Amos 1-6
New American Standard Bible
Judgment on Neighbor Nations
1 The words of Amos, who was among the (A)sheepherders from (B)Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of (C)Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of (D)Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the (E)earthquake.
2 And he said,
“The (F)Lord roars from Zion,
And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;
And the shepherds’ (G)pasture grounds mourn,
And the [a](H)summit of Carmel dries up.”
3 This is what the Lord says:
“For (I)three offenses of (J)Damascus, and for four,
I will not [b]revoke its punishment,
Because they threshed Gilead with iron sledges.
4 So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael,
And it will consume the citadels of (K)Ben-hadad.
5 I will also (L)break the gate bar of Damascus,
And eliminate every inhabitant from the [c]Valley of Aven,
As well as him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden;
So the people of Aram will be exiled to (M)Kir,”
Says the Lord.
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (N)Gaza, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they led into exile an entire population
To (O)turn them over to Edom.
7 So I will send fire on the wall of Gaza
And it will consume her citadels.
8 I will also eliminate every inhabitant from (P)Ashdod,
As well as him who holds the scepter, from (Q)Ashkelon;
And I will direct My [d]power against Ekron,
And the remnant of the (R)Philistines will perish,”
Says the Lord [e]God.
9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (S)Tyre, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they turned an entire population over to Edom
And did not remember the covenant of [f](T)brotherhood.
10 So I will (U)send fire on the wall of Tyre,
And it will consume her citadels.”
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (V)Edom, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because he (W)pursued his brother with the sword
And stifled his compassion;
His anger also (X)tore continually,
And he maintained his fury forever.
12 So I will send fire upon (Y)Teman
And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of the sons of (Z)Ammon, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (AA)ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
In order to (AB)enlarge their borders.
14 So I will kindle a fire on the wall of (AC)Rabbah,
And it will consume her citadels
Amid [g](AD)war cries on the day of battle,
And amid a (AE)storm on the day of tempest.
15 Their (AF)king will go into exile,
He and his princes together,” says the Lord.
Judgment on Moab
2 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (AG)Moab, and for four,
I will not [h]revoke its punishment,
Because he (AH)burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
2 So I will send fire upon Moab
And it will consume the citadels of (AI)Kerioth;
And Moab will die amid the (AJ)panic of battle,
Amid war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
3 I will also eliminate the [i](AK)judge from her midst
And slay all her (AL)leaders with him,” says the Lord.
Judgment on Judah
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (AM)Judah, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (AN)rejected the Law of the Lord
And have not kept His statutes;
Their [j](AO)lies also have led them astray,
Those which their (AP)fathers followed.
5 So I will (AQ)send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of (AR)Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (AS)sell the righteous for [k]money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 These who [l]trample the head of the (AT)helpless to the dust of the earth
Also (AU)divert the way of the humble;
And a (AV)man and his father [m]resort to the same [n]girl
So as to profane My holy name.
8 And on garments (AW)seized as pledges they stretch out beside (AX)every altar,
And in the house of their God they (AY)drink the wine of those who have been fined.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the (AZ)Amorite before them,
[o]Though his (BA)height was like the height of cedars
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I also destroyed his (BB)fruit above and his roots below.
10 And it was I who (BC)brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness for (BD)forty years
So that you might take possession of the land of the (BE)Amorite.
11 Then I (BF)raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
And some of your young men to be (BG)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 (BH)shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am (BI)making a rut in the ground beneath you,
Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
14 (BJ)Refuge will be lost from the swift,
And the strong will not strengthen his power,
Nor the (BK)warrior save his [p]life.
15 The one who (BL)grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will the one who rides the (BM)horse save his [q]life.
16 Even the [r]bravest among the warriors will (BN)flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.
All the Tribes Are Guilty
3 Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire [s](BO)family which [t]He brought up from the land of Egypt:
2 “(BP)You only have I [u]known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will [v](BQ)punish you for all your wrongdoing.”
3 Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?
4 Does a (BR)lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion [w]growl from his den unless he has captured something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no [x]device in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
6 If a (BS)trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?
If a (BT)disaster occurs in a city, has the Lord not brought it about?
7 [y]Certainly the Lord [z]God does nothing
Unless He (BU)reveals His secret plan
To His servants the prophets.
8 A (BV)lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The (BW)Lord God has spoken! (BX)Who can do anything but prophesy?
9 Proclaim on the citadels in (BY)Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the (BZ)mountains of Samaria and see the great panic within her and the (CA)oppressions in her midst. 10 But they (CB)do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who (CC)store up [aa]violence and devastation in their citadels.”
11 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:
“An (CD)enemy, one surrounding the land,
Will take down your fortifications from you,
And your (CE)citadels will be looted.”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as the shepherd [ab](CF)snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,
So will the sons of Israel living in Samaria be [ac]snatched away—
With the (CG)corner of a bed and the [ad](CH)cover of a couch!
13 Hear and (CI)testify against the house of Jacob,”
Declares the Lord God, the God of armies.
14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s offenses,
I will also punish the altars of (CJ)Bethel;
The horns of the altar will be cut off,
And will fall to the ground.
15 I will also strike the (CK)winter house together with the (CL)summer house;
The houses of [ae](CM)ivory will also perish,
And the (CN)great houses will come to an end,”
Declares the Lord.
“Yet You Have Not Returned to Me”
4 Hear this word, you [af]cows of (CO)Bashan who are on the (CP)mountain of Samaria,
Who (CQ)exploit the poor, who oppress the needy,
[ag]And say to their [ah]husbands, “Bring now, that we may (CR)drink!”
2 The Lord [ai]God has (CS)sworn by His (CT)holiness,
“For behold, the days are coming upon you
When [aj]they will take you away with (CU)meat hooks,
And the last of you with (CV)fish hooks.
3 You will (CW)go out through holes in the walls,
One in front of the other,
And you [ak]will be hurled to Harmon,” declares the Lord.
4 “Enter Bethel and do wrong;
In Gilgal multiply wrongdoing!
(CX)Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days.
5 [al]Offer a (CY)thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened,
And proclaim (CZ)[am]voluntary offerings, make them known.
For so you (DA)love to do, you sons of Israel,”
Declares the Lord God.
6 “But I gave you also (DB)cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
And lack of bread in all your places;
Yet you have (DC)not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
7 “Furthermore, I (DD)withheld the rain from you
While there were still three months until harvest.
Then I would send rain on one city,
But on (DE)another city I would not send rain;
One part would be rained on,
While the part not rained on would dry up.
8 So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink (DF)water,
But would (DG)not be satisfied;
Yet you have (DH)not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
9 “I (DI)struck you with scorching wind and mildew;
The (DJ)caterpillar was devouring
Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;
Yet you have (DK)not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
10 “I sent a (DL)plague among you [an]as in Egypt;
I (DM)killed your young men with the sword, along with your (DN)captured horses,
And I made the (DO)stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;
Yet you have (DP)not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
11 “I overthrew you, as (DQ)God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a (DR)log snatched from a fire;
Yet you have (DS)not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore so I will do to you, Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to (DT)meet your God, Israel.”
13 For behold, He who (DU)forms mountains and (DV)creates the wind,
And (DW)declares to a person what are His thoughts,
He who (DX)makes dawn into darkness
And (DY)treads on the high places of the earth,
(DZ)The Lord God of armies is His name.
“Seek Me So That You May Live”
5 Hear this word which I am taking up for you as a (EA)song of mourning, house of Israel:
2 She has fallen, she will (EB)not rise again—
The (EC)virgin Israel.
She lies unnoticed on her land;
There is (ED)no one to raise her up.
3 For this is what the Lord [ao]God says:
“The city which goes forth a thousand strong
Will have a (EE)hundred left,
And the one which goes forth a hundred strong
Will have (EF)ten left to the house of Israel.”
4 For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:
“(EG)Seek Me (EH)so that you may live.
5 But do not [ap]resort to (EI)Bethel
And do not come to (EJ)Gilgal,
Nor cross over to (EK)Beersheba;
For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity
And Bethel will [aq]come to nothing.
6 (EL)Seek the Lord so that you may live,
Or He will break through like a (EM)fire, [ar]house of Joseph,
And it will consume with no one to extinguish it for Bethel,
7 For those who turn (EN)justice into wormwood,
And [as]throw righteousness to the earth.”
8 He who made the (EO)Pleiades and Orion,
And (EP)changes deep darkness into morning,
[at]Who also (EQ)darkens day into night,
Who (ER)calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The (ES)Lord is His name.
9 It is He who (ET)makes destruction flash upon the strong,
So that (EU)destruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate him who (EV)rebukes in the [au]gate,
And they (EW)despise him who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because you impose heavy [av]rent on the poor
And take a tribute of grain from them,
Though you have built (EX)houses of cut stone,
Yet you will not live in them;
You have planted beautiful vineyards, yet you will (EY)not drink their wine.
12 For I know your offenses are many and your sins are great,
You who are (EZ)hostile to the righteous and accept bribes,
And [aw]turn away the poor from justice at the [ax]gate.
13 Therefore at [ay]such a time the prudent person (FA)keeps quiet, because it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live;
And so may the Lord God of armies be with you,
(FB)Just as you have said!
15 (FC)Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the [az]gate!
Perhaps the Lord God of armies
(FD)Will be gracious to the (FE)remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore this is what the Lord God of armies, the Lord says:
“There is (FF)mourning in all the public squares,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Oh no! Oh no!’
They also call the (FG)farmer to mourning
And [ba](FH)professional mourners to mourning rites.
17 And in all the (FI)vineyards there is mourning,
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.
18 Woe to you who are longing for the (FJ)day of the Lord,
For what [bb]purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be (FK)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (FL)flees from a lion
And a bear confronts him,
[bc]Or he goes home, leans with his hand against the wall,
And a snake bites him.
20 Will the day of the Lord not be (FM)darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I (FN)reject your festivals,
Nor do I [bd](FO)delight in your festive assemblies.
22 Even though you (FP)offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the (FQ)peace offerings of your fattened oxen.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
24 But let (FR)justice roll out like waters,
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “[be](FS)Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel? 26 (FT)You also carried along [bf]Sikkuth your king and [bg]Kiyyun, your images, [bh]the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 Therefore I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of armies.
“Carefree in Zion”
6 (FU)Woe to those who are carefree in Zion,
And to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
The (FV)dignitaries of the foremost of nations,
To whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Go over to (FW)Calneh and look,
And go from there to (FX)Hamath the great,
Then go down to (FY)Gath of the Philistines.
Are [bi]they better than these kingdoms,
Or is their territory greater than yours?
3 Are you (FZ)postponing the day of disaster,
And would you (GA)bring near the seat of violence?
4 Those who lie on beds of ivory,
And lounge around on their (GB)couches,
And (GC)eat lambs from the flock,
And calves from the midst of the fattened cattle,
5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
And like David have [bj]composed (GD)songs for themselves,
6 Who (GE)drink wine from sacred bowls
While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils—
Yet they have not (GF)grieved over the collapse of Joseph.
7 Therefore, they will now (GG)go into exile at the head of the exiles,
And the revelry of those who (GH)lounge around will come to an end.
8 The Lord [bk]God has (GI)sworn by Himself, the Lord God of armies has declared:
“I (GJ)loathe the arrogance of Jacob,
And [bl]detest his (GK)citadels;
Therefore I will (GL)give up the city and [bm]all it contains.”
9 And it will be, if (GM)ten men are left in one house, they will die. 10 Then one’s [bn]uncle, or his (GN)undertaker, will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will [bo]answer, “(GO)Keep quiet! For [bp]the name of the Lord is (GP)not to be mentioned.” 11 For behold, the Lord is going to (GQ)command that the (GR)great house be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble.
12 Do horses run on rocks?
Or does one [bq]plow them with oxen?
Yet you have turned (GS)justice into poison,
And the fruit of righteousness into [br]wormwood,
13 You who rejoice in [bs](GT)Lodebar,
[bt]And say, “Have we not (GU)by our own strength taken [bu]Karnaim for ourselves?”
14 “For behold, (GV)I am going to raise up a nation against you,
House of Israel,” declares the Lord God of armies,
“And they will torment you from the (GW)entrance of Hamath
To the (GX)brook of the Arabah.”
Footnotes
- Amos 1:2 Lit head
- Amos 1:3 Lit cause it to turn back, and so throughout the ch
- Amos 1:5 Possibly Baalbek
- Amos 1:8 Lit hand
- Amos 1:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Amos 1:9 Lit brothers
- Amos 1:14 Or shouts
- Amos 2:1 Lit cause it to turn back, and so throughout the ch
- Amos 2:3 Or executive officer
- Amos 2:4 Or false gods
- Amos 2:6 Lit silver
- Amos 2:7 Or pant for the dust...on the head of the helpless
- Amos 2:7 Lit go
- Amos 2:7 Possibly a prostitute, or a temple prostitute
- Amos 2:9 Lit Whose height
- Amos 2:14 Lit soul
- Amos 2:15 Lit soul
- Amos 2:16 Lit strong of his heart
- Amos 3:1 I.e., nation
- Amos 3:1 Lit I
- Amos 3:2 Or chosen
- Amos 3:2 Lit visit
- Amos 3:4 Lit give his voice
- Amos 3:5 Lit snare
- Amos 3:7 Or For
- Amos 3:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Amos 3:10 I.e., the plunder from violence
- Amos 3:12 Or rescues
- Amos 3:12 Or rescued
- Amos 3:12 Or headrest; lit damask
- Amos 3:15 I.e., ivory inlay
- Amos 4:1 I.e., haughty, prominent women
- Amos 4:1 Lit Who
- Amos 4:1 Lit lords
- Amos 4:2 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Amos 4:2 Lit he
- Amos 4:3 As in LXX; MT will hurl
- Amos 4:5 Lit Offer up in smoke
- Amos 4:5 Or freewill offerings
- Amos 4:10 Lit in the way of Egypt
- Amos 5:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Amos 5:5 Lit seek
- Amos 5:5 Lit be
- Amos 5:6 Or in the house
- Amos 5:7 Lit they have thrown
- Amos 5:8 Lit And He darkened
- Amos 5:10 I.e., the place where court was held
- Amos 5:11 Or tax
- Amos 5:12 Lit they turn
- Amos 5:12 I.e., the place where court was held
- Amos 5:13 Lit that time
- Amos 5:15 I.e., the place where court was held
- Amos 5:16 Lit those who know mourning
- Amos 5:18 Lit will this be to you, the day
- Amos 5:19 Or Then
- Amos 5:21 Lit like to smell your
- Amos 5:25 Or You presented Me with the sacrifices and a grain offering
- Amos 5:26 Or Sakkuth (Saturn), or the tabernacle of your Moloch
- Amos 5:26 Or Kaiwan (Saturn), or stands of
- Amos 5:26 Or your star gods
- Amos 6:2 Or you
- Amos 6:5 Or invented musical instruments
- Amos 6:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Amos 6:8 Lit hate
- Amos 6:8 Lit its fullness
- Amos 6:10 Or beloved one
- Amos 6:10 Lit say
- Amos 6:10 Lit not to make mention in the name of
- Amos 6:12 Another reading is plow the sea with oxen
- Amos 6:12 I.e., bitterness
- Amos 6:13 Lit nothing
- Amos 6:13 Lit Who say
- Amos 6:13 Lit a pair of horns
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