Amos 2:4-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Judgment on Judah
4 Thus says the Lord:
For three transgressions of Judah,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,[a]
because they have rejected the instruction of the Lord
and have not kept his statutes,
but they have been led astray by the same lies
after which their ancestors walked.(A)
5 So I will send a fire on Judah,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.(B)
Judgment on Israel
6 Thus says the Lord:
For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,[b]
because they sell the righteous for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals—(C)
7 they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and push the afflicted out of the way;
father and son go in to the same young woman,
so that my holy name is profaned;(D)
8 they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge;
and in the house of their God they drink
wine bought with fines they imposed.(E)
9 Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them,
whose height was like the height of cedars
and who was as strong as oaks;
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.(F)
10 Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness,
to possess the land of the Amorite.(G)
11 And I raised up some of your children to be prophets
and some of your youths to be nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?
says the Lord.(H)
12 But you made the nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets,
saying, “You shall not prophesy.”(I)
13 So, I will press you down in your place,
just as a cart presses down
when it is full of sheaves.[c](J)
14 Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong shall not retain their strength,
nor shall the mighty save their lives;(K)
15 those who handle the bow shall not stand,
and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves,
nor shall those who ride horses save their lives;(L)
16 and those who are stout of heart among the mighty
shall flee away naked on that day,
says the Lord.(M)
Amos 2:4-16
New American Standard Bible
Judgment on Judah
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (A)Judah, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (B)rejected the Law of the Lord
And have not kept His statutes;
Their [a](C)lies also have led them astray,
Those which their (D)fathers followed.
5 So I will (E)send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (F)Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (G)sell the righteous for [b]money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 These who [c]trample the head of the (H)helpless to the dust of the earth
Also (I)divert the way of the humble;
And a (J)man and his father [d]resort to the same [e]girl
So as to profane My holy name.
8 And on garments (K)seized 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.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the (N)Amorite before them,
[f]Though his (O)height was like the height of cedars
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I also destroyed his (P)fruit above and his roots below.
10 And it was I who (Q)brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness for (R)forty years
So 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 young men to be (U)Nazirites.
Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You (V)shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am (W)making a rut in the ground beneath you,
Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
14 (X)Refuge will be lost from the swift,
And the strong will not strengthen his power,
Nor the (Y)warrior save his [g]life.
15 The one who (Z)grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will the one who rides the (AA)horse save his [h]life.
16 Even the [i]bravest among the warriors will (AB)flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
