Judgment on Judah

This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (A)Judah, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (B)rejected the Law of the Lord
And have not kept His statutes;
Their [a](C)lies also have led them astray,
Those which their (D)fathers followed.
So I will (E)send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

Judgment on Israel

This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (F)Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (G)sell the righteous for [b]money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
These who [c]trample the head of the (H)helpless to the dust of the earth
Also (I)divert the way of the humble;
And a (J)man and his father [d]resort to the same [e]girl
So as to profane My holy name.
And on garments (K)seized as pledges they stretch out beside (L)every altar,
And in the house of their God they (M)drink the wine of those who have been fined.

“Yet it was I who destroyed the (N)Amorite before them,
[f]Though his (O)height was like the height of cedars
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I also destroyed his (P)fruit above and his roots below.
10 And it was I who (Q)brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness for (R)forty years
So that you might take possession of the land of the (S)Amorite.
11 Then I (T)raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
And some of your young men to be (U)Nazirites.
Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You (V)shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am (W)making a rut in the ground beneath you,
Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
14 (X)Refuge will be lost from the swift,
And the strong will not strengthen his power,
Nor the (Y)warrior save his [g]life.
15 The one who (Z)grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will the one who rides the (AA)horse save his [h]life.
16 Even the [i]bravest among the warriors will (AB)flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:4 Or false gods
  2. Amos 2:6 Lit silver
  3. Amos 2:7 Or pant for the dust...on the head of the helpless
  4. Amos 2:7 Lit go
  5. Amos 2:7 Possibly a prostitute, or a temple prostitute
  6. Amos 2:9 Lit Whose height
  7. Amos 2:14 Lit soul
  8. Amos 2:15 Lit soul
  9. Amos 2:16 Lit strong of his heart

Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers did walk. But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes— they that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father go unto the same maiden, to profane my holy name: and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.

Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. 10 Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith Jehovah. 12 But ye gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

13 Behold, [a]I will press you in your place, as a cart presseth that is full of sheaves. 14 And [b]flight shall perish from the swift; and the strong shall not strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver [c]himself; 15 neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself; neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver [d]himself; 16 and he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith Jehovah.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 2:13 Or, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves
  2. Amos 2:14 Or, refuge shall fail the swift
  3. Amos 2:14 Hebrew his soul (or, life).
  4. Amos 2:15 Hebrew his soul (or, life).