< Amos 1 >
1 Here is the message that was given to Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa in Judah. This is what he saw concerning Israel when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, was king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Words of Amos—who has been among herdsmen of Tekoa—that he has seen concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking;
2 And he said, The Lord roars from Zion, he shouts from Jerusalem. The shepherds' pastures wither, the top of Mount Carmel dries up.
and he says, “YHWH roars from Zion, And gives forth His voice from Jerusalem, And pastures of the shepherds have mourned, And the top of Carmel has withered!”
3 This is what the Lord says: The people of Damascus have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, for they beat the people of Gilead with sharp iron threshing tools.
And thus said YHWH: “For three transgressions of Damascus, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their threshing Gilead with sharp-pointed irons,
4 So I will send fire down on the house of Hazael and burn up Ben-Hadad's fortresses.
And I have sent a fire against the house of Hazael, And it has consumed the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will smash the gates of Damascus, I will cut down those who live in the Valley of Aven, and the ruler from Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be deported as prisoners to the land of Kir, says the Lord.
And I have broken the bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from Bikat-Aven, And a holder of a scepter from Beth-Eden, And the people of Aram have been removed to Kir,” said YHWH.
6 This is what the Lord says: The people of Gaza have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, for they sent into exile whole communities, handing them over to Edom.
Thus said YHWH: “For three transgressions of Gaza, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their removing a complete captivity, To deliver up to Edom,
7 So I will send down fire on the walls of Gaza and burn up its fortresses.
And I have sent a fire against the wall of Gaza, And it has consumed her palaces;
8 I will cut down those who live in Ashdod and the ruler of Ashkelon. I will turn to punish Ekron and the Philistines who remain will die, says the Lord God.
And I have cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And a holder of a scepter from Ashkelon, And have turned back My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines have perished,” said Lord YHWH.
9 This is what the Lord says: The people of Tyre have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, for they exiled whole communities, handing them over to Edom, and did not keep their agreement to help each other as members of the same family.
Thus said YHWH: “For three transgressions of Tyre, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their delivering up a complete captivity to Edom, And they did not remember the brotherly covenant,
10 So I will send down fire on the walls of Tyre and burn up its fortresses.
And I have sent a fire against the wall of Tyre, And it has consumed her palaces.”
11 This is what the Lord says: The people of Edom have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, for they hunted down the Israelites to whom they were related, killing them with swords. They attacked without mercy, tearing the Israelites to pieces in an angry rage that never stopped.
Thus said YHWH: “For three transgressions of Edom, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of his pursuing his brother with a sword, And he has destroyed his mercies, And his anger tears continuously, And his wrath—he has kept it forever,
12 So I will send down fire on Teman, and I will burn up the fortresses of Bozrah.
And I have sent a fire against Teman, And it has consumed palaces of Bozrah.”
13 This is what the Lord says: The people of Ammon have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, because they ripped open pregnant women in Gilead as part of their war to enlarge their territory.
Thus said YHWH: “For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their ripping up the pregnant ones of Gilead, To enlarge their border,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah and burn up its fortresses. There will be shouts on the day of battle which will whirl with rage like a windstorm.
And I have kindled a fire against the wall of Rabbah, And it has consumed her palaces, With a shout in a day of battle, With a whirlwind in a day of windstorm,
15 Their king will be sent into exile together with his princes, says the Lord.
And their king has gone in a removal, He and his heads together,” said YHWH!