Amos

The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw 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 earthquake.

1These are the words of Amos. He was one of the shepherds who lived near the town of Tekoa. God showed him things about Israel. It happened when Uzziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam, the son of Joash, was king of Israel then. This was two years before the big earthquake.

2And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

2Amos said, "The LORD roars like a lion from Zion. He calls out loud from Jerusalem. The grassy fields where shepherds feed their sheep dry up. The green top of Mount Carmel turns brown and dies."

3Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:

3This is what the LORD says: "The city of Damascus has done wrong again and again. I will not hold back their punishment. They crushed the people of Gilead under heavy iron tools."

NoteThe KJV says "For three transgressions... and for four." This is a way of speaking, like saying "more than enough times." It means the wrong things kept piling up. Also, farmers used heavy boards with iron teeth to crush grain. Saying Damascus "threshed Gilead" means they treated people that cruelly.

4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

4"So I will send fire on the family of King Hazael. It will burn up the palaces of King Benhadad. Palaces are the big strong houses where kings live."

5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.

5"I will break the heavy bar that locks the gates of Damascus. I will take away the ruler of the valley called Aven. I will take away the one who holds the king's staff in Beth Eden. The people of Syria will be marched away to a land called Kir," says the LORD.

6Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:

6This is what the LORD says: "The city of Gaza has done wrong again and again. I will not hold back their punishment. They took a whole town of people away as prisoners. Then they handed them over to the country of Edom."

7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:

7"So I will send fire on the walls of Gaza. It will burn up the palaces inside."

8And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.

8"I will take away the ruler of the city of Ashdod. I will take away the one who holds the king's staff in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against the city of Ekron. The Philistines who are left will die," says the Lord GOD.

9Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:

9This is what the LORD says: "The city of Tyre has done wrong again and again. I will not hold back their punishment. They handed a whole group of prisoners over to Edom. They forgot their promise to treat each other like brothers."

NoteThe KJV spells this city "Tyrus." Today we spell it Tyre. It was a rich city by the sea.

10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

10"So I will send fire on the walls of Tyre. It will burn up the palaces inside."

11Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:

11This is what the LORD says: "The country of Edom has done wrong again and again. I will not hold back their punishment. Edom chased his own brother with a sword. He would not feel sorry for him at all. His anger kept tearing like a wild animal. He stayed angry and never let it go."

12But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

12"So I will send fire on the city of Teman. It will burn up the palaces of the city of Bozrah."

13Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:

13This is what the LORD says: "The people of Ammon have done wrong again and again. I will not hold back their punishment. They cut open the pregnant women of Gilead and killed them. They did this so they could take more land for themselves."

14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

14"So I will start a fire in the walls of the city of Rabbah. It will burn up the palaces inside. Soldiers will shout on the day of the battle. A strong wind will blow like a storm."

15And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.

15"Their king will be taken away to a far country. His leaders will go away with him," says the LORD.