Amos
11Prov of Amos, one of the shepherds from Tekoa [a small town in the hill country of Judah, 16 km south of Jerusalem]. This is what he saw concerning Israel [the northern kingdom] when
Uzziah (Hebr. Uzzijaho) was king of Judah [783-742 BC] and
Jeroboam, Joash's son, was king of Israel [786-746 BC],
two years before the earthquake. [The earthquake is also mentioned in . During excavations in 2021 on the eastern slopes of the City of David, a large number of broken vessels, bowls, and lamps were found. The findings are consistent with similar findings in northern Israel that indicate an earthquake during the reign of King Uzziah in the mid-700s BC.
Amos, who is from Judah (the southern kingdom), is thus writing to Israel (the northern kingdom). In 722 BC, the northern kingdom falls to Assyria, so these words are written about 40 years before this event.] 2He said: "The Lord (Yahweh) roars [] from Zion [the Temple Mount in Jerusalem] and raises his voice from Jerusalem, and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel [] shall wither."
Now follow seven well-structured repetitions with judgments on surrounding nations. The phrase "three, yes, four transgressions" reinforces that there are many transgressions, see , , , , ; , , . The meaning may be continuity and continuation: 3 transgressions, 4 transgressions, etc. There is also a symbolism with 3 + 4 becoming 7, i.e., that the transgressions have reached their full measure. The first six are grouped in pairs: Damascus & Gaza (the spear, see and ), Tyre & Edom (brothers in and ; no concluding phrase "says the Lord") and Ammon & Moab. The seventh judgment is directed against Judah. The book's overall structure with the number seven makes it a surprise when an eighth judgment against Israel concludes this section .
Coming judgment (chapters 1-2)
Damascus
3For thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of [Aram's capital] Damascus,
yes, for four, I will not relent,
because they have threshed Gilead [east of the Jordan River, see and ]
with iron sledges. 4I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael
and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad. [Hazael was the royal family of Syria (Aram) founded by Hazael (842-796 BC), see . Ben-Hadad was Hazael's successor or his son of the same name.] 5I will break down the gates of Damascus [break down the gate into the city]
and exterminate (cut down) the inhabitants of Bakat-Aven ["the valley of wickedness," see ]
and whoever holds the scepter of Beit-Eden [city/region on the Euphrates or literally sarcastically: "the city of pleasure"]
and the people of Aram [Syria] shall go into captivity under Kir [meaning wall, probably the Transcaucasus region, present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia]," says the Lord (Yahweh).Gaza
6
The Erez border crossing between Israel and Gaza.
"For three transgressions of [the Philistine city] Gaza,
yes, for four, I will not change my mind,
because they carried away captives, they exiled an entire population
and handed them over to Edom. 7I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza
and it shall devour all their palaces. 8I will cut off the inhabitants of Ashdod
and the one who holds the scepter [the king] of Ashkelon [just north of Gaza].
I will turn my hand against [the city of] Ekron [Tel Miqne, thirty kilometers northeast of Ashkelon]
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish," says the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh).Tyre
9Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of [the city of] Tyre,
yes, for four, I will not change my mind,
because they carried away an entire population into exile and handed them over to Edom
and did not remember the covenant with their brothers. 10I will send a fire upon the walls of Tyre
and it shall devour all their palaces." Edom
11Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of Edom,
yes, for four, I will not relent,
because he pursued his brother [Esau was Jacob's brother, see ; ] with the sword
and cast away all mercy (compassion, Hebr. rachamim)
and his anger tore and tore without ceasing
and he kept his anger forever. 12I will send a fire upon Teman [a city in northern Edom, named after Esau's grandson, see ; Eliphaz in the Book of Job was from here, see ]
and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah [a city in southern Edom, see ]." [The cities of Selah and Petra are not mentioned, because they had already been captured by Amaziah, see .] Ammon
13Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of Ammon,
yes, for four, I will not relent,
because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead to enlarge their territory. 14Therefore, I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah [the capital of Ammon]
that will consume its palaces [mighty buildings, both palaces and military installations – Hebr. ]
with loud cries on the day of battle,
with a storm on the day of the hurricane. 15Their king shall go into captivity,
he and his princes together," says the Lord (Yahweh).Moab
21Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of Moab,
yes, for four, I will not relent,
because they burned the bones of the king of Edom to ashes. [In the previous word to Ammon, it was unborn children who were killed, see , here it is the dead who are desecrated. These two prophetic words show how to desecrate the life that God has given.] 2I will send a fire upon Moab
and it will consume the palaces (mighty buildings) of Kerioth.
Moab will die in chaos, in the tumult of battle,
to the sound of the shofar (ram's horn).
3I will cut off the judge from the land (its center)
and I will slaughter all the princes there with him," says the Lord (Yahweh).Judah
[So far, the words of judgment have been directed against the enemies of Judah and Israel. The problem was that the same sins committed by these cities and regions were also committed by God's own people. The seventh prov is directed at Judah, the southern kingdom, at Amos' own countrymen, see .] 4Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of Judah [the southern kingdom],
yes, for four, I will not change my mind,
because they have rejected the Lord's (Yahweh's) teaching (the Books of Moses – Hebr. Torah)
and have not kept his statutes (literally "things engraved," indicating permanent, unchangeable laws, often described as commandments that have no rational explanation) and their lies have led them to a dead end that their fathers have walked on. 5I will send a fire upon Judah
and it will consume the palaces (mighty buildings) of Jerusalem." Judgment against Israel
6Thus says the Lord (Yahweh): "For three transgressions of Israel [the northern kingdom],
yes, for four, I will not change my mind, because they sold justice for silver (money) [accepted bribes, which was a violation of ]
and the needy (poor) for a pair of shoes (sandals).
7They trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth
and destroy the way of the humble.
A man and his father go to the same virgin
to profane my holy name. 8They lie down at every (all) altar,
on clothes taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God (Elohim) they drink the wine of those who are fined (punished for some crime).
9Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them,
who were as tall as the tall cedars and as strong as the oaks.
Yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from below. 10I also brought you up out of the land of Egypt (Hebr. Mitsrajim – 'the land of confinement') and led you 40 years in the wilderness to take the land of the Amorites. 11Among your [young] children (sons) I raised up prophets
and among your young men Nazirites. Is this not so, O children (sons) of Israel?" declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 12"But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink and commanded the prophets, saying, 'Do not prophesy.' [To be a Nazirite means to have taken the Nazirite vow, which includes abstaining from anything that comes from the vine, see .]
13Behold, I will make it creak under you,
like a cart creaks when it is full of sheaves (overloaded).
14The swift shall not be able to flee,
the strong shall not be able to use their strength,
nor shall the mighty be able to save themselves.
15He who handles the bow shall not stand,
and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself,
nor shall he who rides a horse save himself.
16The brave among the mighty shall flee naked on that day," proclaims (says, declares) the Lord (Yahweh).The Lord has spoken
[A key word in this chapter is Hebr. , which means that a superior examines and inspects a subordinate. It is used in the sense of counting, see . The meaning can be to reward or punish depending on the result of the summing up of the accounts. The word is used here to frame this section, see verses 2 and 14 (twice). The chapter has seven sections that form a chiasm:
A The Lord will inspect/punish, verses 1-2
B Coming destruction – lions and prey, verses 3-8
C Foreign palace (Hebr. ),
D Central verse: Israel does not do right,
C´ Israel's palace (Hebr. ),
B´ Coming destruction – lions and prey,
A´ The Lord will inspect/punish, verses 13-15] 31Hear (listen to, obey) this word that the Lord (Yahweh) has spoken against you, children (sons) of Israel, over the whole family [all tribes, both Judah and Israel] that I brought up out of the land of Egypt when I said: The Lord will inspect/punish
2"Only you have I known (been intimately acquainted with) among all the families of the earth,
therefore I will punish (bring to account) you for all your transgressions. Coming destruction – lions and prey [Now follow seven rhetorical questions. In the introduction, God was likened to a roaring lion raising his voice, see . The same words recur here in :] 3Can two walk together, without agreeing on it? [No, of course not.]
4Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? [No, of course not.]
Does a young lion raise his voice from his den if he has not taken (caught) anything? [No, of course not.]
5Does a bird get caught in a snare on the ground if there is no bait? [No, of course not.]
Does a snare spring up from the ground without having caught anything? [No, of course not.]
6If a shofar sounds in a city, do not the inhabitants tremble? [Yes!]
If evil occurs in a city, does not the Lord (Yahweh) have something to do with it? [The first five questions have an implied "no" as the answer. The sixth question has a "yes" as the answer, and there were different opinions about the last one. Amos' contemporaries did not believe that God would allow destruction to come upon their city. God never causes evil (), but he can allow it and withdraw his protection, see . should also be seen in the light of verses 7-8, where God warns, see also ]
7For the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) does nothing
without revealing his counsel to his servants the prophets.
8The lion has roared,
who will not fear?
The Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) has spoken,
who can refrain from prophesying?" [The lion was a common animal in the wooded areas of Israel at that time. Therefore, it was widely known that the lion roars just before it pounces on its intended prey, which can then flee if it reacts quickly enough. In the same way, God wants the people to understand his warnings so that they will repent before judgment comes upon them.]Foreign palaces
9Proclaim it in the palaces (mighty buildings) of Ashdod [one of the five major cities of the Philistines on the Mediterranean]
and over the palaces (the mighty buildings) in the land of Egypt, and say:
"Gather yourselves together on the mountains of Samaria
and see the great confusion within it and the oppression in its midst." They do not know how to do right
[Central verse:]
10They do not know (feel) how to do what is right, proclaims (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh).
Violence and theft have been gathered in their palaces (mighty buildings).Your palaces
11Therefore, says the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh):
"An adversary has surrounded the land,
and he will strike down your strength [defense and wealth] from you, and your palaces (mighty buildings) will be laid in ruins." Coming destruction
12Thus says the Lord (Yahweh):
"As a shepherd saves two legs or a piece of an ear from the lion's mouth,
so shall the children (sons) of Israel who dwell in Samaria flee
with the corner of a bed and the damask (a piece/corner of the leg) of a couch (daybed)." The Lord will inspect/punish
13"Listen and testify against the house of Jacob,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot).
14"In those days when I will punish (to settle accounts with) Israel's transgressions,
I will also punish (to settle accounts with) Bethel's altar
and the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
15I will strike the winter house with the summer house,
and [the luxurious] house of ivory shall perish
and the great house shall come to an end,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh).Prepare to meet the Lord
[The second message. Begins in the same way, "Hear this word," as the previous chapter, see ] 41Hear (obey, listen to) this word, you heifers of Bashan on the mountains of Samaria: [you women] who oppress the poor,
who crush the needy,
who say to their masters:
"Give me [wine] so I can feast!"
2The Lord the Lord (Adonai Yahweh) has sworn by his holiness:
"Surely the days are coming upon you
when you will be taken away with hooks
and your inhabitants with fishhooks.
3You will be led out to the shores, each one straight ahead,
and you will be thrown into the unknown,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 4"Come to Bethel with transgressions,
to Gilgal and multiply your transgressions.
Bring your sacrifices in the morning
and your tithes after three days.
5Offer a thank offering
of what is leavened (with sourdough) []
and proclaim voluntary offerings
and make them known, for you love to do so, you sons of Israel,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 6"I have given you empty mouths (literally: clean teeth; i.e., lack of food) in all your cities
and a lack of bread in all your places,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 7"I have also withheld the rain from you
when there were three months left until harvest,
and I let it rain on one city
but did not let it rain on another city,
in one place it rained
and in another place the rain was withheld.
8Two or three cities wandered to a city to drink water
and were not satisfied,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 9"I have smitten you with blight (dry wind) and mildew [failed harvests, see ; ; ],
all your gardens and all your vineyards
and all your fig trees and your olive trees have been devoured by caterpillars,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 10"I have sent pestilence among you
as in Egypt,
I have slain your young men with the sword
and carried away your horses
and I have made the stench of your camp come up into your nostrils,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 11"I have overturned some of you
in the same way that God (Elohim) overturned Sodom and Gomorrah []
and you were like a burning stick taken from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 12"Therefore, I will treat you this way [let judgment fall upon you], Israel [because all attempts to make you repent have failed, see verses 4-11].
Since I am going to do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, Israel." 13See who is here: He who forms the mountains and creates the wind (the Spirit – Hebr. roach).
[He who creates both what is visible to the eye and what is invisible.]
He who reveals his thoughts to man [].
[Can also be translated as he sees all the thoughts of man, see .]
He who turns the morning into darkness.
[Turns the success of the wicked into darkness, see , ; ; .]
He who marches on the heights of the earth.
[Humiliates the proud, see ]
The Lord (Yahweh), God of Hosts (Elohim Sebaot), is his name.
[ is the first poetic passage in Amos, although and are also included. These may be three sections from the same hymn.]The appeal—seek God
[Verses 1-17 are the central part of the entire book of Amos.] 51Hear (listen to, obey) this word that I raise as a lament over you, O house of Israel: 2"The virgin of Israel has fallen,
she will not rise again,
she has been thrown down on the ground
and there is no one to raise her up." 3Therefore, thus says the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh):
"The city that went out with a thousand
shall have a hundred left,
and the city that went out with a hundred
shall have ten left of the house of Israel." 4For thus says the Lord (Yahweh) to the house of Israel:
"Seek me and you shall live. 5But do not seek Bethel,
do not enter Gilgal
and do not pass through Beer-Sheva,
for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity
and Bethel shall come to nothing."
6Seek (come before; ask for) the Lord (Yahweh) and you will live,
otherwise he will pass over (rush over, strike) the house of Joseph like a consuming fire,
and there will be no one to extinguish [the fire] in Bethel. 7You who turn justice into wormwood
and cast righteousness to the ground. 8He who made the Pleiades and Orion
and brings forth the shadow of death in the morning
and makes the day dark as night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out upon the face of the earth,
the Lord (Yahweh) is his name,
9who causes destruction to flash over the mighty
so that destruction comes upon the stronghold. 10They hate him who rebukes in the gate
and they despise him who speaks purity (right and true; here the word is used for ritual purity).
11Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and take away his wheat (by extortion).
You have built houses of hewn stone
but you shall not dwell in them,
you have planted beautiful vineyards
but you shall not drink their wine. 12For I know (am well acquainted with, am intimately familiar with) your transgressions
and how powerful (skilled, strong) you are in sinning,
you who torment the righteous, take ransom
and push aside the needy at the gate. 13Therefore, the thoughtful are silent in such times,
for it is an evil time.
14Seek good and not evil
so that you may live,
and so that the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot), may be with you,
as you say.
15Hate evil and love good
and establish justice in the gates,
perhaps then the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot), will be gracious (show undeserved love)
to the remnant of Joseph. 16Therefore, says the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot):
"There shall be lamentation in all the open places (marketplaces)
and they shall say in all the streets, 'Alas (woe), alas (woe)'
and they shall call the master of the house to mourn
with those who know how to lament (those who are skilled in lamentation, professional mourners).
17And in all vineyards there shall be lamentation,
for I will pass through their midst," says the Lord (Yahweh).Judgment on Israel (5:18-6:14)
18Woe to those who desire
the day of the Lord (Yahweh)!
Why do you want the day of the Lord (Yahweh)?
It is darkness, not light. 19As if a man flees from a lion
and a bear meets him,
and enters the house and leans his hand against the wall
and a snake bites him. 20Should not the day of the Lord (Yahweh) be darkness and not light?
Yes, even very dark and without a glimmer of light? [Can also be translated: gloomy and without clarity]
21"I hate, I despise your feasts. [The two verbs reinforce each other and describe God's disgust for hypocritical religious expressions. What in was called 'my feasts' has now become 'your feasts'.]
I take no pleasure (it is not a sweet-smelling incense offering) in your religious gatherings.
22Even if you offer me both burnt offerings [] and grain offerings [], I find no pleasure in them.
I do not want to see your peace offerings [a communal offering that everyone in the family ate together, see ] of fattened calves.
23Take your noisy songs away from me [they are a torment and a burden].
I do not want to hear the music from your stringed instruments. [Now comes a verse that breaks the pattern and stands out:]
24But let it gush forth (wave, rush forth) like [spring] water:
righteousness (judgment)
and righteousness –
like a constant (ever-flowing) stream (ravine, wadi) [an eternal flow that never runs dry]. [The verse has several chiastic elements that highlight 'righteousness and justice' as central themes. Justice is likened to the reliable spring that gushes forth from a rock, and righteousness to the powerful rushing water in a valley/ravine that does not dry up during the hot summer period, but constantly flows with fresh water. The Hebrew construction, both at the beginning and at the end of the verse, indicates a constant, eternal flow.] 25Did you bring me sacrifices and food offerings
for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
26Then you shall lift up (carry with you) Sikkot (the tent – Hebr. sikot) [probably the Mesopotamian god of thunder and war, Adar], your king, and Kijon [the Mesopotamian star god Saturn], your image [idol],
the star of your god that you have made for yourself.
27Therefore, I will let you go into captivity beyond Damascus,"
says he whose name is the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot). [Verses 25-26 are quoted in part in .] 61Woe to those who are carefree (who do not care and live comfortably) in Zion [Jerusalem]
and those who are secure (safe) on the mountains of Samaria,
the leaders [elite; the famous men] of the foremost people,
to whom the house of Israel belongs (literally: comes).
2Go over to Kalne [probably near Aleppo in northern Syria] and see,
and go from there to the great Chamat [present-day Hama, in central Syria],
then go down to the Philistines' Gat,
are they better than these kingdoms?
Or are their borders greater than your borders?
3They keep the day of evil away from themselves,
but still make sure that the seat of evil is near (that evil dominates).
4You lie on ivory beds
and stretch out on your couches
and eat the best lambs of the flock
and the best calves of the stall,
5you strum the psaltery
and invent musical instruments for yourselves like David.
6you drink wine from bowls,
and anoint yourselves with the finest ointments,
but you do not mourn over Joseph's pain. 7Therefore, they shall now go into captivity as the head of the captives (the first to go into captivity),
and the feasting of those who stretched themselves out shall disappear (cease).What the Lord hates
8The Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) has sworn by himself, the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot), declares (says, proclaims): "I detest Jacob's pride
and hate his palaces
and I will shut down (close) the city
and everything in it."
9And it shall come to pass, that if ten men are left in one house, they shall die. 10When a man's uncle [the closest relative] of a dead man, and he who burns incense [burns the body, see ] for him, comes to carry the bones out of the house, and he says to the one who is furthest inside the house, "Is there anyone with you?" and he answers, "No," then he shall say, "Be silent, for we must not mention the name of the Lord (Yahweh)." [For fear of even more punishment from God.] [The closest relative is responsible for the burial, see ; ; . No one closer than a father's brother remains.]Coming destruction
11Behold, the Lord (Yahweh) has commanded, and the great house shall be smashed to pieces
and the small house into small pieces. 12Do horses run on cliffs?
Does anyone plow there with oxen?
Since you have expected the right to gall
and the fruit of righteousness to wormwood,
13you who rejoice in what is nothing (Hebr. lo devar),
saying, "Have we not made ourselves horns by our own strength?"
14"Behold, I will rise up against you, O house of Israel,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh), God of hosts (Elohim Sebaot),
"a heathen people that shall afflict (torment, plague) you from Chamath's entrance [the northern border]
to the brook of Arava [the southern border]." [These two places are used to show Jeroboam II the northern and southern borders of Israel, see .]Judgment on the occult center of Bethel
[Now follows a new paragraph. The style shifts from poetry to prose.] 71The Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) showed me this, and behold, he made a locust when the latter crop began to sprout, and behold, it was the after-harvest of the king's hay harvest. 2When they (the locusts) had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, "Lord (Adonai), Lord (Yahweh), forgive, I beg you. How will Jacob stand (remain standing, be preserved)? For he is small." 3The Lord (Yahweh) had compassion on this: "It shall not happen," says the Lord (Yahweh). 4The Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) showed me this, and behold, the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) called (cried out) for fire to fight, and it devoured the great depths and would have consumed the land. 5Then I said, "Lord (Adonai), Lord (Yahweh), stop, I beg you. How will Jacob stand (remain standing, be preserved)? For he is small." 6The Lord (Yahweh) had compassion on this: "It shall not happen," says the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh). 7He showed me this, and behold, the Lord (Adonai) stood beside a wall, made by a mason, and had a plumb line in his hand. 8And the Lord (Yahweh) said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I answered, "A plumb line."
Then the Lord (Adonai) said, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not forgive them any longer, 9and the high places of Isaac and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." [The first king of the Northern Kingdom, Jeroboam, had established the worship of the idol Baal in the city of Bethel, see . Amaziah is the leading priest there, who also seems to have had political influence in that region. Amos has just delivered three prophecies, the last of which mentions that the high places of sacrifice will be laid waste, see . This angers Amaziah, the priest of Baal.] 10Amaziah (Hebr. Amatsjaho), the priest of Bethel, sent this message to King Jeroboam [the 13th king of the Northern Kingdom] of Israel: "Amos is conspiring against you in the heart of Israel. The land cannot endure all his words [prophecies]. 11For thus says Amos: 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive from their land. '" [Amos prophesied this in .] 12Amaziah said to Amos, "You seer (one who sees visions – Hebr. chozeh), go. Flee back to the land of Judah [your own country]. Eat your bread and prophesy (Hebr. nava) there [be a full-time prophet there]. 13But do not prophesy anymore here in Bethel, for it is the king's temple, a sanctuary for the kingdom." [The king had built temples for the worship of Baal, where the golden calf was worshipped, and the king worshipped there.] 14Then Amos said to Amaziah:
"I was not a prophet [it has not always been my profession]! Nor am I the son of a prophet [I was not born into it]! I was a shepherd and a gatherer of mulberries, 15but the Lord (Yahweh) took me from the flock, and the Lord said to me, 'Go and prophesy to my people Israel. 16Therefore, hear now the word of the Lord (Yahweh), you who say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac. 17Therefore, thus says the Lord (Yahweh):
"Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city
and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword
and your land shall be divided with a measuring line,
and you yourself shall die in a (ritually) unclean land
and Israel shall surely be led away captive,
out of this land." 81The Lord (Adonai Yahweh) showed me this, and behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2And He said to me, "Amos, what do you see?"
And I answered, "A basket of summer fruit."
Then the Lord (Yahweh) said to me, "The end has come for my people Israel; I will not forgive them again. 3The songs of the palace will become Lam. on that day," declares (says, proclaims) the Lord of lords (Adonai Yahweh).Coming judgment on Israel
4Hear this, you who trample (oppress) the poor
and destroy the weak in the land!
5You say: "When will the new moon festival be over,
so that we can sell grain?
When will the Sabbath be over,
so that we can sell our barley?
Then we will reduce the ephah measure [a volume measure of 35 liters – so that the buyer gets less grain and barley]
and increase the shekel [a unit of weight of 11.5 grams for payment of silver and gold – so that the buyer pays more]
and distort the scales. [One way was to manipulate the center of the scales so that the weighed amount looked heavier than it actually was, thereby deceiving the buyer.]
6Then we will buy the poor [as slaves] for money
and the needy for a pair of shoes
and sell the chaff (the waste) as grain [as if it were of good quality]." 7The Lord has sworn by [himself, he who is] the pride of Jacob. I will never forget any of their [rebellious] deeds. 8Shall not the land tremble (with fear) for this, and all who dwell therein mourn? Yet it shall rise to its full height (overflow) like the river, and it shall suddenly swell up and sink back again like the river of Egypt (the Nile). [The Nile is known for its cyclical floods, which make the land along the river very fertile.] 9"On that day," declares (says, proclaims) the Lord of Lords (Adonai Yahweh): "Then I will cause the sun to go down at its zenith,
and the earth will become completely dark in the middle of the day. 10I will turn your religious celebrations into mourning,
all your songs will become Lam.
I will clothe everyone in mourning garments (clothe all hips with sackcloth),
and make every head shaven [to express grief].
I will make it like the mourning for an only son,
and when the day is over, it will have been a bitter (miserable) day." 11"Be sure of this, this time will come," proclaims (says, declares) the Lord of Lords (Adonai Yahweh): "I will send a famine on the land,
not a famine of bread
or a thirst for water,
but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Yahweh).
12Then they shall wander from sea to sea [from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east],
from north to south
and seek the word of the Lord (Yahweh),
but they shall not find it." 13On that day the righteous virgins
and the young (strong) men will faint from thirst.
14Those who swear by the sins of Samaria and say, "As your god, Dan, lives"
and "As the ways (manner of acting) of Beer-Sheva live,"
they shall fall and never rise again. 91I saw the Lord (Adonai) standing beside the altar, and he said: "Strike the capitals
so that the gates shake
and break them into pieces on the heads of them all,
I will slaughter the rest of them with the sword,
none of them shall escape
and there shall be no one who gets away.
2If they dig themselves down to Sheol (the underworld, the place of the dead)
my hand will take them there,
and even if they climb up to the heavens
I will bring them down. []
3And if they hide at the top of Carmel,
I will search and take them out of there,
and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
I will command the worm, and it will bite them.
4Even if they go into captivity before their enemies,
I will command the sword there, and it will slaughter them,
and I will keep my eyes on them
for evil and not for good." 5For the Lord (Adonai), Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot),
touches the land and it melts [cannot resist him] and all who dwell there mourn,
and it swells up like the Nile (which floods all its banks)
and sinks back again like the river of Egypt (the Nile). [The word for melt signifies a change that cannot be resisted. People tremble with fear and cannot do anything about the situation. Cf. the order of God's name with ; ; , ; , (where YHWH comes first). The fact that the title begins with Adonai here may be a way of emphasizing how God is more visibly active on earth. When YHWH is used, it is more often his invisible attributes that are described.] 6It is he who builds his upper chamber in the heavens
and has founded his vault on the earth,
he who calls forth the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the earth.
The Lord (Yahweh) is his name. [Verses 7-15 are included in the designated Sabbath reading that was read in all synagogues throughout the world on the same Sabbath that the State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948.] 7Are you not like the children (sons) of Cush [the Ethiopians] to me, O children (sons) of Israel?
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh).
Did I not bring Israel up out of the land of Egypt,
and the Philistines from Kaftor [Crete, see ]
and Aram (Syria) from Kir? [Hebr. kir means wall and is a place or area in Mesopotamia.]
8Behold, the eyes of the Lord of hosts (Adonai Yahweh)
are upon the sinful kingdom
and I will destroy it
from the face of the earth,
yet I will save
and not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh). 9For behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not a single grain shall fall to the ground. 10All the sinners of my people who say,
"Evil will not overtake us or challenge us,"
shall die by the sword.the restoration of Israel
11"On that day I will raise up
the fallen tabernacle of David,
repair its breaches,
and raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old,
12so that they may take possession of what remains of [Israel's bitter enemy] Edom
[the Edomites were descended from Esau, Jacob's brother]
and of all the nations over whom my name has been mentioned,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh), he who does this. 13Behold, the days are coming,
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh),
when the plowman [who prepares for the autumn sowing]
will catch up with the reaper [because it takes so long to bring in the large harvests],
and those who tread the grapes
will catch up with [will not finish before] the sower.
Then the mountains shall drip with grape juice
and all the hills shall flow over (literally: melt) [same word as in ].
14And I will bring back my people (my covenant people/property people – Hebr. ammi) Israel from captivity [end their captivity and restore them],
and they shall rebuild [their] cities that have been in ruins and dwell in them [again].
And they shall plant vineyards
and drink wine from them
and plant (literally: make) gardens
and eat [enjoy] fruit from them.
15And I will plant them in their own land,
and they shall no longer be uprooted from the land that I have given them, says the Lord (Yahweh) your God (Elohim).
