21 “I hate,(A) I despise your religious festivals;(B)
    your assemblies(C) are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings(D) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.(E)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.(F)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.(G)
24 But let justice(H) roll on like a river,
    righteousness(I) like a never-failing stream!(J)

25 “Did you bring me sacrifices(K) and offerings
    forty years(L) in the wilderness, people of Israel?
26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
    the pedestal of your idols,(M)
    the star of your god[a]
    which you made for yourselves.
27 Therefore I will send you into exile(N) beyond Damascus,”
    says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:26 Or lifted up Sakkuth your king / and Kaiwan your idols, / your star-gods; Septuagint lifted up the shrine of Molek / and the star of your god Rephan, / their idols

Let Justice Roll On

21 “I hate—I despise—your festival days,
    and your solemn convocations stink.[a]
22 And[b] if you send up burnt offerings to me
    as well as your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
    nor will I consider your peace offerings of fattened cattle.
23 Spare me your noisy singing—
    I will not listen to your musical instruments.[c]

24 “But let justice roll on like many[d] waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing river.

25 “Was it to me that you brought offerings and gifts
    in the desert for 40 years, house of Israel?
26 And you carried the tent of your king[e]
    and Saturn,[f] your star god idols[g] that you crafted for yourselves.
27 So I will cause you to be taken captive beyond Damascus,”
    says the Lord,
        whose name is God of the Heavenly Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:21 Lit. and I smell no pleasant scent in your solemn assemblies
  2. Amos 5:22 Lit. Because
  3. Amos 5:23 I.e. a stringed instrument such as a harp or lyre
  4. Amos 5:24 The Heb. lacks many
  5. Amos 5:26 LXX reads of Moloch; MT reads carried Sikkuth your king
  6. Amos 5:26 Lit. and Kiyyun
  7. Amos 5:26 So MT; LXX reads and the star of your God Raiphan, the images