Amos 6

1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

How disastrous it will be for you who have an easy life in Zion, and you who feel secure living on Mount Samaria—you who are the most famous men in all of Israel to whom people come for help!

2 Pass you to Calneh, and see; and from there go you to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

But go to Calneh, and see what took place there. Then go on to the great city of Hamath, and down to the Philistine city of Gath. Were they better kingdoms than yours? Did they have more territory than you?

3 You that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

You put out of your minds any thought of coming disaster, yet you are bringing closer the time when violence reigns.

4 That lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the middle of the stall;

How disastrous it will be for you people who lie on beds decorated with ivory and lounge on couches, eating lamb from your flocks and fattened calves from the stall.

5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David;

You make up songs accompanied by the harp, thinking you're great composers like David.

6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

You drink wine by the bowlful, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph's descendants.

7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

So you will be at the head of those led away into exile; the feasting and lazing around will be over.

8 The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, says the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

The Lord God has sworn an oath on his own life. This is what the Lord God of power declares: I detest Jacob's arrogance and I hate his fortresses; I will hand over this city and all in it to the enemy.

9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

If there are ten people in a house, they will die.

10 And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burns him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say to him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with you? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold your tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

And when a relative comes to take away the bodies from the house, he will ask someone inside “Is there anyone else with you?” The person will reply, “No...” Then the other will say, “Quiet! Don't even mention the Lord's name.”

11 For, behold, the LORD commands, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

Watch out! When the Lord gives the command, large houses will be reduced to rubble, and small houses smashed to pieces.

12 Shall horses run on the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for you have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

Can horses gallop over rocks? Can oxen plow the sea? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of doing good into bitterness!

13 You which rejoice in a thing of nothing, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

You joyfully celebrate your conquest of Lodebar, and say “Didn't we in our own strength capture Karnaim?”

14 But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, says the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath to the river of the wilderness.

Watch out, people of Israel! I am going to send an enemy nation to attack you, says the Lord God of power, and they will oppress you from the Pass of Hamath to the Arabah Valley.