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These are the words of Amos, one of the shepherds in Tekoa, a city in the highlands of Judah. God gave him these visions regarding Israel in the time of Uzziah (who ruled Judah) and Jeroboam (the son of Joash, who ruled Israel) two years before the great earthquake.

The Eternal One roars from Zion;
    His voice thunders from Jerusalem.
The pastures shrivel and die beneath the shepherds’ feet,
    and the crest of Mount Carmel dries to dust as all await His judgment.

Eternal One: For three crimes of Damascus,
        no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
    Because they have threshed the people of Gilead
        with threshing-sledges made of iron.
    I will send down fire on the house of Hazael, the ruler in Damascus,
        and burn down the fortresses of Ben-hadad, his son and successor.
    I will smash the gates of Damascus,
        wipe out those who live in the valley of Aven.
    I will cut off the hand that holds the scepter in Beth-eden
        and force the people of Aram into exile in Kir.

So says the Eternal about Aram, Israel’s constant enemy to the northeast.

Eternal One: For three crimes of Gaza,
        no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
    Because they sent entire communities into exile,
        including women and children,
    Because they sold My people
        as slaves to Edom.
    So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Gaza
        and burn down all of its fortifications.
    I will destroy those who live in Ashdod
        and cut off the hand that holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
    I will raise My hand against Ekron and the rest of the Philistines;
        even those in the formerly great city of Gath will perish.

Four of the five major cities of Philistia are mentioned here; only Gath is excluded. It was previously destroyed by Judah under King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:6).

So says the Eternal Lord about Philistia, Israel’s enemy in the southwest.

Here is what the Eternal says about Tyre, that maritime power to the northwest:

Eternal One: For three crimes of Tyre,
        no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
    Because they also handed over whole communities to Edom
        and ignored the covenant of brotherhood, the treaty between Phoenicia and Israel.
10     So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Tyre
        and burn down all of its fortifications.

11 Here is what the Eternal says about Edom, our neighbor to the southeast:

Eternal One: For three crimes of Edom,
        no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
    Because he pursued his brother, Israel, with the sword
        without any pity,
    Because he continually stoked his anger
        and nourished his rage.
12     So I will send down fire on Teman, its largest city in the south,
        and burn down the fortresses of Bozrah in the north.

13 Here is what the Eternal says about Ammon, just northeast of the Jordan:

Eternal One: For three crimes of the Ammonites,
        no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
    Because they ripped open the bellies of pregnant women in Gilead
        as they made war to expand their territory.
14     So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Rabbah, its only major city,
        and burn down all of its fortifications.
    With shouts and war cries on the day of battle,
        with a whirlwind in the midst of the storm,
15     I will force the king into exile,
        along with all the officials who counsel him.

So says the Eternal One.

The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,(B) when Uzziah(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam(D) son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.(E)

He said:

“The Lord roars(F) from Zion
    and thunders(G) from Jerusalem;(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
    and the top of Carmel(I) withers.”(J)

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Damascus,(K)
    even for four, I will not relent.(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
    with sledges having iron teeth,
I will send fire(M) on the house of Hazael(N)
    that will consume the fortresses(O) of Ben-Hadad.(P)
I will break down the gate(Q) of Damascus;
    I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.(R)
    The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,(S)
says the Lord.(T)

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Gaza,(U)
    even for four, I will not relent.(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
    and sold them to Edom,(W)
I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
    that will consume her fortresses.
I will destroy the king[d] of Ashdod(X)
    and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand(Y) against Ekron,
    till the last of the Philistines(Z) are dead,”(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.(AB)

This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Tyre,(AC)
    even for four, I will not relent.(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
    disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
    that will consume her fortresses.(AF)

11 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Edom,(AG)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword(AH)
    and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
    and his fury flamed unchecked,(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman(AJ)
    that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.(AK)

13 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Ammon,(AL)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women(AM) of Gilead
    in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah(AN)
    that will consume(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries(AP) on the day of battle,
    amid violent winds(AQ) on a stormy day.
15 Her king[e] will go into exile,
    he and his officials together,(AR)
says the Lord.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Amos 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash
  2. Amos 1:5 Or the inhabitants of
  3. Amos 1:5 Aven means wickedness.
  4. Amos 1:8 Or inhabitants
  5. Amos 1:15 Or / Molek