Font Size
Amos 1-6
Amplified Bible
Amos 1-6
Amplified Bible
Judgment on Neighboring Nations
1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders of [a]Tekoa, which he saw [in a divine revelation] concerning [b]Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.(A)
2
And he said,
“The Lord thunders and roars from Zion [in judgment]
And utters His voice from Jerusalem;
Then the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
And the summit of [Mount] Carmel dries up [because of God’s judgment].”(B)
3
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Damascus and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I shall not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because they have threshed Gilead [east of the Jordan River] with sharp iron sledges [having spikes that crushed and shredded].(C)
4
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon the house of [c]Hazael,
And it shall devour the palaces and strongholds of [d]Ben-hadad (Hazael’s son).
5
“I also will break the bar [of the gate] of Damascus,
And cut off and destroy the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven (Wickedness),
And the ruler who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden (Damascus);
And the people of Aram [conquered by the Assyrians] will go into exile to [e]Kir,”
Says the Lord.(D)
6
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Gaza [in Philistia] and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because [as slave traders] they took captive the entire [Jewish] population [of defenseless Judean border villages, of which none was spared]
And deported them to Edom [for the slave trade].(E)
7
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Gaza
And it shall consume her citadels.
8
“And I will cut off and destroy the inhabitants from Ashdod,
And the ruler who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;
And I will unleash My power and turn My hand [in judgment] against Ekron,
And the rest of the Philistines [in Gath and the towns dependent on these four Philistine cities] shall die,”
Says the Lord God.(F)
9
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Tyre and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because they [as middlemen] deported an entire [Jewish] population to Edom
And did not [seriously] remember their covenant of brotherhood.(G)
10
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Tyre,
And it shall consume her citadels.”
11
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Edom [the descendants of Esau] and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because he pursued his brother Jacob (Israel) with the sword,
Corrupting and stifling his compassions and casting off all mercy;
His destructive anger raged continually,
And he maintained [and nurtured] his wrath forever.
12
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon Teman,
And it shall consume the citadels of Bozrah [in Edom].”
13
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of the children of [f]Ammon and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because the Ammonites have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead,
That they might enlarge their border.
14
“So I will kindle a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Rabbah [in Ammon]
And it shall devour its strongholds
Amid war cries and shouts of alarm on the day of battle,
And a tempest on the day of the whirlwind [when the enemy captures the city].
15
“Their king shall go into exile,
He and his princes together,” says the Lord.
Judgment on Moab
2 Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of [g]Moab and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom [Esau’s descendant] into lime [and used it to plaster a Moabite house].
2
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon Moab
And it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth;
And Moab shall die amid tumult and uproar,
With war cries and shouts of alarm and the sound of the trumpet.
3
“I will also cut off and destroy the ruler from its midst
And slay all the princes with him,” says the Lord.
Judgment on Judah
4
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Judah and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord [the sum of God’s instruction to His people]
And have not kept His commandments;
But their lies [and their idols], after which their fathers walked,
Caused them to go astray.
5
“So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction by the Babylonians] upon Judah
And it will devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of Israel and for four (multiplied delinquencies)
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because they sell the righteous and innocent for silver
And the needy for the price of a pair of sandals.
7
“These who pant after (long to see) the dust of the earth on the head of the helpless [as sign of their grief and distress]
Also turn aside the way of the humble;
And a man and his father will go to the same [h]girl
So that My holy name is profaned.
8
“They stretch out beside every [pagan] altar on clothes taken in pledge [to secure a loan, disregarding God’s command],
And in the house of their God [in contempt of Him] they frivolously drink the wine [which has been] taken from those who have been fined.(H)
9
“Yet it was I [not the false gods] who destroyed the Amorite before them,
Though his height was like the height of the cedars,
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below.
10
“Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt,
And I led you forty years through the wilderness
That you might possess the land of the Amorite.
11
“Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets [who gave you My revelation],
And some of your young men to be Nazirites (dedicated ones).
Is this not true, O you children of Israel?” says the Lord.(I)
12
“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink [despite their vows]
And commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’
13
“Behold, I am weighted down beneath you
As a cart that is weighted down when it is full of sheaves.
14
“Flight will be lost to the swift [so they will be unable to escape],
And the strong shall not strengthen nor maintain his power,
Nor shall the mighty man save his own life.
15
“He who handles the bow will not stand his ground,
The one who is swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will he who rides the horse save his life [from the invading army].
16
“Even the bravest among the warriors shall flee naked on that day,” says the Lord.
All the Families Are Guilty
3 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt:
2
“I have known [chosen, cared for, and loved] only you of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I shall punish you for all your wickedness.”
3
Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?
4
Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from his den if he has not captured something?
5
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has caught nothing at all? [Of course not! So it is that Israel has earned her impending judgment.]
6
If a trumpet is blown in a city [warning of danger] will not the people tremble?
If a disaster or misfortune occurs in a city has not the Lord caused it?
7
Surely the Lord God does nothing
[i]Without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come]
To His servants the prophets.(J)
8
The lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?(K)
9 Proclaim on the fortresses in Ashdod (Philistia) and on the citadels in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great confusion within her and the oppressions and abuse of authority in her midst. 10 For they do not know how to do right,” says the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation [like treasures] in their strongholds.”
11 Therefore, thus says the Lord God,
“An adversary (Assyria), even one surrounding the land,
Shall pull down your strength from you
And your fortresses will be looted.”
12
Thus says the Lord,
“Just as the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion a couple of legs or a piece of the [sheep’s] ear [to prove to the owner that he has not stolen the animal],
So will the [remaining] children of Israel living in Samaria be snatched away
With the corner of a bed and [part of] the damask covering of a couch.
13
“Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”
Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,
14
“On that day when I punish Israel’s transgressions,
I shall also punish the altars of Bethel [with their golden calves];
And the horns of the altar shall be cut off
And fall to the ground.
15
“And I shall tear down the winter house with the summer house;
And the houses of ivory shall also perish
And the great houses shall come to an end,”
Says the Lord.
“Yet You Have Not Returned to Me”
4 Hear this word, you [well-fed, pampered] cows (women) of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,
Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
Who say to their husbands, “Bring [the wine] now, and let us drink!”(L)
2
The Lord God has sworn [an oath] by His holiness
That, “Behold, the days are coming upon you
When they shall take you away with meat hooks,
And the last of you with fish hooks.(M)
3
“And you shall go out through the breaches [made in the city wall],
Every woman straight before her [unable to turn aside],
And you shall be cast to [j]Harmon,”
Says the Lord.
4
“Come to Bethel [where the golden calf is] and transgress;
In Gilgal [where idols are worshiped] multiply transgression;
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days!
5
“[k]Offer [by burning] a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened,
And [boastfully] proclaim freewill offerings, announce them.
For this you so love to do, O children of Israel!”
Says the Lord God.
6
“I also gave you cleanness of teeth [because of the famine] in all your cities
And lack of bread in all your places,
Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.
7
“Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you
When there were still three months until the harvest.
Then I would send rain on one city,
And on another city I would not send rain;
One piece of ground was rained on,
While the part not rained on would dry up.
8
“So [the people of] two or three cities would stagger into one city to drink water,
But would not be satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.
9
“I wounded you with blight [from the hot, blasting east wind] and with mildew;
And the caterpillar devoured
Your many gardens and vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees;
Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.
10
“I sent a plague among you like [those of] Egypt;
I killed your young men with the sword and I captured your horses,
I made the stench of your camp rise up into your nostrils;
Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.(N)
11
“I overthrew and destroyed [some among] you, as [I, your] God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were [rescued] like a log pulled out of the flame;
Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.(O)
12
“Therefore this is what I shall do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God [in judgment], O Israel!”
13
For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind
And declares to man what are His thoughts,
He who makes the dawn into darkness
And treads on the heights of the earth—
The Lord God of hosts is His name.(P)
“Seek Me that You May Live”
5 Hear this word which I take up for you as a funeral song, O house of Israel:
2
She has fallen, she will not rise again—
The virgin Israel.
She lies neglected on her land;
There is no one to raise her up.
3
For thus says the Lord God,
“The city which goes forth a thousand strong
Will have a hundred left,
And the one which goes forth a hundred strong
Will have ten left to the house of Israel.”
4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel,
“Seek Me [search diligently for Me and regard Me as more essential than food] so that you may live.(Q)
5
“But do not resort to Bethel [to worship the golden calf]
Nor enter [idolatrous] Gilgal,
Nor cross over to Beersheba [and its idols];
For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity and exile,
And Bethel will come to nothing.
6
“Seek the Lord [search diligently for Him and long for Him as your most essential need] so that you may live,
Or He will rush down like a [devouring] fire, O [l]house of Joseph,
And there will be no one to quench the flame for [idolatrous] [m]Bethel,
7
“For those [shall be consumed] who turn justice into wormwood (bitterness)
And cast righteousness down to the earth.”
8
He who made the [cluster of stars called] Pleiades and [the constellation] Orion,
Who turns deep darkness into the morning
And darkens the day into night,
Who calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The Lord is His name.
9
It is He who causes [sudden] destruction to flash forth on the strong
So that destruction comes on the fortress.
10
They hate the one who reprimands [the unrighteous] in the [court held at the city] gate [regarding him as unreasonable and rejecting his reprimand],
And they detest him who speaks [the truth] with integrity and honesty.
11
Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poor
And demand a tribute (food-tax) of grain from them,
Though you have built [luxurious] houses of square stone,
You will not live in them;
You have planted beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
12
For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great (shocking, innumerable),
You who distress the righteous and take bribes,
And turn away from the poor in the [court of the city] gate [depriving them of justice].
13
Therefore, he who is prudent and has insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].
14
Seek (long for, require) good and not evil, that you may live;
And so may the Lord God of hosts be with you,
Just as you have said!
15
Hate evil and love good,
And establish justice in the [court of the city] gate.
Perhaps the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph [that is, those who remain after God’s judgment].
16 Therefore, thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord,
“There is wailing in all the public plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
And they call the farmers to mourning [for those who have died]
And professional mourners to wailing.
17
“And in all vineyards there is wailing,
For I will pass through your midst [in judgment],” says the Lord.(R)
18
Woe (judgment is coming) to you who desire the day of the Lord [expecting rescue from the Gentiles]!
Why would you want the day of the Lord?
It is darkness (judgment) and not light [and rescue and prosperity];
19
It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger]
And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway],
Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
20
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, instead of light,
Even very dark with no brightness in it?
21
“I hate, I despise and reject your [sacred] feasts,
And I do not take delight in your solemn assemblies.
22
“Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened animals.
23
“Take the noise of your songs away from Me [they are an irritation]!
I shall not even listen to the melody of your harps.
24
“But let justice run down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream [flowing abundantly].
25 “Did you bring Me sacrifices and grain offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? [Certainly not!] 26 You carried along your king Sikkuth and Kayyun [your man-made gods of Saturn], your images of your star-god which you made for yourselves [but you brought Me none of the appointed sacrifices]. 27 Therefore, I will send you to go into exile far beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.(S)
“Those at Ease in Zion”
6 Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are at ease and carefree in Zion (Judah)
And to those on the mountain of Samaria who feel secure,
The distinguished men of the foremost of nations,
To whom the house of Israel comes.(T)
2
Go over to Calneh [in Babylonia] and look,
And from there go [north of Damascus] to the great city of Hamath;
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are they better than these kingdoms [of yours],
Or is their territory greater than yours?
3
Do you put off the day of punishment,
Yet cause the seat of violence to come near?
4
Those who lie on [luxurious] beds of ivory
And lounge around out on their couches,
And eat lambs from the flock
And calves from the midst of the stall,
5
Who improvise to the sound of the harp—
Like David they have composed songs for themselves—(U)
6
Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls
And anoint themselves with the finest oils [reflecting their unrestrained celebration];
Yet they are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph (Israel).(V)
7
Therefore, they will now go into exile with the first of the captives,
And the cultic revelry and banqueting of those who lounge around [on their luxurious couches] will pass away.
8
The Lord [n]God has sworn [an oath] by Himself—the Lord God of hosts, says:
“I loathe and reject the [self-centered] arrogance of Jacob (Israel),
And I hate his palaces and citadels;
Therefore, I shall hand over the [idolatrous] city [of Samaria] with all that it contains [to the Assyrian invaders].”
9 And it shall come to pass that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die [by the pestilence that comes with war]. 10 Then one’s uncle, or his undertaker, shall come to bring the [disease-infected] body out of the house, [to cremate it], and he will say to another in the farthest part of the house, “Is there anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will respond, “Hush! Keep quiet! For the name of the Lord is not to be mentioned [even casually, for fear that we might invoke even more punishment].”(W) 11 For behold, the Lord is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments.
12
Do horses run on rocks?
Do men plow rocks with oxen? [Of course not!]
Yet you have turned justice into poison
And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (bitterness),
13
You who [self-confidently] rejoice in [o]Lo-debar (Nothing),
Who say, “Have we not by our own strength taken [p]Karnaim (Strength) for ourselves?”
14
“For behold, I am going to stir up a nation against you,
O house of Israel,” says the Lord, the God of hosts,
“And they will afflict and torment you [to the entire limits of Israel] from the entrance of Hamath [in the north]
To the brook of the Arabah [in the south].”
Footnotes
- Amos 1:1 Tekoa was a small town in Judah about 10 miles south of Jerusalem.
- Amos 1:1 Amos was from the Southern Kingdom, Judah, but his message of divine judgment was primarily directed to the Northern Kingdom, Israel.
- Amos 1:4 Hazael ruled from Damascus (842-796 b.c.) as king of Aram (Syria). He was an important official in the court of Hadadezer whom he assassinated and then succeeded.
- Amos 1:4 Ben-hadad succeeded his father and ruled from 796-775 b.c.
- Amos 1:5 Perhaps back to the homeland of the Arameans (Syrians). Its location is uncertain.
- Amos 1:13 Descendants of Ben-ammi, the son born to Lot and his younger daughter (Gen 19:30-38).
- Amos 2:1 Descendants of Moab, the son born to Lot and his elder daughter (Gen 19:30-38).
- Amos 2:7 Possibly a temple prostitute.
- Amos 3:7 God has always warned of coming judgment in order that people may choose to change their behavior and avoid it. He warned Noah of the coming flood (Gen 6:13ff); Abraham and Lot of the future destruction of Sodom (Gen 18:17; 19:14); Joseph of the seven-year famine (Gen 41:30); Moses of the ten plagues on Egypt (Ex 7:1ff); Jonah of the destruction of Nineveh (Jon 1:2; 3:4); Amos of the downfall of Aram (Syria), Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, and Israel (Amos 1 and 2). Various prophets were told in advance about the captivities of the chosen people, and they came to pass because the warnings were disregarded. Jonah announced the destruction of Nineveh, but judgment was postponed following repentance. When later generations of Ninevites reverted to paganism and wickedness, the warning of Nahum was carried out against them.
- Amos 4:3 An unknown place of exile.
- Amos 4:5 The sarcasm of vv 5, 6 underscores the disobedience and hypocrisy of the Israelites.
- Amos 5:6 A reference to the ten tribes of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. The leading tribe in the north was Ephraim (descendants of Joseph’s second son).
- Amos 5:6 The center of pagan worship in the Northern Kingdom.
- Amos 6:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord.
- Amos 6:13 Lit a thing of nothing. Lo-debar and Karnaim apparently were Aramean sites that had been captured by Israel. Amos uses the meanings of these names in a play on words to rebuke Israel.
- Amos 6:13 Lit a pair of horns. The horns of animals were regarded as symbols of power. Amos condemns Israel for claiming that their victories were achieved without God’s help.
Amos 1-6
New International Version
Amos 1-6
New International Version
1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,(B) when Uzziah(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam(D) son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.(E)
2 He said:
“The Lord roars(F) from Zion
and thunders(G) from Jerusalem;(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel(I) withers.”(J)
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
3 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Damascus,(K)
even for four, I will not relent.(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire(M) on the house of Hazael(N)
that will consume the fortresses(O) of Ben-Hadad.(P)
5 I will break down the gate(Q) of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.(R)
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,(S)”
says the Lord.(T)
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,(U)
even for four, I will not relent.(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,(W)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king[d] of Ashdod(X)
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand(Y) against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines(Z) are dead,”(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.(AB)
9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Tyre,(AC)
even for four, I will not relent.(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses.(AF)”
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Edom,(AG)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword(AH)
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman(AJ)
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.(AK)”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Ammon,(AL)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women(AM) of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah(AN)
that will consume(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries(AP) on the day of battle,
amid violent winds(AQ) on a stormy day.
15 Her king[e] will go into exile,
he and his officials together,(AR)”
says the Lord.(AS)
2 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Moab,(AT)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes(AU)
the bones of Edom’s king,
2 I will send fire on Moab
that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.[f](AV)
Moab will go down in great tumult
amid war cries(AW) and the blast of the trumpet.(AX)
3 I will destroy her ruler(AY)
and kill all her officials with him,”(AZ)
says the Lord.(BA)
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,(BB)
even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law(BC) of the Lord
and have not kept his decrees,(BD)
because they have been led astray(BE) by false gods,[g](BF)
the gods[h] their ancestors followed,(BG)
5 I will send fire(BH) on Judah
that will consume the fortresses(BI) of Jerusalem.(BJ)”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not relent.(BK)
They sell the innocent for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.(BL)
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.(BM)
8 They lie down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge.(BN)
In the house of their god
they drink wine(BO) taken as fines.(BP)
9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites(BQ) before them,
though they were tall(BR) as the cedars
and strong as the oaks.(BS)
I destroyed their fruit above
and their roots(BT) below.
10 I brought you up out of Egypt(BU)
and led(BV) you forty years in the wilderness(BW)
to give you the land of the Amorites.(BX)
11 “I also raised up prophets(BY) from among your children
and Nazirites(BZ) from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.(CA)
13 “Now then, I will crush you
as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.(CB)
14 The swift will not escape,(CC)
the strong(CD) will not muster their strength,
and the warrior will not save his life.(CE)
15 The archer(CF) will not stand his ground,
the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
and the horseman(CG) will not save his life.(CH)
16 Even the bravest warriors(CI)
will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.
Witnesses Summoned Against Israel
3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you(CJ)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:(CK)
2 “You only have I chosen(CL)
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish(CM) you
for all your sins.(CN)”
3 Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar(CO) in the thicket
when it has no prey?(CP)
Does it growl in its den
when it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
when no bait(CQ) is there?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
if it has not caught anything?
6 When a trumpet(CR) sounds in a city,
do not the people tremble?
When disaster(CS) comes to a city,
has not the Lord caused it?(CT)
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan(CU)
to his servants the prophets.(CV)
8 The lion(CW) has roared(CX)—
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
who can but prophesy?(CY)
9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod(CZ)
and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;(DA)
see the great unrest within her
and the oppression among her people.”
10 “They do not know how to do right,(DB)” declares the Lord,
“who store up in their fortresses(DC)
what they have plundered(DD) and looted.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“An enemy will overrun your land,
pull down your strongholds
and plunder your fortresses.(DE)”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s(DF) mouth
only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
with only the head of a bed
and a piece of fabric[i] from a couch.[j](DG)”
13 “Hear this and testify(DH) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.
14 “On the day I punish(DI) Israel for her sins,
I will destroy the altars of Bethel;(DJ)
the horns(DK) of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house(DL)
along with the summer house;(DM)
the houses adorned with ivory(DN) will be destroyed
and the mansions(DO) will be demolished,(DP)”
declares the Lord.(DQ)
Israel Has Not Returned to God
4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan(DR) on Mount Samaria,(DS)
you women who oppress the poor(DT) and crush the needy(DU)
and say to your husbands,(DV) “Bring us some drinks!(DW)”
2 The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
“The time(DX) will surely come
when you will be taken away(DY) with hooks,(DZ)
the last of you with fishhooks.[k]
3 You will each go straight out
through breaches in the wall,(EA)
and you will be cast out toward Harmon,[l]”
declares the Lord.
4 “Go to Bethel(EB) and sin;
go to Gilgal(EC) and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,(ED)
your tithes(EE) every three years.[m](EF)
5 Burn leavened bread(EG) as a thank offering
and brag about your freewill offerings(EH)—
boast about them, you Israelites,
for this is what you love to do,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.
6 “I gave you empty stomachs in every city
and lack of bread in every town,
yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(EI)
7 “I also withheld(EJ) rain from you
when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
but withheld it from another.(EK)
One field had rain;
another had none and dried up.
8 People staggered from town to town for water(EL)
but did not get enough(EM) to drink,
yet you have not returned(EN) to me,”
declares the Lord.(EO)
9 “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
destroying them with blight and mildew.(EP)
Locusts(EQ) devoured your fig and olive trees,(ER)
yet you have not returned(ES) to me,”
declares the Lord.
10 “I sent plagues(ET) among you
as I did to Egypt.(EU)
I killed your young men(EV) with the sword,
along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench(EW) of your camps,
yet you have not returned to me,”(EX)
declares the Lord.(EY)
11 “I overthrew some of you
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.(EZ)
You were like a burning stick(FA) snatched from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(FB)
12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God.”
13 He who forms the mountains,(FC)
who creates the wind,(FD)
and who reveals his thoughts(FE) to mankind,
who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth(FF)—
the Lord God Almighty is his name.(FG)
A Lament and Call to Repentance
5 Hear this word, Israel, this lament(FH) I take up concerning you:
2 “Fallen is Virgin(FI) Israel,
never to rise again,
deserted in her own land,
with no one to lift her up.(FJ)”
3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:
“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
will have only ten left.(FK)”
4 This is what the Lord says to Israel:
“Seek(FL) me and live;(FM)
5 do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,(FN)
do not journey to Beersheba.(FO)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.[n](FP)”
6 Seek(FQ) the Lord and live,(FR)
or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;(FS)
it will devour them,
and Bethel(FT) will have no one to quench it.(FU)
7 There are those who turn justice into bitterness(FV)
and cast righteousness(FW) to the ground.(FX)
8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion,(FY)
who turns midnight into dawn(FZ)
and darkens day into night,(GA)
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the land—
the Lord is his name.(GB)
9 With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
and brings the fortified city to ruin.(GC)
10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court(GD)
and detest the one who tells the truth.(GE)
11 You levy a straw tax on the poor(GF)
and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,(GG)
you will not live in them;(GH)
though you have planted lush vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.(GI)
12 For I know how many are your offenses
and how great your sins.(GJ)
There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes(GK)
and deprive the poor(GL) of justice in the courts.(GM)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet(GN) in such times,
for the times are evil.(GO)
14 Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.(GP)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil,(GQ) love good;(GR)
maintain justice in the courts.(GS)
Perhaps(GT) the Lord God Almighty will have mercy(GU)
on the remnant(GV) of Joseph.
16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says:
“There will be wailing(GW) in all the streets(GX)
and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers(GY) will be summoned to weep
and the mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing(GZ) in all the vineyards,
for I will pass through(HA) your midst,”
says the Lord.(HB)
The Day of the Lord
18 Woe to you who long
for the day of the Lord!(HC)
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?(HD)
That day will be darkness,(HE) not light.(HF)
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,(HG)
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.(HH)
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,(HI) not light—
pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?(HJ)
21 “I hate,(HK) I despise your religious festivals;(HL)
your assemblies(HM) are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings(HN) and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.(HO)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.(HP)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.(HQ)
24 But let justice(HR) roll on like a river,
righteousness(HS) like a never-failing stream!(HT)
25 “Did you bring me sacrifices(HU) and offerings
forty years(HV) in the wilderness, people of Israel?
26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
the pedestal of your idols,(HW)
the star of your god[o]—
which you made for yourselves.
27 Therefore I will send you into exile(HX) beyond Damascus,”
says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.(HY)
Woe to the Complacent
6 Woe to you(HZ) who are complacent(IA) in Zion,
and to you who feel secure(IB) on Mount Samaria,(IC)
you notable men of the foremost nation,
to whom the people of Israel come!(ID)
2 Go to Kalneh(IE) and look at it;
go from there to great Hamath,(IF)
and then go down to Gath(IG) in Philistia.
Are they better off than(IH) your two kingdoms?
Is their land larger than yours?
3 You put off the day of disaster
and bring near a reign of terror.(II)
4 You lie on beds adorned with ivory
and lounge on your couches.(IJ)
You dine on choice lambs
and fattened calves.(IK)
5 You strum away on your harps(IL) like David
and improvise on musical instruments.(IM)
6 You drink wine(IN) by the bowlful
and use the finest lotions,
but you do not grieve(IO) over the ruin of Joseph.(IP)
7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;(IQ)
your feasting and lounging will end.(IR)
The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel
8 The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself(IS)—the Lord God Almighty declares:
“I abhor(IT) the pride of Jacob(IU)
and detest his fortresses;(IV)
I will deliver up(IW) the city
and everything in it.(IX)”
9 If ten(IY) people are left in one house, they too will die. 10 And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them[p](IZ) asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush!(JA) We must not mention the name of the Lord.”
11 For the Lord has given the command,
and he will smash(JB) the great house(JC) into pieces
and the small house into bits.(JD)
Footnotes
- Amos 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash
- Amos 1:5 Or the inhabitants of
- Amos 1:5 Aven means wickedness.
- Amos 1:8 Or inhabitants
- Amos 1:15 Or / Molek
- Amos 2:2 Or of her cities
- Amos 2:4 Or by lies
- Amos 2:4 Or lies
- Amos 3:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Amos 3:12 Or Israelites be rescued, / those who sit in Samaria / on the edge of their beds / and in Damascus on their couches.
- Amos 4:2 Or away in baskets, / the last of you in fish baskets
- Amos 4:3 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew (see Septuagint) out, you mountain of oppression
- Amos 4:4 Or days
- Amos 5:5 Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see Hosea 4:15.
- 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
- Amos 6:10 Or to make a funeral fire in honor of the dead
- Amos 6:12 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text plow there
- Amos 6:13 Lo Debar means nothing.
- Amos 6:13 Karnaim means horns; horn here symbolizes strength.
Amplified Bible (AMP) 
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.