Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:

That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord.

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts.

¶ Hear ye this word, because I raise up a lamentation upon you, O house of Israel.

The virgin of Israel has fallen; she shall not be able to rise again: she was forsaken upon her land; there is no one to raise her up.

For thus hath the Lord GOD said: The city that sent out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which sent forth a hundred shall have ten, in the house of Israel.

¶ But thus hath the LORD said unto the house of Israel, Seek me, and ye shall live:

but do not seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and do not pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph and devour it, and there be no one to quench it in Bethel.

Ye who turn judgment to wormwood and leave off doing righteousness in the earth,

look unto him that makes the seven stars and Orion and turns the shadow of death into the morning and makes the day dark with night, that calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name;

that strengthens the spoiler against the strong, so that the spoiler shall come against the fortress.

10 They hate him that rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks uprightly.

11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat, ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

12 For I have known of your many rebellions and your great sins that afflict the just and take a ransom and turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is an evil time.

14 Seek that which is good, and not that which is evil that ye may live; and so the LORD, the God of the hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15 Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate; it may be that the LORD God of the hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

16 ¶ Therefore the LORD, the God of the hosts, the Lord, said this: Wailing shall be in all streets, and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of thee, said the LORD.

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD shall be darkness, and not light.

19 As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21 ¶ I hate, I despise your solemnities, and I will not savour your assemblies.

22 Though ye offer me your burnt offerings and your presents, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

23 Take away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy instruments.

24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

25 Did you perchance offer me any sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness in forty years, O house of Israel?

26 But ye have offered unto Sicut your king, and unto Chiun your idols, the star of your gods which ye made.

27 Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, said the LORD, whose name is The God of the hosts.

A Lament for Israel

Hear this word which I (A)take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel:

The virgin of Israel has fallen;
She will rise no more.
She lies forsaken on her land;
There is no one to raise her up.

For thus says the Lord God:

“The city that goes out by a thousand
Shall have a hundred left,
And that which goes out by a hundred
Shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”

A Call to Repentance

For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel:

(B)“Seek Me (C)and live;
But do not seek (D)Bethel,
Nor enter Gilgal,
Nor pass over to (E)Beersheba;
For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity,
And (F)Bethel shall come to nothing.
(G)Seek the Lord and live,
Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
And devour it,
With no one to quench it in Bethel—
You who (H)turn justice to wormwood,
And lay righteousness to rest in the earth!”

He made the (I)Pleiades and Orion;
He turns the shadow of death into morning
(J)And makes the day dark as night;
He (K)calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the face of the earth;
(L)The Lord is His name.
He [a]rains ruin upon the strong,
So that fury comes upon the fortress.

10 (M)They hate the one who rebukes in the gate,
And they (N)abhor the one who speaks uprightly.
11 (O)Therefore, because you [b]tread down the poor
And take grain [c]taxes from him,
Though (P)you have built houses of hewn stone,
Yet you shall not dwell in them;
You have planted [d]pleasant vineyards,
But you shall not drink wine from them.
12 For I (Q)know your manifold transgressions
And your mighty sins:
(R)Afflicting the just and taking bribes;
(S)Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.
13 Therefore (T)the prudent keep silent at that time,
For it is an evil time.

14 Seek good and not evil,
That you may live;
So the Lord God of hosts will be with you,
(U)As you have spoken.
15 (V)Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
(W)It may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

The Day of the Lord

16 Therefore the Lord God of hosts, the Lord, says this:

There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways,
‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmer to mourning,
(X)And skillful lamenters to wailing.
17 In all vineyards there shall be wailing,
For (Y)I will pass through you,”
Says the Lord.

18 (Z)Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
For what good is (AA)the day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
19 It will be (AB)as though a man fled from a lion,
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

21 “I(AC) hate, I despise your feast days,
And (AD)I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
22 (AE)Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
24 (AF)But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.

25 “Did(AG) you offer Me sacrifices and offerings
In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
26 You also carried [e]Sikkuth[f] (AH)your king
And Chiun, your idols,
The star of your gods,
Which you made for yourselves.
27 Therefore I will send you into captivity (AI)beyond Damascus,”
Says the Lord, (AJ)whose name is the God of hosts.

Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:9 Or flashes forth destruction
  2. Amos 5:11 trample
  3. Amos 5:11 Or tribute
  4. Amos 5:11 desirable
  5. Amos 5:26 LXX, Vg. tabernacle of Moloch
  6. Amos 5:26 A pagan deity

Seek Me That You May Live

Hear this word which I take up for you as a funeral (A)lament, O house of Israel:
She has fallen; she will (B)not rise again—
The (C)virgin Israel.
She lies abandoned on her land;
There is (D)none to raise her up.

For thus says Lord Yahweh,

“The city which goes forth one thousand strong
Will have one (E)hundred left,
And the one which goes forth one hundred strong
Will have (F)ten left to the house of Israel.”

For thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel,

(G)Seek Me (H)that you may live.
But do not seek (I)Bethel,
And do not come to (J)Gilgal,
Nor cross over to (K)Beersheba;
For Gilgal will certainly go into [a]exile,
And Bethel will become [b]evil.
(L)Seek Yahweh that you may live,
Lest He come mightily like a (M)fire, [c]O house of Joseph,
And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,
For those who overturn (N)justice into wormwood
And put righteousness down to the earth.”

He who made the (O)Pleiades and Orion
And (P)overturns the shadow of death into morning,
[d]Who also (Q)darkens day into night,
Who (R)calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
(S)Yahweh is His name.
It is He who (T)flashes forth with devastation upon the strong
So that (U)devastation comes upon the fortification.

10 They hate him who (V)reproves in the [e]gate,
And they (W)abhor him who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because you [f]impose heavy rent on the poor
And take a tribute of grain from them,
Though you have built (X)houses of cut stone,
Yet you will not live in them;
You have planted desirable vineyards, yet you will (Y)not drink their wine.
12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are mighty,
You who (Z)distress the righteous and take bribes
And [g]turn aside the needy in the [h]gate.
13 Therefore at [i]such a time the one with insight (AA)keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good and not evil, in order that you may live;
And thus may Yahweh God of hosts be with you,
(AB)Just as you have said!
15 (AC)Hate evil, love good,
And set justice at the [j]gate!
Perhaps Yahweh God of hosts
(AD)May be gracious to the (AE)remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore thus says Yahweh God of hosts, the Lord,

“There is (AF)wailing in all the plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They also call the (AG)farmer to mourning
And [k](AH)professional weepers to wailing.
17 And in all the (AI)vineyards there is wailing
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says Yahweh.

18 Woe, you who are longing for the (AJ)day of Yahweh,
For what purpose will the day of Yahweh be to you?
It will be (AK)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (AL)flees from a lion
And a bear meets him;
[l]Or he goes home, leans his hand against the wall,
And a snake bites him.
20 Will not the day of Yahweh be (AM)darkness instead of light,
Even thick darkness with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I (AN)reject your feasts,
Nor do I [m](AO)delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you (AP)offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the (AQ)peace offerings of your fatlings.
23 Remove from Me the tumult of your songs;
I will not even listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let (AR)justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 [n](AS)Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26 (AT)You also carried along [o]Sikkuth your king and [p]Kiyyun, your images, [q]the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says Yahweh, whose name is the God of hosts.

Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:5 Gilgal sounds like Heb root galah, which means to go into exile
  2. Amos 5:5 Or Beth Aven, cf. Hos 4:15; 5:8; 10:5
  3. Amos 5:6 Or in the house
  4. Amos 5:8 Lit And He darkened
  5. Amos 5:10 The place where court was held
  6. Amos 5:11 Or trample upon
  7. Amos 5:12 Lit they turn
  8. Amos 5:12 The place where court was held
  9. Amos 5:13 Lit that time
  10. Amos 5:15 The place where court was held
  11. Amos 5:16 Lit those who know lamentation
  12. Amos 5:19 Or Then
  13. Amos 5:21 Lit like to smell
  14. Amos 5:25 Or You presented Me with the sacrifices and a grain offering
  15. Amos 5:26 Or Sakkuth (Saturn), shrine of your Moloch
  16. Amos 5:26 Or Kaiwan (Saturn), stands of
  17. Amos 5:26 Or your star gods