Amos 1–4

1These are the words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders of Tekoa—what he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, in the days when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.

2He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.”

3This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron.

4So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael to consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.

5I will break down the gates of Damascus; I will cut off the ruler from the Valley of Aven and the one who wields the scepter in Beth-eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the LORD.

6This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom.

7So I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza, to consume its citadels.

8I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.

9This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom and broke a covenant of brotherhood.

10So I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre to consume its citadels.”

11This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.

12So I will send fire upon Teman to consume the citadels of Bozrah.”

13This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

14So I will kindle a fire in the walls of Rabbah to consume its citadels amid war cries on the day of battle and a violent wind on the day of tempest.

15Their king will go into exile — he and his princes together,” says the LORD.

1This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king.

2So I will send fire against Moab to consume the citadels of Kerioth. Moab will die in tumult, amid war cries and the sound of the ram’s horn.

3I will cut off the ruler of Moab and kill all the officials with him,” says the LORD.

4This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Judah, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they reject the Law of the LORD and fail to keep His statutes; they are led astray by the lies in which their fathers walked.

5So I will send fire upon Judah to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

6This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.

7They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.

8They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.

9Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.

10And I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.

11I raised up prophets from your sons and Nazirites from your young men. Is this not true, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD.

12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

13Behold, I am about to crush you in your place as with a cart full of grain.

14Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.

15The archer will not stand his ground, the fleet of foot will not escape, and the horseman will not save his life.

16Even the bravest of mighty men will flee naked on that day,” declares the LORD.

1Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

2“Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

3Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?

4Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing?

5Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

6If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

7Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

8The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken— who will not prophesy?

9Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdod and to the citadels of Egypt: “Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest in the city and the acts of oppression in her midst.”

10“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

11Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.”

12This is what the LORD says: “As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescued having just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.

13Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, declares the Lord GOD, the God of Hosts.

14On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.

15I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,” declares the LORD.

1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”

2The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days are coming when you will be taken away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

3You will go out through broken walls, each one straight ahead of her, and you will be cast out toward Harmon,” declares the LORD.

4“Go to Bethel and transgress; rebel even more at Gilgal! Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.

5Offer leavened bread as a thank offering, and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings. For that is what you children of Israel love to do,” declares the Lord GOD.

6“I afflicted all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

7“I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered.

8People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

9“I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

10“I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

11“Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

12“Therefore, that is what I will do to you, O Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

13For behold, He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind and reveals His thoughts to man, who turns the dawn to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth— the LORD, the God of Hosts, is His name.”