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Amos 1-5
Easy-to-Read Version
Amos 1-5
Easy-to-Read Version
Introduction
1 This is the message of Amos, one of the shepherds from the city Tekoa. He saw visions about Israel during the time that Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash was king of Israel. This was two years before the earthquake.
Punishment for Aram
2 Amos said,
“The Lord will shout like a lion in Zion.
His loud voice will roar from Jerusalem.
The green pastures of the shepherds will turn brown and die.
Even Mount Carmel[a] will become dry.”
3 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Damascus for the many crimes they did.[b] They crushed the people of Gilead with iron threshing tools. 4 So I will start a fire at Hazael’s[c] house that will destroy the great palaces of Ben-Hadad.[d]
5 “I will also break open the gates of Damascus[e] and remove the one who sits on the throne in the Valley of Aven.[f] I will remove the symbol of power from Beth Eden,[g] and the Arameans will be defeated and taken back to Kir.[h]” This is what the Lord said.
Punishment for the Philistines
6 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Gaza[i] for the many crimes they did. They took an entire nation of people and sent them as slaves to Edom. 7 So I will start a fire at the wall of Gaza that will destroy the high towers in Gaza. 8 And I will destroy the one who sits on the throne in Ashdod. I will destroy the king who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will punish the people of Ekron.[j] Then the Philistines who are still left alive will die.” This is what the Lord God said.
Punishment for Phoenicia
9 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Tyre[k] for the many crimes they did. They took an entire nation and sent them as slaves to Edom. They did not remember the agreement they had made with their brothers.[l] 10 So I will start a fire at the walls of Tyre that will destroy the high towers in Tyre.”
Punishment for the Edomites
11 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Edom for their many crimes. Edom chased his brother with the sword, and he showed no mercy. His anger never stopped. He kept tearing and tearing at Israel like a wild animal. 12 So I will start a fire at Teman that will destroy the high towers of Bozrah.”
Punishment for the Ammonites
13 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the Ammonites[m] for the many crimes they did. They killed the pregnant women in Gilead. The Ammonites did this so that they could take that land and make their country larger. 14 So I will start a fire at the wall of Rabbah[n] that will destroy the high towers of Rabbah. Troubles will come to them like a whirlwind[o] into their country. 15 Then their kings and leaders will be captured. They will all be taken together.” This is what the Lord said.
Punishment for Moab
2 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Moab for the many crimes they did. Moab burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. 2 So I will start a fire in Moab that will destroy the high towers of Kerioth.[p] There will be terrible shouting and the sounds of a trumpet, and Moab will die. 3 So I will bring an end to the kings[q] of Moab, and I will kill all the leaders of Moab.” This is what the Lord said.
Punishment for Judah
4 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish Judah for the many crimes they did. They refused to obey the Lord’s teachings and they did not keep his commands. Their ancestors believed lies, and those same lies caused the people of Judah to stop following God. 5 So I will start a fire in Judah that will destroy the high towers of Jerusalem.”
Punishment for Israel
6 This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish Israel for the many crimes they have done. They sold honest people for a little silver. They sold the poor for the price of a pair of sandals. 7 They pushed their faces into the ground and walked on them. They stopped listening to suffering people. Fathers and sons had sexual relations with the same woman. They ruined my holy name. 8 They took clothes from the poor, and then they sat on those clothes while worshiping at their altars. They loaned money to the poor, and then they took their clothes as a promise for payment.[r] They made people pay fines and used the money to buy wine for themselves to drink in the temple of their god.
9 “But it was I who destroyed the Amorites[s] before them. They were as tall as cedar trees and as strong as oaks, but I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.[t]
10 “I was the one who brought you from the land of Egypt. For 40 years I led you through the desert. I helped you take the Amorites’ land. 11 I made some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. People of Israel, it is true.” This is what the Lord said. 12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine. You told the prophets not to prophesy. 13 You have become more than I can bear. I am bent low like a wagon loaded with grain. 14 No one will escape, not even the fastest runner. Strong men will not be strong enough. Soldiers will not be able to save themselves. 15 People with bows and arrows will not survive. Fast runners will not escape. People on horses will not escape alive. 16 At that time even very brave soldiers will run away. They will not take the time to put their clothes on.” This is what the Lord said.
Warning to Israel
3 People of Israel, listen to this message! This is what the Lord said about you, Israel. This message is about all the families that I brought from the land of Egypt. 2 “There are many families on earth, but you are the only family I chose to know in a special way. And you turned against me, so I will punish you for all your sins.”
The Cause of Israel’s Punishment
3 Two people will not walk together
unless they have agreed to do so.
4 A lion will roar in the forest
only if it catches its prey.
A young lion roaring in his cave
means he has caught something to eat.
5 A bird doesn’t fly into a trap
unless there is food in it.
If a trap closes,
it will catch the bird.
6 If people hear the warning blast of a trumpet,
they shake with fear.
If trouble comes to a city,
the Lord caused it to happen.
7 When the Lord God decides to do something, he will first tell his servants, the prophets. 8 When a lion roars, people are frightened. When the Lord God speaks, a prophet must prophesy.
9-10 Go to the high towers in Ashdod[u] and in Egypt and announce this message from the Lord: “Come together on the mountains of Samaria. See the great confusion there because the people don’t know how to live right. See how cruel they are to others. They take things from people to hide in their high towers. Their treasuries are filled with the things they have taken in war.”
11 So the Lord God says, “An enemy will surround your land. They will break down your strong walls and take the things you have hidden in your high towers.”
12 The Lord says,
“A lion might attack a lamb,
and a shepherd might try to save the lamb.
But the shepherd will save
only a part of that lamb.
He might pull two legs
or a part of an ear from the lion’s mouth.
In the same way, most of the people of Israel will not be saved.
Those who live in Samaria will save only a corner from a bed,
or a piece of cloth from a couch.”
13 This is what the Lord God All-Powerful says: “Warn the family of Jacob about these things. 14 Israel sinned, and I will punish them for their sins. And when I do, I will also destroy the altars at Bethel.[v] The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. 15 I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will be destroyed. Many houses will be destroyed.” This is what the Lord said.
The Women Who Love Pleasure
4 Listen to me, you cows of Bashan[w] on Samaria’s mountain. You hurt the poor and crush those in need. You tell your husbands,[x] “Bring us something to drink!”
2 The Lord God made a promise. He promised by his holiness that troubles will come to you. People will use hooks and take you away as prisoners. They will use fishhooks to take away your children. 3 Your city will be destroyed. The women will rush out through cracks in the wall and throw themselves onto the pile of dead bodies.[y]
This is what the Lord says: 4 “Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal[z] and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day festival. 5 And offer a thank offering made with yeast. Tell everyone about the freewill offerings.[aa] Israel, you love to do those things. So go and do them.” This is what the Lord God said.
6 “I didn’t give you any food to eat.[ab] There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
7 “I also stopped the rain, and it was three months before harvest time. So no crops grew. Then I let it rain on one city, but not on another city. Rain fell on one part of the country, but on the other part of the country, the land became very dry. 8 So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9 “I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10 “I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11 “I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12 “So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
13 He is the one who made the mountains.
He created the wind.[ac]
He lets people know his thoughts.
He changes the darkness into dawn.
He walks over the mountains of the earth.
His name is Yahweh, Lord God All-Powerful.
A Sad Song for Israel
5 People of Israel, listen to this song. This funeral song is about you.
2 The virgin[ad] of Israel has fallen.
She will not get up anymore.
She was left alone, lying in the dirt.
There is no one to lift her up.
3 This is what the Lord God says:
“Officers leaving the city with 1000 men
will return with only 100 men.
Officers leaving the city with 100 men
will return with only ten men.”
The Lord Encourages Israel to Come Back
4 The Lord says this to the nation[ae] of Israel:
“Come looking for me and live.
5 But don’t look in Bethel.
Don’t go to Gilgal.
Don’t cross the border and go down to Beersheba.[af]
The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners,[ag]
and Bethel will be destroyed.[ah]
6 Come to the Lord and live.
If you don’t go to him, a fire will start at Joseph’s house,[ai]
and no one in Bethel[aj] can stop it.
7-9 You should go to the Lord for help.
He is the one who made the Pleiades and Orion.[ak]
He changes darkness into the morning light.
He changes the day into the dark night.
He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the earth.
His name is Yahweh!
He keeps one strong city safe,
and he lets another strong city be destroyed.”
The Evil Things That the Israelites Did
You change justice to poison.[al]
You throw away fairness like trash.
10 You hate those prophets, who go to public places and speak against evil,
even though they teach good, simple truths.
11 You take unfair taxes[am] from the poor.
You take loads of wheat from them.
You build fancy houses with cut stone,
but you will not live in them.
You plant beautiful vineyards,
but you will not drink the wine from them.
12 This is because I know about your many sins.
You have done some very bad things:
You hurt people who do right,
you accept money to do wrong,
and you keep the poor from receiving justice in court.
13 At that time wise teachers will be quiet,
because it is a bad time.
14 You say that God is with you,
so you should do good things, not evil.
Then you will live,
and the Lord God All-Powerful will be with you.
15 Hate evil and love goodness.
Bring justice back into the courts.
Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful
will be kind to the survivors from Joseph’s family.
A Time of Great Sadness Is Coming
16 The Lord, the Lord God All-Powerful says,
“People will be crying in the public places.
They will be crying in the streets.
They will hire the professional criers.[an]
17 People will be crying in the vineyards,
because I will pass through and punish you.”
This is what the Lord said.
18 Some of you want to see
the Lord’s special day of judgment.
Why do you want to see that day of the Lord?
His special day will bring darkness, not light.
19 You will be like someone who escapes from a lion
only to be attacked by a bear,
or like someone who goes into the safety of his house,
leans against the wall,
and is bitten by a snake.
20 The Lord’s special day will be
a day of darkness, not light—a day of gloom, without a ray of light.
The Lord Rejects Israel’s Worship
21 “I hate your festivals;
I will not accept them.
I don’t enjoy your religious meetings.
22 Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
I will not even look at the fat animals
you give as fellowship offerings.
23 Take your noisy songs away from here.
I will not listen to the music from your harps.
24 But let justice flow like a river,
and let goodness flow like a stream that never becomes dry.
25 Israel, you offered me sacrifices
and offerings in the desert for 40 years.[ao]
26 But you also carried statues of Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan.[ap]
There was also that star god[aq] that you made for yourselves.
27 So I will send you as captives, far beyond Damascus.”
This is what the Lord says.
His name is God All-Powerful.
Footnotes
- Amos 1:2 Mount Carmel A mountain in northern Israel. The name means “God’s vineyard.” This shows that it was a very fertile hill.
- Amos 1:3 for the many crimes they did Literally, “for three crimes … and for four ….” This shows that these people were very sinful—and it was time to punish them. Also in verses 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6.
- Amos 1:4 Hazael Hazael was the king of Aram (Syria). He murdered Ben-Hadad I so that he could become king. See 2 Kings 8:7.
- Amos 1:4 Ben-Hadad Ben-Hadad II, the son of Hazael, king of Aram (Syria). See 2 Kings 13:3.
- Amos 1:5 Damascus The capital city of Aram (Syria).
- Amos 1:5 the Valley of Aven A name that can mean “Restful Valley” or “Empty Valley of Misfortune.”
- Amos 1:5 Beth Eden The royal city of Aram (Syria) on Mount Lebanon. This name means “House of Pleasure” or “Paradise.”
- Amos 1:5 Kir Or “Kur,” an area controlled by the Assyrians. See Amos 9:7.
- Amos 1:6 Gaza An important city of the Philistines.
- Amos 1:8 Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron Important cities of the Philistines.
- Amos 1:9 Tyre The capital city of Phoenicia.
- Amos 1:9 brothers The people of Israel.
- Amos 1:13 Ammonites The Ammonites were the descendants of Ben-Ammi, son of Lot. Read Gen. 19:38.
- Amos 1:14 Rabbah The capital city of the Ammonites.
- Amos 1:14 whirlwind A strong wind that blows in a circle.
- Amos 2:2 Kerioth A city in Moab. This might be Ar, the capital city of Moab.
- Amos 2:3 kings Literally, “judges.”
- Amos 2:8 as a promise for payment. See Deut. 24:12-13 for the rules about making loans to the poor.
- Amos 2:9 Amorites One of the nations who lived in Canaan before the Israelites came. They were the people who scared the Israelites while Moses was leading them in the desert. See Num. 13:33.
- Amos 2:9 fruit above … below This means the parents and their children.
- Amos 3:9 Ashdod An important city of the Philistines.
- Amos 3:14 Bethel A town in Israel. This name means “God’s house.”
- Amos 4:1 cows of Bashan This means the wealthy women in Samaria. Bashan, an area east of the Jordan River, was famous for its big bulls and cows.
- Amos 4:1 your husbands Literally, “their masters.”
- Amos 4:3 throw … dead bodies Or “You will be thrown away. People will take you to Mount Hermon.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand. It is not clear if the women will be “thrown away” or if the women will be “throwing something away.”
- Amos 4:4 Bethel … Gilgal Places of worship for the people of Israel. God wanted the people of Israel and the people of Judah to worship him only in the Temple at Jerusalem.
- Amos 4:5 Offer your sacrifices … freewill offerings All these things were against the Law of Moses. The leaders and false priests started these new festivals and different ways of worshiping God.
- Amos 4:6 I didn’t give you any food to eat Literally, “I gave you clean teeth.”
- Amos 4:13 the wind Or “your minds.”
- Amos 5:2 virgin The Hebrew word can mean “a woman who has not had sexual relations with anyone,” but here, it means the city of Samaria.
- Amos 5:4 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country.
- Amos 5:5 Bethel, Gilgal, Beersheba Ancient places of worship. Abraham and Jacob built altars in these places, but God had told the Israelites that they should go to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship him.
- Amos 5:5 taken away as prisoners In Hebrew this sounds like the name “Gilgal.”
- Amos 5:5 destroyed The Hebrew word is like the name “Beth Aven.” This name means “House of Wickedness.” The prophets often used this name for Bethel.
- Amos 5:6 Joseph’s house Here, this means the ten-tribe nation of Israel. Joseph was the ancestor of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh in Israel.
- Amos 5:6 Bethel This name means “El’s house” or “the house of God.” There was a temple here where the people from the northern tribes worshiped.
- Amos 5:7 Pleiades and Orion Two well-known groups of stars (constellations).
- Amos 5:7 poison Literally, “wormwood,” a type of plant with bitter leaves. It could be used as a medicine, or if strong enough, as a poison.
- Amos 5:11 take unfair taxes The meaning of the Hebrew word here is uncertain.
- Amos 5:16 professional criers People who went to funerals and cried loudly for the dead. Families and friends of the dead person often gave food or money to these people.
- Amos 5:25 Or “Israel, did you offer me sacrifices and offerings in the desert for 40 years?”
- Amos 5:26 Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan Or “Sakkuth, Moloch, and Kaiwan,” names of Assyrian gods.
- Amos 5:26 star god This might be to honor a special god or all the stars in the sky. Many people thought the sun, moon, stars, and planets were gods or angels. This verse might also be translated, “You carried the shelter for your king and the footstool for your idols—the star of your gods that you made for yourselves.” The ancient Greek version adds the names of these gods: Moloch and Raphan.
Amos 1-5
New International Version
Amos 1-5
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)
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
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