< Amos 2 >

1 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.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.
2 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
And I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerijoth; and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, [and] with the sound of the trumpet.
3 [and while] I am getting rid of its king and all its leaders. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith Jehovah.
4 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].
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they have despised the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes; and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers walked.
5 So I will cause a fire to completely burn [everything in] Judah, including the fortresses in Jerusalem.”
And I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
6 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.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes;
7 [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.
panting after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turning aside the way of the meek; and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name.
8 [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!
And they lay [themselves] down by every altar upon clothes taken in pledge, and they drink [in] the house of their God the wine of the condemned.
9 [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.
But I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was as the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; but I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
10 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.
And I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
11 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!
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, ye children of Israel? saith Jehovah.
12 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].
And ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
13 So I will crush you like [SIM] [the wheels of] a wagon that is loaded with grain crushes [whatever it rolls over].
Behold, I will press upon you, as a cart presseth that is full of sheaves.
14 [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.
And flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver his soul.
15 [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.
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and the swift of foot shall not escape, and he that rideth the horse shall not deliver his soul;
16 [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.”
and he that is stout-hearted among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith Jehovah.

< Amos 2 >