Amos 4
1 Listen to this message, women of Sameria, you well-fed cows of Bashan, who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!”
Hear 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.”
2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness: The time is coming when you will be carried away in baskets, your children carried away in fish-baskets,
The 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.
3 and through the breaches in the city wall you will go, thrown out on the garbage dump, says the Lord.
You will go out through broken walls, each one straight ahead of her, and you will be cast out toward Harmon,”
4 Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgald increase your transgression. Bring your sacrifices in the morning, every third day your tithes!
“Go to Bethel and transgress; rebel even more at Gilgal! Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
5 Burn some leavened bread as a thank-offering, proclaim aloud your voluntary offerings, for you love to do this, Israelites! says the Lord God.
Offer leavened bread as a thank offering, and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings. For that is what you children of Israel love to do,”
6 But it was I who gave to you empty stomachs in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your towns, yet you have not returned to me, says the Lord.
“I beset all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,”
7 It was I who withheld from you the rain, sending rain on one city, while on another I allowed no rain. One field received rain, while a field without rain withered.
“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.
8 People from two or three cities ranged as far as another city for drinking water, and still they did not have enough, yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,”
9 I struck you with blight and mildew, I laid waste your gardens and vineyards. The swarming locust devoured your fig and your olive trees, yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
“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,”
10 I sent plague among you like the plagues of Egypt, I slew your youths with the sword, your horses raided away, I caused the stench of your camps to rise in your nostrils, yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
“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,”
11 I wrought a destruction among you, as God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a stick snatched from the fire, yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
“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,”
12 Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I am about to do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel.
“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!
13 He is here! He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, declares to his thoughts to mortals, makes dawn and darkness, treads upon the heights of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!
For 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.”
