Amos 2

1 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Moab, and because of four, will I not turn it back, —Because he burned the bones of the King of Edom to lime,

Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will punish the people of] Moab because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they [dug up] the bones of the king of Edom and burned them completely, with the result that [the ashes became as white] as lime.

2 Therefore will I send a fire into Moab, which shall devour the palaces of Kerioth—and Moab, shall die with tumult, with war- cry, with the sound of a horn;

So I will cause a fire to completely burn the fortresses of Kerioth [city in Moab]. [People will hear soldiers] shouting and blowing trumpets [loudly] while I am causing Moab to be destroyed

3 And I will cut off the judge out of her midst, and, all her rulers, will I slay with him, saith Yahweh.

[and while] I am getting rid of its king and all its leaders. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”

4 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Judah, and because of four, will I not turn it back, —Because they have rejected the law of Yahweh, and, his statutes, have not kept, but their falsehoods, have led them astray, after the which their fathers, did walk,

Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will also punish the people of] Judah because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they have rejected what I taught them and they have not obeyed my commands. They have been deceived [and persuaded to worship false gods], the same [gods] that their ancestors [worshiped].

5 Therefore will I send a fire upon Judah, —which shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

So I will cause a fire to completely burn [everything in] Judah, including the fortresses in Jerusalem.”

6 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Israel, and because of four, will I not turn it back, —Because they have sold—for silver—the righteous, and the needy—for a pair of shoes:

Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will punish the people of] Israel because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they sell righteous [people] to get [a small amount of] silver; they sell poor [people, causing them to become slaves], getting for [each of] them [only the amount of money with which they could buy] a pair of sandals.

7 Who strive to bring the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and, the way of the oppressed, they pervert, —Yea, a man and his own father, go in unto the maid, to profane my holy Name!

[It is as though] they trample the poor people into the dirt and do not allow those who are helpless to be treated fairly. Men and their fathers dishonor me [MTY] by both having sex [EUP] with the same [slave] girl.

8 And, on pledged garments, they recline, beside every altar, —and, exacted wine, do they drink, in the house of their God.

[When poor people borrow money], [the lenders force those people to give to them a piece of clothing] for them to keep until he can pay back the money. [But at the end of each day, instead of returning that garment as Yahweh had commanded them to], they lie down on that garment at the places where they worship [their gods]! They fine people, and with that money [they buy] wine and drink it in the temples of their gods!

9 Yet it was, I, who destroyed the Amorite, from before them, whose height was, like the height of cedars, and, strong, was he, like the oaks, —but I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath.

[Long ago, ] to assist your ancestors, I got rid of the Amor people-group. They [seemed to be] as tall as cedar [trees] and as strong as oak [trees], but I got rid of them completely, [as easily as someone cuts off] [MET] the branches of a tree and then digs out all its roots.

10 And it was, I, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, —and led you in the desert, forty years, to take possession of the land of the Amorites;

I brought your [ancestors] out of Egypt, and [then] I led them through the desert for 40 years. And then I enabled them to conquer/possess the Amor area.

11 And I raised up, of your sons, for prophets, and, of your young men, for Nazirites, —Was it not even so, ye sons of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh;

I chose some of you Israelis to be prophets, and I chose others to be Nazir-men [who were completely dedicated to me]. You people of Israel certainly [RHQ] know that what I have said is true!

12 And yet ye caused the Nazirites to drink wine, —and, on the prophet, laid ye command, saying, Ye shall not prophesy!

But you commanded the prophets to not speak the messages that [I gave to] them, and you persuaded the Nazir-men to drink wine, [which I told them never to do].

13 Lo! I, am pressed under you, —as a full cart is pressed by its sheaves,

So I will crush you like [SIM] [the wheels of] a wagon that is loaded with grain crushes [whatever it rolls over].

14 Therefore shall flight, perish, from the swift, and, the mighty, shall not invigorate his strength, —nor shall, the hero, escape with his life;

[Even] if you run fast, you will not escape; [even] if you are strong, [it will be as though] you are weak, and warriors will be unable to save themselves.

15 Nor, he that handleth the bow, make a stand, and, the swift on his feet, shall not escape, —nor, he that rideth on a horse, escape with his life:

[Even] if you are able to shoot arrows [well], you will be forced to retreat [LIT]; [even] if you run fast or if you ride [away] on a horse, you will not [be able to] save yourself.

16 Nay, he that is stout in his heart, among heroes, naked, shall flee, in that day, Declareth Yahweh.

[Even] warriors who are very brave will drop their weapons when they try to flee on the day [that I get rid of them]. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”