Amos 1:1--3:15

Introduction

1:1 The following is a record of what Amos prophesied. He was one of the herdsmen from Tekoa. These prophecies about Israel were revealed to him during the time of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

God Will Judge the Surrounding Nations

1:2 Amos said:

“The Lord comes roaring out of Zion;

from Jerusalem he comes bellowing!

The shepherds’ pastures wilt;

the summit of Carmel withers.”

1:3 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Damascus has committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my

decree of judgment.

They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth.

1:4 So I will set Hazael’s house on fire;

fire will consume Ben Hadad’s fortresses.

1:5 I will break the bar on the gate of Damascus.

I will remove the ruler from Wicked Valley,

the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden.

The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.”

The Lord has spoken!

1:6 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Gaza has committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They deported a whole community and sold them to Edom.

1:7 So I will set Gaza’s city wall on fire;

fire will consume her fortresses.

1:8 I will remove the ruler from Ashdod,

the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon.

I will strike Ekron with my hand;

the rest of the Philistines will also die.”

The sovereign Lord has spoken!

1:9 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Tyre has committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They sold a whole community to Edom;

they failed to observe a treaty of brotherhood.

1:10 So I will set fire to Tyre’s city wall;

fire will consume her fortresses.”

1:11 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Edom has committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

He chased his brother with a sword;

he wiped out his allies.

In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest;

in his fury he relentlessly attacked them.

1:12 So I will set Teman on fire;

fire will consume Bozrah’s fortresses.”

1:13 This is what the Lord says:

“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women

so they could expand their territory.

1:14 So I will set fire to Rabbah’s city wall;

fire will consume her fortresses.

War cries will be heard on the day of battle;

a strong gale will blow on the day of the windstorm.

1:15 Ammon’s king will be deported;

he and his officials will be carried off together.”

The Lord has spoken!

2:1 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Moab has committed three crimes –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime.

2:2 So I will set Moab on fire,

and it will consume Kerioth’s fortresses.

Moab will perish in the heat of battle

amid war cries and the blaring of the ram’s horn.

2:3 I will remove Moab’s leader;

I will kill all Moab’s officials with him.”

The Lord has spoken!

2:4 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They rejected the Lord’s law;

they did not obey his commands.

Their false gods,

to which their fathers were loyal,

led them astray.

2:5 So I will set Judah on fire,

and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.”

God Will Judge Israel

2:6 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions –

make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment.

They sold the innocent for silver,

the needy for a pair of sandals.

2:7 They trample on the dirt-covered heads of the poor;

they push the destitute away.

A man and his father go to the same girl;

in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity.

2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;

they do so right beside every altar!

They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;

they do so right in the temple of their God!

2:9 For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites.

They were as tall as cedars

and as strong as oaks,

but I destroyed the fruit on their branches

and their roots in the ground.

2:10 I brought you up from the land of Egypt;

I led you through the wilderness for forty years

so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own.

2:11 I made some of your sons prophets

and some of your young men Nazirites.

Is this not true, you Israelites?”

The Lord is speaking!

2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine;

you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’

2:13 Look! I will press you down,

like a cart loaded down with grain presses down.

2:14 Fast runners will find no place to hide;

strong men will have no strength left;

warriors will not be able to save their lives.

2:15 Archers will not hold their ground;

fast runners will not save their lives,

nor will those who ride horses.

2:16 Bravehearted warriors will run away naked in that day.”

The Lord is speaking!

Every Effect has its Cause

3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up from the land of Egypt: 3:2 “I have chosen you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

3:3 Do two walk together without having met?

3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey?

Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?

3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?

Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?

3:6 If an alarm sounds in a city, do people not fear?

If disaster overtakes a city, is the Lord not responsible?

3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

3:8 A lion has roared! Who is not afraid?

The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?

Samaria Will Fall

3:9 Make this announcement in the fortresses of Ashdod

and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.

Say this:

“Gather on the hills around Samaria!

Observe the many acts of violence taking place within the city,

the oppressive deeds occurring in it.”

3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)

“They store up the spoils of destructive violence in their fortresses.

3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land.

He will take away your power;

your fortresses will be looted.”

3:12 This is what the Lord says:

“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear,

so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged.

They will be left with just a corner of a bed,

and a part of a couch.”

3:13 Listen and warn the family of Jacob!

The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking!

3:14 “Certainly when I punish Israel for their covenant transgressions,

I will destroy Bethel’s altars.

The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses.

The houses filled with ivory will be ruined,

the great houses will be swept away.”

The Lord is speaking!