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Judgment on Judah

Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[a] because they have rejected the law of Yahweh and have not kept his rules, and their lies have led them astray, after which their ancestors walked![b] So I will send a fire against Judah and it will devour the citadel fortresses of Jerusalem.

Judgment on Israel

Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[c] because they sell the righteous for money and the poor for a pair of sandals! Those who trample the heads of the powerless into the dust of the ground and turn aside the way of the destitute, a man and his father have sexual relations with[d] the same girl, so that they profane my holy name. They stretch themselves out beside every altar on clothing taken in pledge and they drink wine, bought with fines imposed,[e] in the house of their God. Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them,[f] who was as tall as[g] cedars and was as strong as the oaks. I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. 10 And I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and I led you in the wilderness forty years to take possession of the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is it not so, O people[h] of Israel? This is the declaration of Yahweh! 12 But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’ 13 Look! I am going to press you down in your place just as a utility cart full of mature stalks of grain is pressed down. 14 Flight will perish from the swift and the strong person will not muster his strength and the warrior will not save his life. 15 And the one who takes hold of the bow will not stand and the one who is swift on his feet will not save himself, nor will the one who rides the horse save his life. 16 Even those who are strong of heart among the mighty will flee away naked from the city on that day. This is the declaration of Yahweh!”

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:4 Or “it”
  2. Amos 2:4 Literally “which their ancestors walked after them”
  3. Amos 2:6 Or “it”
  4. Amos 2:7 Literally “go to”
  5. Amos 2:8 Literally “imposing a fine”
  6. Amos 2:9 Literally “from the face of them”
  7. Amos 2:9 Literally “whose height was as the height of”
  8. Amos 2:11 Literally “children”

A word to Judah

    The Lord proclaims:
    For three crimes of Judah,
        and for four, I won’t hold back the punishment,
    because they have rejected the Instruction of the Lord,
        and haven’t kept his laws.
    They have been led off the right path by the same lies
        after which their ancestors walked.
    So I will send a fire on Judah,
        and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

A word to Israel

    The Lord proclaims:
    For three crimes of Israel,
        and for four, I won’t hold back the punishment,
    because they have sold the innocent for silver,
            and those in need for a pair of sandals.
    They crush the head of the poor into the dust of the earth,
        and push the afflicted out of the way.
    Father and son have intercourse with the same young woman,
        degrading my holy name.
    They stretch out beside every altar
        on garments taken in loan;
    in the house of their god they drink
        wine bought with fines they imposed.
    Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them,
        whose height was as tall as cedar trees,
        and whose strength was as strong as oak trees.
    I destroyed his fruit above
        and his roots below.
10 Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt,
        and led you forty years in the wilderness,
        to lay claim to the land of the Amorite.
11 I raised up some of your children to be prophets
        and some of your youth to be nazirites.
    Isn’t this so, people of Israel?
says the Lord.

12 But you made the nazirites drink wine,
        and commanded the prophets,
        saying, “You won’t prophesy.”
13 So now I will oppress you,
        just like a cart is weighed down[a]
        when it is full of harvested grain.
14 Fast runners will find no refuge;
    the strong will lose their strength;
    the mighty will be unable to save their lives.
15 Those who shoot the bow won’t survive.
        Fast runners won’t escape;
        those who ride horses won’t save themselves.
16 The bravest warrior
    will flee away naked in that day,
says the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:13 Heb uncertain