1Chapter
Introduction
1This is the message of Amos, one of the shepherds from the city Tekoa. He saw visions about Israel during the time that Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash was king of Israel. This was two years before the earthquake.
Punishment for Aram
2Amos said,
“The Lord will shout like a lion in Zion.
His loud voice will roar from Jerusalem.
The green pastures of the shepherds will turn brown and die.
Even Mount Carmel will become dry.”
3This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Damascus for the many crimes they did. They crushed the people of Gilead with iron threshing tools. 4So I will start a fire at Hazael’s house that will destroy the great palaces of Ben-Hadad.
5“I will also break open the gates of Damascus and remove the one who sits on the throne in the Valley of Aven. I will remove the symbol of power from Beth Eden, and the Arameans will be defeated and taken back to Kir. ” This is what the Lord said.
3This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Damascus for the many crimes they did. They crushed the people of Gilead with iron threshing tools. 4So I will start a fire at Hazael’s house that will destroy the great palaces of Ben-Hadad.
5“I will also break open the gates of Damascus and remove the one who sits on the throne in the Valley of Aven. I will remove the symbol of power from Beth Eden, and the Arameans will be defeated and taken back to Kir. ” This is what the Lord said.
Punishment for the Philistines
6This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Gaza for the many crimes they did. They took an entire nation of people and sent them as slaves to Edom. 7So I will start a fire at the wall of Gaza that will destroy the high towers in Gaza. 8And I will destroy the one who sits on the throne in Ashdod. I will destroy the king who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will punish the people of Ekron. Then the Philistines who are still left alive will die.” This is what the Lord God said.
Punishment for Phoenicia
9This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Tyre for the many crimes they did. They took an entire nation and sent them as slaves to Edom. They did not remember the agreement they had made with their brothers. 10So I will start a fire at the walls of Tyre that will destroy the high towers in Tyre.”
Punishment for the Edomites
11This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Edom for their many crimes. Edom chased his brother with the sword, and he showed no mercy. His anger never stopped. He kept tearing and tearing at Israel like a wild animal. 12So I will start a fire at Teman that will destroy the high towers of Bozrah.”
Punishment for the Ammonites
13This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the Ammonites for the many crimes they did. They killed the pregnant women in Gilead. The Ammonites did this so that they could take that land and make their country larger. 14So I will start a fire at the wall of Rabbah that will destroy the high towers of Rabbah. Troubles will come to them like a whirlwind into their country. 15Then their kings and leaders will be captured. They will all be taken together.” This is what the Lord said.
2Chapter
Punishment for Moab
1This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish the people of Moab for the many crimes they did. Moab burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. 2So I will start a fire in Moab that will destroy the high towers of Kerioth. There will be terrible shouting and the sounds of a trumpet, and Moab will die. 3So I will bring an end to the kings of Moab, and I will kill all the leaders of Moab.” This is what the Lord said.
Punishment for Judah
4This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish Judah for the many crimes they did. They refused to obey the Lord’s teachings and they did not keep his commands. Their ancestors believed lies, and those same lies caused the people of Judah to stop following God. 5So I will start a fire in Judah that will destroy the high towers of Jerusalem.”
Punishment for Israel
6This is what the Lord says: “I will definitely punish Israel for the many crimes they have done. They sold honest people for a little silver. They sold the poor for the price of a pair of sandals. 7They pushed their faces into the ground and walked on them. They stopped listening to suffering people. Fathers and sons had sexual relations with the same woman. They ruined my holy name. 8They took clothes from the poor, and then they sat on those clothes while worshiping at their altars. They loaned money to the poor, and then they took their clothes as a promise for payment. They made people pay fines and used the money to buy wine for themselves to drink in the temple of their god.
9“But it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them. They were as tall as cedar trees and as strong as oaks, but I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.
10“I was the one who brought you from the land of Egypt. For 40 years I led you through the desert. I helped you take the Amorites’ land. 11I made some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. People of Israel, it is true.” This is what the Lord said. 12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine. You told the prophets not to prophesy. 13You have become more than I can bear. I am bent low like a wagon loaded with grain. 14No one will escape, not even the fastest runner. Strong men will not be strong enough. Soldiers will not be able to save themselves. 15People with bows and arrows will not survive. Fast runners will not escape. People on horses will not escape alive. 16At that time even very brave soldiers will run away. They will not take the time to put their clothes on.” This is what the Lord said.
9“But it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them. They were as tall as cedar trees and as strong as oaks, but I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.
10“I was the one who brought you from the land of Egypt. For 40 years I led you through the desert. I helped you take the Amorites’ land. 11I made some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. People of Israel, it is true.” This is what the Lord said. 12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine. You told the prophets not to prophesy. 13You have become more than I can bear. I am bent low like a wagon loaded with grain. 14No one will escape, not even the fastest runner. Strong men will not be strong enough. Soldiers will not be able to save themselves. 15People with bows and arrows will not survive. Fast runners will not escape. People on horses will not escape alive. 16At that time even very brave soldiers will run away. They will not take the time to put their clothes on.” This is what the Lord said.
3Chapter
Warning to Israel
1People of Israel, listen to this message! This is what the Lord said about you, Israel. This message is about all the families that I brought from the land of Egypt. 2“There are many families on earth, but you are the only family I chose to know in a special way. And you turned against me, so I will punish you for all your sins.”
The Cause of Israel’s Punishment
3Two people will not walk together
unless they have agreed to do so.
4A lion will roar in the forest only if it catches its prey. A young lion roaring in his cave means he has caught something to eat.
5A bird doesn’t fly into a trap unless there is food in it. If a trap closes, it will catch the bird.
6If people hear the warning blast of a trumpet, they shake with fear. If trouble comes to a city, the Lord caused it to happen.
7When the Lord God decides to do something, he will first tell his servants, the prophets. 8When a lion roars, people are frightened. When the Lord God speaks, a prophet must prophesy.
9-10Go to the high towers in Ashdod and in Egypt and announce this message from the Lord: “Come together on the mountains of Samaria. See the great confusion there because the people don’t know how to live right. See how cruel they are to others. They take things from people to hide in their high towers. Their treasuries are filled with the things they have taken in war.”
11So the Lord God says, “An enemy will surround your land. They will break down your strong walls and take the things you have hidden in your high towers.”
12“A lion might attack a lamb, and a shepherd might try to save the lamb. But the shepherd will save only a part of that lamb. He might pull two legs or a part of an ear from the lion’s mouth. In the same way, most of the people of Israel will not be saved. Those who live in Samaria will save only a corner from a bed, or a piece of cloth from a couch.”
13This is what the Lord God All-Powerful says: “Warn the family of Jacob about these things. 14Israel sinned, and I will punish them for their sins. And when I do, I will also destroy the altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. 15I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will be destroyed. Many houses will be destroyed.” This is what the Lord said.
4A lion will roar in the forest only if it catches its prey. A young lion roaring in his cave means he has caught something to eat.
5A bird doesn’t fly into a trap unless there is food in it. If a trap closes, it will catch the bird.
6If people hear the warning blast of a trumpet, they shake with fear. If trouble comes to a city, the Lord caused it to happen.
7When the Lord God decides to do something, he will first tell his servants, the prophets. 8When a lion roars, people are frightened. When the Lord God speaks, a prophet must prophesy.
9-10Go to the high towers in Ashdod and in Egypt and announce this message from the Lord: “Come together on the mountains of Samaria. See the great confusion there because the people don’t know how to live right. See how cruel they are to others. They take things from people to hide in their high towers. Their treasuries are filled with the things they have taken in war.”
11So the Lord God says, “An enemy will surround your land. They will break down your strong walls and take the things you have hidden in your high towers.”
12“A lion might attack a lamb, and a shepherd might try to save the lamb. But the shepherd will save only a part of that lamb. He might pull two legs or a part of an ear from the lion’s mouth. In the same way, most of the people of Israel will not be saved. Those who live in Samaria will save only a corner from a bed, or a piece of cloth from a couch.”
13This is what the Lord God All-Powerful says: “Warn the family of Jacob about these things. 14Israel sinned, and I will punish them for their sins. And when I do, I will also destroy the altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. 15I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will be destroyed. Many houses will be destroyed.” This is what the Lord said.
4Chapter
The Women Who Love Pleasure
1Listen to me, you cows of Bashan on Samaria’s mountain. You hurt the poor and crush those in need. You tell your husbands, “Bring us something to drink!”
2The Lord God made a promise. He promised by his holiness that troubles will come to you. People will use hooks and take you away as prisoners. They will use fishhooks to take away your children. 3Your city will be destroyed. The women will rush out through cracks in the wall and throw themselves onto the pile of dead bodies. This is what the Lord says: 4“Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day festival. 5And offer a thank offering made with yeast. Tell everyone about the freewill offerings. Israel, you love to do those things. So go and do them.” This is what the Lord God said.
6“I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
7“I also stopped the rain, and it was three months before harvest time. So no crops grew. Then I let it rain on one city, but not on another city. Rain fell on one part of the country, but on the other part of the country, the land became very dry. 8So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9“I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10“I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11“I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12“So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
13He is the one who made the mountains. He created the wind. He lets people know his thoughts. He changes the darkness into dawn. He walks over the mountains of the earth. His name is Yahweh, Lord God All-Powerful.
2The Lord God made a promise. He promised by his holiness that troubles will come to you. People will use hooks and take you away as prisoners. They will use fishhooks to take away your children. 3Your city will be destroyed. The women will rush out through cracks in the wall and throw themselves onto the pile of dead bodies. This is what the Lord says: 4“Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day festival. 5And offer a thank offering made with yeast. Tell everyone about the freewill offerings. Israel, you love to do those things. So go and do them.” This is what the Lord God said.
6“I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
7“I also stopped the rain, and it was three months before harvest time. So no crops grew. Then I let it rain on one city, but not on another city. Rain fell on one part of the country, but on the other part of the country, the land became very dry. 8So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9“I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10“I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11“I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12“So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
13He is the one who made the mountains. He created the wind. He lets people know his thoughts. He changes the darkness into dawn. He walks over the mountains of the earth. His name is Yahweh, Lord God All-Powerful.
5Chapter
A Sad Song for Israel
1People of Israel, listen to this song. This funeral song is about you.
2The virgin of Israel has fallen. She will not get up anymore. She was left alone, lying in the dirt. There is no one to lift her up.
3“Officers leaving the city with 1000 men will return with only 100 men. Officers leaving the city with 100 men will return with only ten men.”
2The virgin of Israel has fallen. She will not get up anymore. She was left alone, lying in the dirt. There is no one to lift her up.
3“Officers leaving the city with 1000 men will return with only 100 men. Officers leaving the city with 100 men will return with only ten men.”
The Lord Encourages Israel to Come Back
4The Lord says this to the nation of Israel:
“Come looking for me and live.
5But don’t look in Bethel. Don’t go to Gilgal. Don’t cross the border and go down to Beersheba. The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners, and Bethel will be destroyed.
6Come to the Lord and live. If you don’t go to him, a fire will start at Joseph’s house, and no one in Bethel can stop it.
7-9You should go to the Lord for help. He is the one who made the Pleiades and Orion. He changes darkness into the morning light. He changes the day into the dark night. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the earth. His name is Yahweh! He keeps one strong city safe, and he lets another strong city be destroyed.”
5But don’t look in Bethel. Don’t go to Gilgal. Don’t cross the border and go down to Beersheba. The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners, and Bethel will be destroyed.
6Come to the Lord and live. If you don’t go to him, a fire will start at Joseph’s house, and no one in Bethel can stop it.
7-9You should go to the Lord for help. He is the one who made the Pleiades and Orion. He changes darkness into the morning light. He changes the day into the dark night. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the earth. His name is Yahweh! He keeps one strong city safe, and he lets another strong city be destroyed.”
The Evil Things That the Israelites Did
7-9You change justice to poison.
You throw away fairness like trash.
10You hate those prophets, who go to public places and speak against evil, even though they teach good, simple truths.
11You take unfair taxes from the poor. You take loads of wheat from them. You build fancy houses with cut stone, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them.
12This is because I know about your many sins. You have done some very bad things: You hurt people who do right, you accept money to do wrong, and you keep the poor from receiving justice in court.
13At that time wise teachers will be quiet, because it is a bad time.
14You say that God is with you, so you should do good things, not evil. Then you will live, and the Lord God All-Powerful will be with you.
15Hate evil and love goodness. Bring justice back into the courts. Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful will be kind to the survivors from Joseph’s family.
10You hate those prophets, who go to public places and speak against evil, even though they teach good, simple truths.
11You take unfair taxes from the poor. You take loads of wheat from them. You build fancy houses with cut stone, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them.
12This is because I know about your many sins. You have done some very bad things: You hurt people who do right, you accept money to do wrong, and you keep the poor from receiving justice in court.
13At that time wise teachers will be quiet, because it is a bad time.
14You say that God is with you, so you should do good things, not evil. Then you will live, and the Lord God All-Powerful will be with you.
15Hate evil and love goodness. Bring justice back into the courts. Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful will be kind to the survivors from Joseph’s family.
A Time of Great Sadness Is Coming
16The Lord, the Lord God All-Powerful says,
“People will be crying in the public places.
They will be crying in the streets.
They will hire the professional criers.
17People will be crying in the vineyards, because I will pass through and punish you.” This is what the Lord said.
18Some of you want to see the Lord’s special day of judgment. Why do you want to see that day of the Lord? His special day will bring darkness, not light.
19You will be like someone who escapes from a lion only to be attacked by a bear, or like someone who goes into the safety of his house, leans against the wall, and is bitten by a snake.
20The Lord’s special day will be a day of darkness, not light—a day of gloom, without a ray of light.
17People will be crying in the vineyards, because I will pass through and punish you.” This is what the Lord said.
18Some of you want to see the Lord’s special day of judgment. Why do you want to see that day of the Lord? His special day will bring darkness, not light.
19You will be like someone who escapes from a lion only to be attacked by a bear, or like someone who goes into the safety of his house, leans against the wall, and is bitten by a snake.
20The Lord’s special day will be a day of darkness, not light—a day of gloom, without a ray of light.
The Lord Rejects Israel’s Worship
21“I hate your festivals;
I will not accept them.
I don’t enjoy your religious meetings.
22Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. I will not even look at the fat animals you give as fellowship offerings.
23Take your noisy songs away from here. I will not listen to the music from your harps.
24But let justice flow like a river, and let goodness flow like a stream that never becomes dry.
25Israel, you offered me sacrifices and offerings in the desert for 40 years.
26But you also carried statues of Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan. There was also that star god that you made for yourselves.
27So I will send you as captives, far beyond Damascus.” This is what the Lord says. His name is God All-Powerful.
22Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. I will not even look at the fat animals you give as fellowship offerings.
23Take your noisy songs away from here. I will not listen to the music from your harps.
24But let justice flow like a river, and let goodness flow like a stream that never becomes dry.
25Israel, you offered me sacrifices and offerings in the desert for 40 years.
26But you also carried statues of Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan. There was also that star god that you made for yourselves.
27So I will send you as captives, far beyond Damascus.” This is what the Lord says. His name is God All-Powerful.
6Chapter
Israel’s Good Times Will Be Taken Away
1Oh, look at the people enjoying life in Zion,
and those on Mount Samaria who feel so safe.
They are such important leaders of a most important nation.
The “House of Israel” comes to you for advice.
2Go look at Calneh. From there, go to the large city Hamath. Go to the Philistine city of Gath. Are you better than these kingdoms? Their countries are larger than yours.
3You people are rushing toward the day of punishment. You bring near the rule of violence.
4But now you lie on ivory beds and stretch out on your couches. You eat tender young lambs from the flock and young calves from the stable.
5You play your harps, and like David, you practice on your musical instruments.
6You drink wine in fancy cups. You use the best perfumes. And it doesn’t even bother you that Joseph’s family is being destroyed.
7You people are stretched out on your couches now, but your good times will end. You will be taken away as prisoners to a foreign country, and you will be some of the first people taken. 8“I hate what Jacob is proud of. I hate his strong towers. So I will let an enemy take the city and everything in it.”
2Go look at Calneh. From there, go to the large city Hamath. Go to the Philistine city of Gath. Are you better than these kingdoms? Their countries are larger than yours.
3You people are rushing toward the day of punishment. You bring near the rule of violence.
4But now you lie on ivory beds and stretch out on your couches. You eat tender young lambs from the flock and young calves from the stable.
5You play your harps, and like David, you practice on your musical instruments.
6You drink wine in fancy cups. You use the best perfumes. And it doesn’t even bother you that Joseph’s family is being destroyed.
7You people are stretched out on your couches now, but your good times will end. You will be taken away as prisoners to a foreign country, and you will be some of the first people taken. 8“I hate what Jacob is proud of. I hate his strong towers. So I will let an enemy take the city and everything in it.”
There Will Be Few Israelites Left Alive
9At that time ten people in one house might survive, but they too will die. 10And when someone dies, a relative will come to get the body so that it can be taken out and burned. Relatives will come to take away the bones. They will call to anyone who might be hiding back in the house, “Are there any other dead bodies in there with you?”
That person will answer, “No, ….”
But the relative will interrupt and say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the Lord.”
11Look, the Lord will give the command, and the large houses will be broken to pieces, and the small houses will be broken to small pieces.
12Do horses run over loose rocks? No, and people don’t use cows for plowing. But you turned everything upside down. You changed justice and goodness to bitter poison.
13You are so excited about defeating Lo Debar. And you boast, “We have taken Karnaim by our own strength.”
14“But Israel, I will bring a nation against you that will bring troubles to your whole country from Lebo Hamath to Arabah Brook.” This is what the Lord God All-Powerful said.
11Look, the Lord will give the command, and the large houses will be broken to pieces, and the small houses will be broken to small pieces.
12Do horses run over loose rocks? No, and people don’t use cows for plowing. But you turned everything upside down. You changed justice and goodness to bitter poison.
13You are so excited about defeating Lo Debar. And you boast, “We have taken Karnaim by our own strength.”
14“But Israel, I will bring a nation against you that will bring troubles to your whole country from Lebo Hamath to Arabah Brook.” This is what the Lord God All-Powerful said.
7Chapter
The Vision of the Locusts
1This is what the Lord God showed me: He was making locusts. This was at the time the second crop began to grow, after the king’s people had cut the first crop. 2Before the locusts could eat all the grass in the country, I said, “Lord God, I beg you, forgive us! Jacob cannot survive! He is too small!”
3Then the Lord changed his mind about this. The Lord said, “It will not happen.”
3Then the Lord changed his mind about this. The Lord said, “It will not happen.”
The Vision of the Fire
4This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw the Lord God calling for judgment by fire. The fire destroyed the ocean and was beginning to eat up the land. 5But I said, “Lord God, stop, I beg you! Jacob cannot survive! He is too small!”
6Then the Lord changed his mind about this. The Lord God said, “It will not happen either.”
6Then the Lord changed his mind about this. The Lord God said, “It will not happen either.”
The Vision of the Plumb Line
7This is what the Lord showed me: He stood by a wall with a plumb line in his hand. (The wall had been marked with a plumb line.) 8The Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”
I said, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said to me, “See, I will put a plumb line among my people Israel. I will not let their ‘crooked ways’ pass inspection anymore. 9Isaac’s high places will be destroyed. Israel’s holy places will be made into a pile of rocks. I will attack and kill Jeroboam’s family with swords.”
Amaziah Tries to Stop Amos
10Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, sent this message to Jeroboam, the king of Israel: “Amos is making plans against you. He is trying to make the people of Israel fight against you. He has been speaking so much that this country cannot hold all his words. 11Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and the people of Israel will be taken as prisoners out of their country.’”
12Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go down to Judah and eat there. Do your prophesying there. 13But don’t prophesy anymore here at Bethel. This is Jeroboam’s holy place. This is Israel’s temple.”
14Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am not a professional prophet, and I am not from a prophet’s family. I raise cattle and take care of sycamore trees. 15I was a shepherd and the Lord took me from following the sheep. The Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16So listen to the Lord’s message. You tell me, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel. Don’t speak against Isaac’s family.’ 17But the Lord says, ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city. Your sons and daughters will be killed with swords. Other people will take your land and divide it among themselves, and you will die in a foreign country. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from this country as prisoners.’”
12Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go down to Judah and eat there. Do your prophesying there. 13But don’t prophesy anymore here at Bethel. This is Jeroboam’s holy place. This is Israel’s temple.”
14Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am not a professional prophet, and I am not from a prophet’s family. I raise cattle and take care of sycamore trees. 15I was a shepherd and the Lord took me from following the sheep. The Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16So listen to the Lord’s message. You tell me, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel. Don’t speak against Isaac’s family.’ 17But the Lord says, ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city. Your sons and daughters will be killed with swords. Other people will take your land and divide it among themselves, and you will die in a foreign country. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from this country as prisoners.’”
8Chapter
The Vision of the Ripe Fruit
1This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw a basket of summer fruit. 2He said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”
I said, “A basket of summer fruit.”
Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come to my people Israel. I will not ignore their sins anymore. 3Their temple songs will become funeral songs.” This is what the Lord God said. “There will be dead bodies everywhere. In silence, people will take out the dead bodies and throw them onto the pile. ”
Merchants Only Want to Make Money
4Listen to me, you who trample on helpless people.
You are trying to destroy the poor of this country.
5You merchants say, “When will the New Moon be over so that we can sell grain? When will the Sabbath be over so that we can bring out more wheat to sell? We can raise the price and make the measure smaller. We can fix the scales and cheat the people.
6The poor cannot pay their loans, so we will buy them as slaves. We will buy those helpless people for the price of a pair of sandals. Oh, and we can sell the wheat that was spilled on the floor.”
7“I will never forget what those people did.
8There will be an earthquake that will shake the whole land because of what they did. Everyone living there will cry for those who died. The land will be tossed around. The whole land will rise and fall like the Nile River in Egypt.”
9The Lord God also said, “At that time I will make the sun set at noon and make the land dark on a clear day.
10I will change your festivals into days of crying for the dead. All your songs will be songs of sadness for those who are dead. I will put mourning clothes on every body and baldness on every head. I will cause mourning everywhere, like that for an only son who has died. It will be a very bitter end.”
5You merchants say, “When will the New Moon be over so that we can sell grain? When will the Sabbath be over so that we can bring out more wheat to sell? We can raise the price and make the measure smaller. We can fix the scales and cheat the people.
6The poor cannot pay their loans, so we will buy them as slaves. We will buy those helpless people for the price of a pair of sandals. Oh, and we can sell the wheat that was spilled on the floor.”
7“I will never forget what those people did.
8There will be an earthquake that will shake the whole land because of what they did. Everyone living there will cry for those who died. The land will be tossed around. The whole land will rise and fall like the Nile River in Egypt.”
9The Lord God also said, “At that time I will make the sun set at noon and make the land dark on a clear day.
10I will change your festivals into days of crying for the dead. All your songs will be songs of sadness for those who are dead. I will put mourning clothes on every body and baldness on every head. I will cause mourning everywhere, like that for an only son who has died. It will be a very bitter end.”
A Famine of God’s Word
11“Look, the days are coming
when I will cause a famine in the land.
The people will not be hungry for bread.
They will not be thirsty for water.
No, they will be hungry for words from the Lord.
12The people will wander around the country, from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the north part of the country to the east. They will go back and forth looking for a message from the Lord, but they will not find it.
13At that time the beautiful young men and women will become weak from thirst.
14They made promises by the sin of Samaria, They said, ‘Dan, as surely as your god lives, we promise ….’ And they said, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives, we promise ….’ But they will fall and never get up again.”
12The people will wander around the country, from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the north part of the country to the east. They will go back and forth looking for a message from the Lord, but they will not find it.
13At that time the beautiful young men and women will become weak from thirst.
14They made promises by the sin of Samaria, They said, ‘Dan, as surely as your god lives, we promise ….’ And they said, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives, we promise ….’ But they will fall and never get up again.”
9Chapter
Vision of the Lord Standing by the Altar
1“Hit the top of the columns,
and shake them to the ground.
Push them and they will fall
on everyone’s head.
As for those who survive,
I will kill them with a sword.
None of them will run away.
None of them will escape.
2If they dig deep into the ground, I will pull them from there. If they go up into the skies, I will bring them down from there.
3If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them there and take them from that place. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the snake, and it will bite them.
4If they are captured and taken away by their enemies, I will command the sword, and it will kill them there. Yes, I will watch over them, but I will watch for ways to give them troubles, not for ways to do good things.”
2If they dig deep into the ground, I will pull them from there. If they go up into the skies, I will bring them down from there.
3If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them there and take them from that place. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the snake, and it will bite them.
4If they are captured and taken away by their enemies, I will command the sword, and it will kill them there. Yes, I will watch over them, but I will watch for ways to give them troubles, not for ways to do good things.”
Punishment Will Destroy the People
5The Lord God All-Powerful will touch the land,
and the land will melt.
Then all the people who live in the land will cry for the dead.
The land will rise and fall
like the Nile River in Egypt.
6He built his upper rooms above the skies. He put his skies over the earth. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out as rain on the land. Yahweh is his name.
6He built his upper rooms above the skies. He put his skies over the earth. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out as rain on the land. Yahweh is his name.
The Lord Promises Destruction for Israel
7“Israel, you are like the Ethiopians to me.
I brought Israel out of the land of Egypt,
the Philistines from Caphtor,
and the Arameans from Kir. ”
8The Lord God is watching this sinful kingdom. The Lord says, “I will wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but I will never completely destroy Jacob’s family.
9I am giving the command to scatter the people of Israel among all nations. But it will be like someone sifting flour. A person shakes flour through a sifter. The good flour falls through, but the bad lumps are caught.
10“Sinners among my people say, ‘Nothing bad will happen to us.’ But all of them will be killed with swords.”
8The Lord God is watching this sinful kingdom. The Lord says, “I will wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but I will never completely destroy Jacob’s family.
9I am giving the command to scatter the people of Israel among all nations. But it will be like someone sifting flour. A person shakes flour through a sifter. The good flour falls through, but the bad lumps are caught.
10“Sinners among my people say, ‘Nothing bad will happen to us.’ But all of them will be killed with swords.”
God Promises to Restore the Kingdom
11“David’s tent has fallen,
but at that time I will set it up again.
I will fix its holes and repair its ruined parts.
I will set it up as it was before.
12Then the people left alive in Edom, and all the people called by my name, will look to me for help.” This is what the Lord said, and he will make it happen.
13The Lord says, “A time of great blessing is coming. Workers will still be harvesting when it is time to plow the fields again. They will still be trampling the grapes when it is time for a new crop. Sweet wine will drip from the mountains and pour from the hills.
14I will bring my people, Israel, back from captivity. They will rebuild the ruined cities, and they will live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce. They will plant gardens and eat the crops they produce.
15I will plant my people on their land, and never again will they be pulled up out of the land that I gave them.” This is what the Lord your God said.
12Then the people left alive in Edom, and all the people called by my name, will look to me for help.” This is what the Lord said, and he will make it happen.
13The Lord says, “A time of great blessing is coming. Workers will still be harvesting when it is time to plow the fields again. They will still be trampling the grapes when it is time for a new crop. Sweet wine will drip from the mountains and pour from the hills.
14I will bring my people, Israel, back from captivity. They will rebuild the ruined cities, and they will live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce. They will plant gardens and eat the crops they produce.
15I will plant my people on their land, and never again will they be pulled up out of the land that I gave them.” This is what the Lord your God said.
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