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Woe to the Complacent

Alas for those being at ease in Zion, and those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the best of the nations! The house of Israel resorts to them. Cross over to Calneh and see, and go from there to Hamath Rabbah and go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms, or is their territory greater than your territory? You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence! Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches, and those eating young rams from the sheep and goats, and bull-calves from the middle of the animal stall. Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music. Alas for those who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the exiles and the feast of lounging shall pass away.

Yahweh Abhors Israel’s Pride

My Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself, declares[a] Yahweh, the God of hosts: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and I hate his citadel fortresses and I will deliver the city and its fullness!” And then if ten people remain in one house, they too will die. 10 And if one’s relative, who burns the body, lifts it up and brings the body out of the house and he will say to someone in the innermost part of the house, “Are there any more with you?” and he will say, “None,” then he will say, “Silence,” because we must not invoke the name of Yahweh. 11 Look, Yahweh is going to command and the great house will be destroyed to bits and the little house to pieces. 12 Do horses run on rocks, or does one plow the sea with oxen?[b] But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood! 13 You who rejoice over Lo-Debar, who say, “Have we not taken Karnaim for ourselves by our strength?” 14 Indeed, I am going to raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, declares[c] Yahweh, the God of hosts. And they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath up to the wadi of the Arabah.

Footnotes

  1. Amos 6:8 Literally “a declaration of”
  2. Amos 6:12 Or “does one plow them with oxen”
  3. Amos 6:14 Literally “a declaration of”

Woe to the Complacent

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion(A)
and to those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria—
the notable people in this first of the nations,
those the house of Israel comes to.
Cross over to Calneh(B) and see;
go from there to great Hamath;(C)
then go down to Gath(D) of the Philistines.
Are you better than these kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?
You dismiss any thought of the evil day(E)
and bring in a reign of violence.(F)

They lie on beds inlaid with ivory,(G)
sprawled out on their couches,(H)
and dine on lambs from the flock(I)
and calves from the stall.
They improvise songs[a] to the sound of the harp(J)
and invent[b] their own musical instruments like David.(K)
They drink wine by the bowlful(L)
and anoint themselves with the finest oils
but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.(M)
Therefore, they will now go into exile
as the first of the captives,(N)
and the feasting(O) of those who sprawl out
will come to an end.

Israel’s Pride Judged

The Lord God has sworn by himself(P)—this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies:

I loathe Jacob’s pride(Q)
and hate his citadels,(R)
so I will hand over the city(S) and everything in it.

And if there are ten men left in one house, they will die.(T) 10 A close relative[c] and burner[d](U) will remove his corpse[e] from the house. He will call to someone in the inner recesses of the house, “Any more with you?”

That person will reply, “None.”

Then he will say, “Silence, because the Lord’s name must not be invoked.”(V)

11 For the Lord commands:

The large house will be smashed to pieces,
and the small house to rubble.(W)

12 Do horses gallop on the cliffs?
Does anyone plow there with oxen?[f]
Yet you have turned justice into poison(X)
and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood(Y)
13 you who rejoice over Lo-debar(Z)
and say, “Didn’t we capture Karnaim
for ourselves by our own strength?” (AA)
14 But look, I am raising up a nation
against you, house of Israel(AB)
this is the declaration of the Lord,
the God of Armies—
and they will oppress you
from the entrance of Hamath[g](AC)
to the Brook of the Arabah.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 6:5 Hb obscure
  2. 6:5 Or compose on
  3. 6:10 Lit His uncle
  4. 6:10 A burner of incense, a memorial fire, or a body; Hb obscure
  5. 6:10 Lit remove bones
  6. 6:12 Some emend to plow the sea
  7. 6:14 Or from Lebo-hamath
  8. 6:14 Probably the Valley of Zared at the southeast end of the Dead Sea