  11. Amos 7:10 Or endure
  12. Amos 7:13 Or holy place
  13. Amos 7:13 Lit. house
  14. Amos 7:15 Lit. from behind
  15. Amos 7:16 Lit. drip

Woe to the Complacent

Woe to you(A) who are complacent(B) in Zion,
    and to you who feel secure(C) on Mount Samaria,(D)
you notable men of the foremost nation,
    to whom the people of Israel come!(E)
Go to Kalneh(F) and look at it;
    go from there to great Hamath,(G)
    and then go down to Gath(H) in Philistia.
Are they better off than(I) your two kingdoms?
    Is their land larger than yours?
You put off the day of disaster
    and bring near a reign of terror.(J)
You lie on beds adorned with ivory
    and lounge on your couches.(K)
You dine on choice lambs
    and fattened calves.(L)
You strum away on your harps(M) like David
    and improvise on musical instruments.(N)
You drink wine(O) by the bowlful
    and use the finest lotions,
    but you do not grieve(P) over the ruin of Joseph.(Q)
Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;(R)
    your feasting and lounging will end.(S)

The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel

The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself(T)—the Lord God Almighty declares:

“I abhor(U) the pride of Jacob(V)
    and detest his fortresses;(W)
I will deliver up(X) the city
    and everything in it.(Y)

If ten(Z) people are left in one house, they too will die. 10 And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them[a](AA) asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush!(AB) We must not mention the name of the Lord.”

11 For the Lord has given the command,
    and he will smash(AC) the great house(AD) into pieces
    and the small house into bits.(AE)

12 Do horses run on the rocky crags?
    Does one plow the sea[b] with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison(AF)
    and the fruit of righteousness(AG) into bitterness(AH)
13 you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar[c]
    and say, “Did we not take Karnaim[d] by our own strength?(AI)

14 For the Lord God Almighty declares,
    “I will stir up a nation(AJ) against you, Israel,
that will oppress you all the way
    from Lebo Hamath(AK) to the valley of the Arabah.(AL)

Locusts, Fire and a Plumb Line

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me:(AM) He was preparing swarms of locusts(AN) after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up. When they had stripped the land clean,(AO) I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive?(AP) He is so small!(AQ)

So the Lord relented.(AR)

“This will not happen,” the Lord said.(AS)

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire;(AT) it dried up the great deep and devoured(AU) the land. Then I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!(AV)

So the Lord relented.(AW)

“This will not happen either,” the Sovereign Lord said.(AX)

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,[e] with a plumb line[f] in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see,(AY) Amos?(AZ)

“A plumb line,(BA)” I replied.

Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.(BB)

“The high places(BC) of Isaac will be destroyed
    and the sanctuaries(BD) of Israel will be ruined;
    with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.(BE)

Amos and Amaziah

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel(BF) sent a message to Jeroboam(BG) king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy(BH) against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words.(BI) 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
    and Israel will surely go into exile,(BJ)
    away from their native land.’”(BK)

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer!(BL) Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.(BM) 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel,(BN) because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple(BO) of the kingdom.(BP)

14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet(BQ) nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.(BR) 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock(BS) and said to me, ‘Go,(BT) prophesy(BU) to my people Israel.’(BV) 16 Now then, hear(BW) the word of the Lord. You say,

“‘Do not prophesy against(BX) Israel,
    and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wife will become a prostitute(BY) in the city,
    and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a pagan[g] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,(BZ)
    away from their native land.(CA)’”

Footnotes

  1. Amos 6:10 Or to make a funeral fire in honor of the dead
  2. Amos 6:12 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text plow there
  3. Amos 6:13 Lo Debar means nothing.
  4. Amos 6:13 Karnaim means horns; horn here symbolizes strength.
  5. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  6. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain; also in verse 8.
  7. Amos 7:17 Hebrew an unclean

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A (A)Contemplation[a] of David. A Prayer (B)when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

When my spirit [b]was (C)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (D)set a snare for me.
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
[c]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (E)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
  3. Psalm 142:6 Give heed

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

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27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
    the wicked detest the upright.(A)

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The Lamb Takes the Scroll

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (A)a scroll written inside and on the back, (B)sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, (C)“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open [a]and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, (D)the Lion of the tribe of (E)Judah, (F)the Root of David, has (G)prevailed to open the scroll (H)and [b]to loose its seven seals.”

And I looked, [c]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood (I)a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and (J)seven eyes, which are (K)the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand (L)of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

Now when He had taken the scroll, (M)the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the (N)prayers of the saints. And (O)they sang a new song, saying:

(P)“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And (Q)have redeemed us to God (R)by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made [d]us (S)kings[e] and (T)priests to our God;
And [f]we shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 And (U)every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

(V)“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him (W)who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and [g]ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the [h]twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped [i]Him who lives forever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:4 NU, M omit and read
  2. Revelation 5:5 NU, M omit to loose
  3. Revelation 5:6 NU, M I saw in the midst . . . a Lamb standing
  4. Revelation 5:10 NU, M them
  5. Revelation 5:10 NU a kingdom
  6. Revelation 5:10 NU, M they
  7. Revelation 5:13 M adds Amen
  8. Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit twenty-four
  9. Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit Him who lives forever and ever

The Scroll and the Lamb

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(A) a scroll with writing on both sides(B) and sealed(C) with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(E) of the tribe of Judah,(F) the Root of David,(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb,(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(I) and the elders.(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(K) which are the seven spirits[a](L) of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(M) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(N) and the twenty-four elders(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(Q) of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:(R)

“You are worthy(S) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood(T) you purchased(U) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(V)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(W) to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”(X)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(Z) and the elders.(AA) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(AB) who was slain,(AC)
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”(AD)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(AF) and to the Lamb(AG)
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(AH)

14 The four living creatures(AI) said, “Amen,”(AJ) and the elders(AK) fell down and worshiped.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign