Amos 5:4-15
New American Standard Bible
4 For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:
“(A)Seek Me (B)so that you may live.
5 But do not [a]resort to (C)Bethel
And do not come to (D)Gilgal,
Nor cross over to (E)Beersheba;
For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity
And Bethel will [b]come to nothing.
6 (F)Seek the Lord so that you may live,
Or He will break through like a (G)fire, [c]house of Joseph,
And it will consume with no one to extinguish it for Bethel,
7 For those who turn (H)justice into wormwood,
And [d]throw righteousness to the earth.”
8 He who made the (I)Pleiades and Orion,
And (J)changes deep darkness into morning,
[e]Who also (K)darkens day into night,
Who (L)calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The (M)Lord is His name.
9 It is He who (N)makes destruction flash upon the strong,
So that (O)destruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate him who (P)rebukes in the [f]gate,
And they (Q)despise him who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because you impose heavy [g]rent on the poor
And take a tribute of grain from them,
Though you have built (R)houses of cut stone,
Yet you will not live in them;
You have planted beautiful vineyards, yet you will (S)not drink their wine.
12 For I know your offenses are many and your sins are great,
You who are (T)hostile to the righteous and accept bribes,
And [h]turn away the poor from justice at the [i]gate.
13 Therefore at [j]such a time the prudent person (U)keeps quiet, because it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live;
And so may the Lord God of armies be with you,
(V)Just as you have said!
15 (W)Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the [k]gate!
Perhaps the Lord God of armies
(X)Will be gracious to the (Y)remnant of Joseph.
Footnotes
- Amos 5:5 Lit seek
- Amos 5:5 Lit be
- Amos 5:6 Or in the house
- Amos 5:7 Lit they have thrown
- Amos 5:8 Lit And He darkened
- Amos 5:10 I.e., the place where court was held
- Amos 5:11 Or tax
- Amos 5:12 Lit they turn
- Amos 5:12 I.e., the place where court was held
- Amos 5:13 Lit that time
- Amos 5:15 I.e., the place where court was held
Amos 5:4-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Seek God and Live
4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel:
Seek Me and live!(A)
5 Do not seek Bethel(B)
or go to Gilgal(C)
or journey to Beer-sheba,(D)
for Gilgal will certainly go into exile,
and Bethel will come to nothing.
6 Seek Yahweh(E) and live,
or He will spread like fire(F)
throughout the house of Joseph;
it will consume everything,
with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.(G)
7 Those who turn justice into wormwood(H)
throw righteousness to the ground.
8 The One who made the Pleiades and Orion,(I)
who turns darkness[a] into dawn(J)
and darkens day into night,(K)
who summons the waters of the sea(L)
and pours them out over the face of the earth(M)—
Yahweh is His name.(N)
9 He brings destruction[b] on the strong,[c](O)
and it falls on the stronghold.(P)
10 They hate the one who convicts the guilty(Q)
at the city gate
and despise(R) the one who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor(S)
and exact a grain tax from him,
you will never live in the houses of cut stone(T)
you have built;
you will never drink the wine
from the lush vineyards
you have planted.(U)
12 For I know your crimes are many
and your sins innumerable.
They oppress the righteous,(V) take a bribe,
and deprive the poor of justice(W) at the gates.
13 Therefore, the wise person will keep silent[d](X)
at such a time,
for the days are evil.
14 Seek good and not evil
so that you may live,
and the Lord, the God of Hosts,
will be with you,
as you have claimed.(Y)
15 Hate evil and love good;(Z)
establish justice in the gate.(AA)
Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious(AB)
to the remnant of Joseph.(AC)
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