Amos 4
Christian Standard Bible
Social and Spiritual Corruption
4 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan(A)
who are on the hill of Samaria,
women who oppress the poor
and crush the needy,(B)
who say to their husbands,
“Bring us something to drink.”(C)
2 The Lord God has sworn(D) by his holiness:(E)
Look, the days are coming[a]
when you will be taken away with hooks,(F)
every last one of you with fishhooks.(G)
3 You will go through breaches in the wall,(H)
each woman straight ahead,
and you will be driven along toward Harmon.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
4 Come to Bethel and rebel;
rebel even more at Gilgal!(I)
Bring your sacrifices every morning,(J)
your tenths every three days.
5 Offer leavened bread as a thanksgiving sacrifice,(K)
and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings,(L)
for that is what you Israelites love to do!(M)
This is the declaration of the Lord God.
God’s Discipline and Israel’s Apostasy
6 I gave you absolutely nothing to eat[b](N) in all your cities,
a shortage of food in all your communities,
yet you did not return to me.(O)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
7 I also withheld the rain from you(P)
while there were still three months until harvest.
I sent rain on one city
but no rain on another.(Q)
One field received rain
while a field with no rain withered.(R)
8 Two or three cities staggered
to another city to drink water(S)
but were not satisfied,(T)
yet you did not return(U) to me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 I struck you with blight and mildew;(V)
the locust devoured(W)
your many gardens and vineyards,
your fig trees and olive trees,(X)
yet you did not return to me.(Y)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
10 I sent plagues like those of Egypt;(Z)
I killed your young men with the sword,(AA)
along with your captured horses.(AB)
I caused the stench of your camp
to fill your nostrils,(AC)
yet you did not return to me.(AD)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
11 I overthrew some of you
as I[c] overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,(AE)
and you were like a burning stick
snatched from a fire,(AF)
yet you did not return to me(AG)—
This is the Lord’s declaration.
12 Therefore, Israel, that is what I will do to you,
and since I will do that to you,
Israel, prepare to meet your God!(AH)
13 He is here:
the one who forms the mountains,(AI)
creates the wind,(AJ)
and reveals his thoughts to man,(AK)
the one who makes the dawn out of darkness
and strides on the heights of the earth.(AL)
The Lord, the God of Armies, is his name.(AM)
Amos 4
International Children’s Bible
Israel Will Not Return
4 Listen to this message, you rich women on the Mountain of Samaria.
You take things from the poor
and crush people who are in need.
You tell your husbands,
“Bring us money so we can drink!”
2 The Lord God has promised this:
“It is certain that I am a holy God.
So it is certain that the time will come
when some of you will be taken away by hooks.
The rest of you will be taken away with fishhooks.
3 You will go straight out of the city
through holes in the walls.
And you will be thrown on the garbage dump,” says the Lord.
4 “Go to the city of Bethel and sin.
Go to Gilgal and sin even more.
Offer your sacrifices every morning.
Bring one-tenth of your crops on the third day.
5 Offer bread made with yeast as a sacrifice to show your thanks.
And brag about the offerings you bring to show thanks to the Lord.
Brag about these things, Israelites.
This is what you love to do,” says the Lord God.
6 “I did not give you any food to eat.
There was not enough food in any of your towns.
But you did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
7 “I held back the rain from you
three months before harvest time.
Then I let it rain on one city
but not on another.
Rain fell on one field,
but another field got none and dried up.
8 People weak from thirst went from town to town for water.
But they could not get enough water to drink.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
9 “I made your crops die from disease and mildew.
I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards.
Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
10 “I sent disasters against you,
as I did to Egypt.
I killed your young men with swords.
I also killed your horses.
I made you smell the stink from all the dead bodies.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
11 “I destroyed some of you
as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick pulled from a fire.
But you still have not come back to me,” says the Lord.
12 “So this is what I will do to you, Israel.
And because I will do this to you,
get ready to meet your God, Israel.”
13 He is the one who makes the mountains.
He creates the wind.
He makes his thoughts known to man.
He changes the dawn into darkness.
He walks over the mountains of the earth.
His name is the Lord God of heaven’s armies.
Amos 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Yet You Have Not Returned to Me
4 Hear this word, you cows of (A)Bashan who are on the (B)mountain of Samaria,
Who (C)oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
Who say to their [a]husbands, “Bring now, that we may (D)drink!”
2 Lord Yahweh has (E)sworn by His (F)holiness that,
“Behold, the days are coming upon you,
And [b]they will take you away with (G)meat hooks,
And the last of you with (H)fish hooks.
3 And you will (I)go out through breaches in the walls,
Each one straight before her,
And you [c]will be cast to Harmon,” declares Yahweh.
4 “Enter Bethel and transgress;
In Gilgal multiply transgression!
(J)Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days.
5 [d]And offer a (K)thank offering also from that which is leavened,
And call for (L)freewill offerings; cause them to be heard about.
For so you (M)love to do, you sons of Israel,”
Declares Lord Yahweh.
6 “But I gave you also (N)cleanness of teeth in all your cities
And lack of bread in all your places,
Yet you have (O)not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
7 “And I also (P)withheld the rain from you
While there were still three months until harvest.
Then I would send rain on one city,
And on (Q)another city I would not send rain;
One portion would be rained on,
While the portion not rained on would dry up.
8 So two or three cities would wander around to another city to drink (R)water,
But would (S)not be satisfied;
Yet you have (T)not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
9 “I (U)struck you with scorching wind and mildew;
And the (V)gnawing locust was devouring
Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees;
Yet you have (W)not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
10 “I sent a (X)pestilence among you after the manner of Egypt;
I (Y)killed your choice men by the sword along with your (Z)captured horses,
And I made the (AA)stench of your camp rise up even in your nostrils;
Yet you have (AB)not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
11 “I overthrew you as (AC)God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a (AD)firebrand [e]delivered from a blaze;
Yet you have (AE)not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to (AF)meet your God, O Israel.”
13 For behold, He who (AG)forms mountains and (AH)creates the wind
And (AI)declares to man what are His thoughts,
He who (AJ)makes dawn into gloom
And (AK)treads on the high places of the earth,
(AL)Yahweh God of hosts is His name.
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