Amos 1
1 This is the message that [Yahweh] gave to [me], Amos. I am a (shepherd/man who takes care of sheep). I am from [near] Tekoa [town south of Jerusalem]. I received this message about Israel in a vision two years before the [big] earthquake. It was when Uzziah was the king of Judah, and Jeroboam, the son of [King] Jehoash, was the king of Israel.
The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa, which he prophesied concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earth quake. He said: —
2 This is what Yahweh said: “I will roar [like a lion] [MET]; when I speak from Zion [Hill in] Jerusalem [DOU], my voice will [resemble the sound of] thunder. [When that happens], the pastures where you shepherds [take care of] your sheep will dry up, and [the grass] on top of Carmel [Mountain] will (wither/become brown) [because I will cause that no rain will fall].”
Jehovah will roar from Zion, And utter his voice from Jerusalem; The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, And the top of Carmel shall wither.
3 This is [also] what Yahweh said [to me]: “[I will punish the people of] Damascus, [the capital of Syria, ] because of the many sins that they have committed; I will not [change my mind about punishing them] [MTY], because [the cruel things that they did to the people of the] Gilead [region] [were like] [MET] people threshing grain using sledges [that have (iron teeth/sharp iron nails) in them].
Thus saith Jehovah; For three transgressions of Damascus, And for four, will I not turn away its punishment; For they thrashed Gilead with thrashing-wains of iron.
4 I will cause a fire to burn the palace [that King] Hazael [built and lived in], the fortress where [his son King] Ben-Hadad [also] lived.
I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
5 I will cause the gates of Damascus to be broken [down]; I will get rid of the king who rules in Aven Valley and the one who rules in Beth Eden. And the people of Syria will be captured and taken to the Kir [region where they originally lived].”
I will also break the bar of Damascus, And I will destroy the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, And him that holdeth the sceptre from Beth-Eden, And the people of Syria shall be led captive to Kir: Jehovah hath said it.
6 Yahweh [also] said this [to me]: “[I will punish the people of the cities in Philistia]: [I will punish the people of] Gaza [city] because of the many sins that they have committed; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they captured large groups of people and took them to Edom and sold them to become the slaves of [the people of] Edom.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, And for four, I will not turn away its punishment; For they led captive all that fell into their hands, And delivered them up to Edom.
7 I will cause a fire to completely burn the walls of Gaza and [also] destroy its fortresses.
But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour her palaces.
8 I will get rid of the king of Ashdod [city] and the king who rules [MTY] in Ashkelon [city]. I will [also] strike/punish [the people of] Ekron [city], and [all] the people of Philistia who are still alive will be killed.”
And I will destroy the inhabitant from Ashdod, And him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon; And I will turn my hand against Ekron, And the residue of the Philistines shall perish. The Lord, Jehovah, hath said it.
9 Yahweh [also] said this [to me]: “[I will punish the people of] Tyre [city] because of the many sins that they have committed; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they [also] captured large groups of our people and took them to Edom, disregarding the treaty of friendship that they had made [with your rulers].
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Tyre, And for four, will I not turn away its punishment; Because they delivered up all their captives to Edom, And remembered not the brotherly covenant.
10 So I will cause a fire to completely burn the walls of Tyre and [also] destroy its fortresses.”
But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, Which shall devour her palaces.
11 Yahweh [also] said this [to me]: “I will punish [the people of] Edom because of the many sins that they have committed; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they pursued the people [of Israel], who descended from Esau’s [brother Jacob, and killed them] with swords; they did not act mercifully toward them at all. They were extremely angry [with the people of Israel], and they continued to be angry [with them].
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, And for four, will I not turn away his punishment; For he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity, And his anger tore perpetually; Yea, he kept his wrath forever.
12 I will cause a fire to burn Teman [district in Edom] and completely burn the fortresses of Bozrah, [the biggest city in Edom].”
But I will send a fire upon Teman. Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13 Yahweh [also] said this [to me]: “I will punish [the people of] Ammon because of the many sins that [they] have committed; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because [their soldiers even] ripped open [the bellies of] pregnant women [when their army attacked] the Gilead [region] to gain more territory.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, And for four, will I not turn away their punishment; For they ripped up the women with child of Gilead, That they might enlarge their border.
14 I will cause a fire to [completely] burn the walls around Rabbah [city] and completely burn its fortresses. During that battle, [their enemies] will shout loudly and the fighting will be [like] [MET] a fierce/raging wind/storm.
But I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah, Which shall devour her palaces, Amid the war-shout in the day of battle, In a whirlwind in the day of the storm.
15 [After the battle], the king [of Ammon] and his officials will be (exiled/forced to go to another country).”
Their king shall go into captivity, He and his princes together, saith Jehovah.
