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 the LORD: For three transgressions of Moab, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; 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

but I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; 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 the LORD.

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 the LORD: For three transgressions of Judah, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have caused them to err, after the which their fathers did walk:

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

but 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 the LORD: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; 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.

that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go 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 beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.

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.

Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet 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.

Also I brought you up out of 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 Nazirites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.

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].

But ye gave the Nazirites 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 [you] in your place, 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 himself:

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 he that is swift of foot shall not deliver [himself]: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself:

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 courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.