< Amos 1 >
1 The wordes of Amos, who was among the heardmen at Tecoa, which he sawe vpon Israel, in the dayes of Vzziah king of Iudah, and in the dayes of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel, two yeere before the earthquake.
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.
2 And he saide, The Lord shall roare from Zion, and vtter his voyce from Ierusalem, and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish, and the top of Carmel shall wither,
And he said, The Lord roars from Zion, he shouts from Jerusalem. The shepherds' pastures wither, the top of Mount Carmel dries up.
3 Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Damascus, and for foure I will not turne to it, because they haue threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of yron.
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.
4 Therefore will I sende a fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Ben-hadad.
So I will send fire down on the house of Hazael and burn up Ben-Hadad's fortresses.
5 I will breake also the barres of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant of Bikeath-auen: and him that holdeth the scepter out of Beth-eden, and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir, sayth the Lord.
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.
6 Thus sayth the Lord, For three transgressions of Azzah, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they caried away prisoners the whole captiuitie to shut them vp in Edom.
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.
7 Therefore will I sende a fire vpon the walles of Azzah, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof.
So I will send down fire on the walls of Gaza and burn up its fortresses.
8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon, and turne mine hande to Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistims shall perish, sayth the Lord God.
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.
9 Thus sayth the Lord, For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they shut the whole captiuitie in Edom, and haue not remembred the brotherly couenant.
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.
10 Therefore wil I send a fire vpon ye walles of Tyrus, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof.
So I will send down fire on the walls of Tyre and burn up its fortresses.
11 Thus sayeth the Lord, For three transgressions of Edom, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because hee did pursue his brother with the sworde, and did cast off all pitie, and his anger spoyled him euermore, and his wrath watched him alway.
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.
12 Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman, and it shall deuoure the palaces of Bozrah.
So I will send down fire on Teman, and I will burn up the fortresses of Bozrah.
13 Thus sayth ye Lord, For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because they haue ript vp the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.
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.
14 Therefore will I kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall deuoure the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battell, and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde.
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.
15 And their King shall go into captiuitie, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.
Their king will be sent into exile together with his princes, says the Lord.