Amos 4 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan
who are on Mount Samaria,
who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, “Bring something to drink!”(A)
2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness:
The time is surely coming upon you
when they shall take you away with hooks,
even the last of you with fishhooks.(B)
3 Through breaches in the wall you shall leave,
each one straight ahead,
and you shall be flung out into Harmon,[a]
says the Lord.
4 Come to Bethel—and transgress;
to Gilgal—and multiply transgression;
bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three days;(C)
5 bring a thank offering of leavened bread
and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them;
for so you love to do, O people of Israel!
says the Lord God.(D)
Israel Rejects Correction
6 I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities
and lack of bread in all your places;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.(E)
7 And I also withheld the rain from you
when there were still three months to the harvest;
I would send rain on one city
and send no rain on another city;
one field would be rained upon,
and the field on which it did not rain withered;
8 so two or three towns wandered to one town
to drink water and were not satisfied;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.(F)
9 I struck you with blight and mildew;
I laid waste[b] your gardens and your vineyards;
the locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.(G)
10 I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;
I killed your young men with the sword;
I carried away your horses;[c]
and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.(H)
11 I overthrew some of you
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.(I)
12 Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!(J)
13 For the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
reveals his thoughts to mortals,
makes the morning darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth—
the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!(K)
Footnotes
Cross references
- 4.1 : Ps 22.12; Ezek 39.18; Am 2.8; 3.9; 5.11; 6.1, 6; 8.6
- 4.2 : Ps 89.35; Isa 37.29; Ezek 29.4; 38.4; Am 6.8; 8.7
- 4.4 : Num 28.3, 4; Deut 14.28; Hos 4.15; Am 3.14; 5.5
- 4.5 : Lev 7.13; 22.18, 21; Hos 9.1, 10
- 4.6 : Isa 3.1; Jer 5.3; 14.18; Hag 2.17
- 4.8 : Jer 3.7; 14.4; Ezek 4.16
- 4.9 : Deut 28.22; Jer 3.10; Joel 1.4; 2.25; Hag 2.17
- 4.10 : Ex 9.3, 6; Deut 28.27, 60; Jer 11.22; 18.21; 48.15; Joel 2.20
- 4.11 : Isa 13.19; Jer 23.14; Zech 3.2
- 4.12 : v 2; Ezek 13.5
- 4.13 : Ps 139.2; Jer 10.13; 13.16; Dan 2.28; Am 5.8, 27; Mic 1.3
Amos 4 Common English Bible
Judgment on Israel’s elite
4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
who are on Mount Samaria,
who cheat the weak,
who crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, “Bring drinks, so we can get drunk!”
2 The Lord God has solemnly promised by his holiness:
The days are surely coming upon you,
when they will take you away with hooks,
even the last one of you with fishhooks.
3 You will go out through the broken wall,
each one after another;
and you will be flung out into Harmon,
says the Lord.
A divine taunt
4 Come to Bethel—and commit a crime;
multiply crimes at Gilgal.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tenth-part gifts every three days.
5 Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice of leavened bread,
and publicize your gifts to the Lord;
for so you love to do, people of Israel!
says the Lord God.
Israel’s stubbornness
6 I have sent a famine in all your cities,
and not provided enough bread in all your places,
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the Lord.
7 I also withheld rain from you
when there were still three months to the harvest.
I allowed rain to fall on one city,
no rain to fall on another city.
One field was rained on,
and the field dried up where it didn’t rain.
8 So two or three thirsty towns went to one city to drink water, and weren’t satisfied;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the Lord.
9 I struck you with disease and mildew.
I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards.
The locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the Lord.
10 I sent a plague against you like the one in Egypt.
I killed your young men with the sword.
I carried away your horses.
I made the stink of your camp go up into your nostrils;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the Lord.
11 I destroyed some of you,
as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning coal plucked out of the fire;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the Lord.
12 Truly, Israel,
I will act in this way toward you;
therefore, I will do this to you.
Prepare to meet your God, Israel!
13 The one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
makes known his thoughts to humankind,
makes the morning darkness,
and moves over the heights of the earth—
the Lord, the God of heavenly forces is his name!
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible