Amos 1-4
English Standard Version
1 The words of Amos, who was among the (A)shepherds[a] of (B)Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel (C)in the days of (D)Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of (E)Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years[b] before (F)the earthquake.
Judgment on Israel's Neighbors
2 And he said:
(G)“The Lord roars from Zion
and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
(H)the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
and the (I)top of (J)Carmel withers.”
3 Thus says the Lord:
(K)“For three transgressions of (L)Damascus,
and for four, (M)I will not revoke the punishment,[c]
because they have threshed (N)Gilead
with threshing sledges of iron.
4 (O)So I will send a fire upon the house of (P)Hazael,
and it shall devour the strongholds of (Q)Ben-hadad.
5 I will (R)break the gate-bar of (S)Damascus,
and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of (T)Aven,[d]
and him who holds the scepter from (U)Beth-eden;
and the people of (V)Syria shall go into exile to (W)Kir,”
says the Lord.
6 Thus says the Lord:
(X)“For three transgressions of (Y)Gaza,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (Z)they carried into exile a whole people
to deliver them up to Edom.
7 So I will send a fire upon the wall of (AA)Gaza,
and it shall devour her strongholds.
8 I will cut off the inhabitants from (AB)Ashdod,
and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
says the Lord God.
9 Thus says the Lord:
(AC)“For three transgressions of (AD)Tyre,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered up a whole people to Edom,
and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send a fire upon the wall of (AE)Tyre,
and it shall devour her strongholds.”
11 Thus says the Lord:
(AF)“For three transgressions of (AG)Edom,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
(AH)because he pursued his brother with the sword
(AI)and cast off all pity,
(AJ)and his anger tore perpetually,
(AK)and he kept his wrath forever.
12 So I will send a fire upon (AL)Teman,
and it shall devour the strongholds of (AM)Bozrah.”
13 Thus says the Lord:
(AN)“For three transgressions of the (AO)Ammonites,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (AP)they have ripped open pregnant women in (AQ)Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border.
14 So I will kindle a fire in the wall of (AR)Rabbah,
(AS)and it shall devour her strongholds,
with shouting on the day of battle,
(AT)with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;
15 and (AU)their king shall go into exile,
he and his princes[e] together,”
says the Lord.
2 Thus says the Lord:
(AV)“For three transgressions of (AW)Moab,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,[f]
because (AX)he burned to lime
the bones of the king of Edom.
2 So I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the strongholds of (AY)Kerioth,
and Moab shall die amid uproar,
amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;
3 (AZ)I will cut off the ruler from its midst,
and will kill (BA)all its princes[g] with him,”
says the Lord.
Judgment on Judah
4 Thus says the Lord:
(BB)“For three transgressions of Judah,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (BC)they have rejected the law of the Lord,
and have not kept his statutes,
but (BD)their lies have led them astray,
those after which their fathers walked.
5 So (BE)I will send a fire upon Judah,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6 Thus says the Lord:
(BF)“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (BG)they sell the righteous for (BH)silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—
7 those who trample the head of the poor (BI)into the dust of the earth
and (BJ)turn aside the way of the afflicted;
(BK)a man and his father go in to the same girl,
so that my holy name is profaned;
8 they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments (BL)taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God they drink
the wine of those who have been fined.
9 “Yet (BM)it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
(BN)whose height was like the height of the cedars
and who was as strong as the oaks;
(BO)I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.
10 (BP)Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
(BQ)and led you forty years in the wilderness,
(BR)to possess the land of the Amorite.
11 And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,
and some of your young men for (BS)Nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites (BT)drink wine,
and commanded the prophets,
saying, (BU)‘You shall not prophesy.’
13 “Behold, I will press you down in your place,
as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
14 (BV)Flight shall perish from the swift,
(BW)and the strong shall not retain his strength,
(BX)nor shall the mighty save his life;
15 he who handles the bow shall not stand,
and he who is (BY)swift of foot shall not save himself,
(BZ)nor shall he who rides the horse save his life;
16 and he who is stout of heart among the mighty
shall flee away naked in that day,”
declares the Lord.
Israel's Guilt and Punishment
3 (CA)Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
2 (CB)“You only have I known
of all the families of the earth;
(CC)therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
3 “Do two walk together,
unless they have agreed to meet?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest,
when he has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from his den,
if he has taken nothing?
5 Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth,
when there is no trap for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground,
when it has taken nothing?
6 (CD)Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
(CE)Does disaster come to a city,
unless the Lord has done it?
7 “For the Lord God does nothing
(CF)without revealing his secret
to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared;
who will not fear?
(CG)The Lord God has spoken;
who can but prophesy?”
9 Proclaim to the strongholds in (CH)Ashdod
and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,
and say, “Assemble yourselves on (CI)the mountains of Samaria,
and see the great tumults within her,
and (CJ)the oppressed in her midst.”
10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord,
(CK)“those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”
11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
(CL)“An adversary shall surround the land
and bring down[h] your defenses from you,
and (CM)your strongholds shall be plundered.”
12 Thus says the Lord: (CN)“As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, (CO)so shall the people of Israel (CP)who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part[i] of a bed.
13 “Hear, (CQ)and testify against the house of Jacob,”
declares the Lord God, (CR)the God of hosts,
14 “that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions,
(CS)I will punish the altars of Bethel,
and (CT)the horns of the altar shall be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 (CU)I will strike (CV)the winter house along with (CW)the summer house,
and (CX)the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses[j] shall come to an end,”
declares the Lord.
4 “Hear this word, (CY)you cows of Bashan,
who are (CZ)on the mountain of Samaria,
(DA)who oppress the poor, (DB)who crush the needy,
who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’
2 (DC)The Lord God has sworn by his holiness
that, behold, the days are coming upon you,
(DD)when they shall take you away with hooks,
(DE)even the last of you with fishhooks.
3 (DF)And you shall go out through the breaches,
each one straight ahead;
and you shall be cast out into Harmon,”
declares the Lord.
4 (DG)“Come to Bethel, and transgress;
to (DH)Gilgal, and multiply transgression;
(DI)bring your (DJ)sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three days;
5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of (DK)that which is leavened,
and proclaim (DL)freewill offerings, publish them;
(DM)for so you love to do, O people of Israel!”
declares the Lord God.
Israel Has Not Returned to the Lord
6 “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
and (DN)lack of bread in all your places,
(DO)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.
7 “I also (DP)withheld the rain from you
when there were yet three months to the harvest;
(DQ)I would send rain on one city,
and send no rain on another city;
one field would have rain,
and the field on which it did not rain would wither;
8 so two or three cities (DR)would wander to another city
to drink water, and would not be satisfied;
(DS)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.
9 (DT)“I struck you with blight and mildew;
your many gardens and your vineyards,
your fig trees and your olive trees (DU)the locust devoured;
(DV)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.
10 “I sent among you a pestilence (DW)after the manner of Egypt;
I killed your young men with the sword,
and (DX)carried away your horses,[k]
and (DY)I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;
(DZ)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.
11 “I overthrew some of you,
(EA)as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were (EB)as a brand[l] plucked out of the burning;
(EC)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”
13 For behold, (ED)he who forms the mountains and creates the wind,
and (EE)declares to man what is his thought,
(EF)who makes the morning darkness,
and (EG)treads on the heights of the earth—
(EH)the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!
Footnotes
- Amos 1:1 Or sheep breeders
- Amos 1:1 Or during two years
- Amos 1:3 Hebrew I will not turn it back; also verses 6, 9, 11, 13
- Amos 1:5 Or On
- Amos 1:15 Or officials
- Amos 2:1 Hebrew I will not turn it back; also verses 4, 6
- Amos 2:3 Or officials
- Amos 3:11 Hebrew An adversary, one who surrounds the land—he shall bring down
- Amos 3:12 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Amos 3:15 Or and many houses
- Amos 4:10 Hebrew along with the captivity of your horses
- Amos 4:11 That is, a burning stick
Amos 1-4
New International Version
1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,(B) when Uzziah(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam(D) son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.(E)
2 He said:
“The Lord roars(F) from Zion
and thunders(G) from Jerusalem;(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel(I) withers.”(J)
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
3 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Damascus,(K)
even for four, I will not relent.(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire(M) on the house of Hazael(N)
that will consume the fortresses(O) of Ben-Hadad.(P)
5 I will break down the gate(Q) of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.(R)
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,(S)”
says the Lord.(T)
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,(U)
even for four, I will not relent.(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,(W)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king[d] of Ashdod(X)
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand(Y) against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines(Z) are dead,”(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.(AB)
9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Tyre,(AC)
even for four, I will not relent.(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses.(AF)”
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Edom,(AG)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword(AH)
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman(AJ)
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.(AK)”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Ammon,(AL)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women(AM) of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah(AN)
that will consume(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries(AP) on the day of battle,
amid violent winds(AQ) on a stormy day.
15 Her king[e] will go into exile,
he and his officials together,(AR)”
says the Lord.(AS)
2 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Moab,(AT)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes(AU)
the bones of Edom’s king,
2 I will send fire on Moab
that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.[f](AV)
Moab will go down in great tumult
amid war cries(AW) and the blast of the trumpet.(AX)
3 I will destroy her ruler(AY)
and kill all her officials with him,”(AZ)
says the Lord.(BA)
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,(BB)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law(BC) of the Lord
and have not kept his decrees,(BD)
because they have been led astray(BE) by false gods,[g](BF)
the gods[h] their ancestors followed,(BG)
5 I will send fire(BH) on Judah
that will consume the fortresses(BI) of Jerusalem.(BJ)”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not relent.(BK)
They sell the innocent for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.(BL)
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.(BM)
8 They lie down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge.(BN)
In the house of their god
they drink wine(BO) taken as fines.(BP)
9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites(BQ) before them,
though they were tall(BR) as the cedars
and strong as the oaks.(BS)
I destroyed their fruit above
and their roots(BT) below.
10 I brought you up out of Egypt(BU)
and led(BV) you forty years in the wilderness(BW)
to give you the land of the Amorites.(BX)
11 “I also raised up prophets(BY) from among your children
and Nazirites(BZ) from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.(CA)
13 “Now then, I will crush you
as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.(CB)
14 The swift will not escape,(CC)
the strong(CD) will not muster their strength,
and the warrior will not save his life.(CE)
15 The archer(CF) will not stand his ground,
the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
and the horseman(CG) will not save his life.(CH)
16 Even the bravest warriors(CI)
will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.
Witnesses Summoned Against Israel
3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you(CJ)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:(CK)
2 “You only have I chosen(CL)
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish(CM) you
for all your sins.(CN)”
3 Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar(CO) in the thicket
when it has no prey?(CP)
Does it growl in its den
when it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
when no bait(CQ) is there?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
if it has not caught anything?
6 When a trumpet(CR) sounds in a city,
do not the people tremble?
When disaster(CS) comes to a city,
has not the Lord caused it?(CT)
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan(CU)
to his servants the prophets.(CV)
8 The lion(CW) has roared(CX)—
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
who can but prophesy?(CY)
9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod(CZ)
and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;(DA)
see the great unrest within her
and the oppression among her people.”
10 “They do not know how to do right,(DB)” declares the Lord,
“who store up in their fortresses(DC)
what they have plundered(DD) and looted.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“An enemy will overrun your land,
pull down your strongholds
and plunder your fortresses.(DE)”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s(DF) mouth
only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
with only the head of a bed
and a piece of fabric[i] from a couch.[j](DG)”
13 “Hear this and testify(DH) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.
14 “On the day I punish(DI) Israel for her sins,
I will destroy the altars of Bethel;(DJ)
the horns(DK) of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house(DL)
along with the summer house;(DM)
the houses adorned with ivory(DN) will be destroyed
and the mansions(DO) will be demolished,(DP)”
declares the Lord.(DQ)
Israel Has Not Returned to God
4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan(DR) on Mount Samaria,(DS)
you women who oppress the poor(DT) and crush the needy(DU)
and say to your husbands,(DV) “Bring us some drinks!(DW)”
2 The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
“The time(DX) will surely come
when you will be taken away(DY) with hooks,(DZ)
the last of you with fishhooks.[k]
3 You will each go straight out
through breaches in the wall,(EA)
and you will be cast out toward Harmon,[l]”
declares the Lord.
4 “Go to Bethel(EB) and sin;
go to Gilgal(EC) and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,(ED)
your tithes(EE) every three years.[m](EF)
5 Burn leavened bread(EG) as a thank offering
and brag about your freewill offerings(EH)—
boast about them, you Israelites,
for this is what you love to do,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.
6 “I gave you empty stomachs in every city
and lack of bread in every town,
yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(EI)
7 “I also withheld(EJ) rain from you
when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
but withheld it from another.(EK)
One field had rain;
another had none and dried up.
8 People staggered from town to town for water(EL)
but did not get enough(EM) to drink,
yet you have not returned(EN) to me,”
declares the Lord.(EO)
9 “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
destroying them with blight and mildew.(EP)
Locusts(EQ) devoured your fig and olive trees,(ER)
yet you have not returned(ES) to me,”
declares the Lord.
10 “I sent plagues(ET) among you
as I did to Egypt.(EU)
I killed your young men(EV) with the sword,
along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench(EW) of your camps,
yet you have not returned to me,”(EX)
declares the Lord.(EY)
11 “I overthrew some of you
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.(EZ)
You were like a burning stick(FA) snatched from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(FB)
12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God.”
Footnotes
- Amos 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash
- Amos 1:5 Or the inhabitants of
- Amos 1:5 Aven means wickedness.
- Amos 1:8 Or inhabitants
- Amos 1:15 Or / Molek
- Amos 2:2 Or of her cities
- Amos 2:4 Or by lies
- Amos 2:4 Or lies
- Amos 3:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Amos 3:12 Or Israelites be rescued, / those who sit in Samaria / on the edge of their beds / and in Damascus on their couches.
- Amos 4:2 Or away in baskets, / the last of you in fish baskets
- Amos 4:3 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew (see Septuagint) out, you mountain of oppression
- Amos 4:4 Or days
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