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Punishment of Judah and Israel

Thus says Yahweh,

“For three transgressions of (A)Judah and for four
I will not turn back its punishment
Because they (B)rejected the law of Yahweh
And have not kept His statutes;
Their [a](C)falsehood also has led them astray,
That which their (D)fathers walked after.
So I will (E)send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

Thus says Yahweh,

“For three transgressions of (F)Israel and for four
I will not turn back its punishment
Because they (G)sell the righteous for money
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
These who [b]pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the (H)poor
Also (I)turn aside the way of the humble;
And a (J)man and his father go to the same [c]young woman
In order to profane My holy name.
On garments (K)taken as pledges they stretch out beside (L)every altar,
And in the house of their God they (M)drink the wine of those who have been fined.

“Yet it was I who destroyed the (N)Amorite before them,
[d]Though his (O)height was like the height of cedars,
And he was strong as the oaks;
I even destroyed his (P)fruit above and his root below.
10 And it was I who (Q)brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And I led you in the wilderness (R)forty years
[e]That you might take possession of the land of the (S)Amorite.
11 Then I (T)raised up some of your sons to be prophets
And some of your choice men to be (U)Nazirites.
Is this not so, O sons of Israel?” declares Yahweh.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets saying, ‘You (V)shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am [f](W)weighted down beneath you
As a wagon [g]is weighted down when filled with sheaves.
14 (X)So [h]flight will perish from the swift,
And the strong will not instill his power with courage,
Nor will the (Y)mighty man make his [i]life escape.
15 He who (Z)grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will he who rides the (AA)horse make his [j]life escape.
16 Even the [k]most courageous of heart among the mighty men will (AB)flee naked in that day,” declares Yahweh.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:4 Or false gods
  2. Amos 2:7 Or trample upon the head of the helpless on the dust
  3. Amos 2:7 Possibly a harlot or a temple prostitute
  4. Amos 2:9 Lit Whose height
  5. Amos 2:10 Lit To possess
  6. Amos 2:13 Or tottering
  7. Amos 2:13 Or totters
  8. Amos 2:14 Or a place of refuge
  9. Amos 2:14 Lit soul
  10. Amos 2:15 Lit soul
  11. Amos 2:16 Lit stout of heart

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Judah,(A)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law(B) of the Lord
    and have not kept his decrees,(C)
because they have been led astray(D) by false gods,[a](E)
    the gods[b] their ancestors followed,(F)
I will send fire(G) on Judah
    that will consume the fortresses(H) of Jerusalem.(I)

Judgment on Israel

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Israel,
    even for four, I will not relent.(J)
They sell the innocent for silver,
    and the needy for a pair of sandals.(K)
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.(L)
They lie down beside every altar
    on garments taken in pledge.(M)
In the house of their god
    they drink wine(N) taken as fines.(O)

“Yet I destroyed the Amorites(P) before them,
    though they were tall(Q) as the cedars
    and strong as the oaks.(R)
I destroyed their fruit above
    and their roots(S) below.
10 I brought you up out of Egypt(T)
    and led(U) you forty years in the wilderness(V)
    to give you the land of the Amorites.(W)

11 “I also raised up prophets(X) from among your children
    and Nazirites(Y) 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.(Z)

13 “Now then, I will crush you
    as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.(AA)
14 The swift will not escape,(AB)
    the strong(AC) will not muster their strength,
    and the warrior will not save his life.(AD)
15 The archer(AE) will not stand his ground,
    the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
    and the horseman(AF) will not save his life.(AG)
16 Even the bravest warriors(AH)
    will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:4 Or by lies
  2. Amos 2:4 Or lies