Amos Chapter 1

Conversational Yahveh Covenant

1 The Message of Amos, Shepherd from Tekoa, That He Saw About Israel

at the Time of Uzziah, King of Judah, and Jeroboam Ben-Joash, King of Israel,

Two Years Before the Earthquake

2 He said,

      “Yahveh will roar from Zion;

            he’ll thunder from Jerusalem.

      The shepherds’ pastures will dry up;

            the grass on Carmel’s summit will wither away.”

God’s Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

3 Yahveh says,

      “For three sins of Damascus and for four,

I won’t hold back its punishment:e said, He said

      they threshed the people of Gilead

            with sledges that had iron teeth.

         4So I’ll send down fire on the house of Hazael,

                  consume the fortresses of Benhadad,

                  5 break the bars on the gates of Damascus,

                  eliminate the people in the Valley of Aven

                        and the one that holds the scepter from Beth-eden.

The people of Syria will go to Kir in exile.”              Amos 1:1-5

6 Yahveh says,

      “For three sins of Gaza and for four,

I won’t hold back its punishment:

      they deported an entire population to Edom.

         7So I’ll send down fire on the walls of Gaza

            and consume its fortresses.

         8I’ll eliminate the people from Ashdod

            and the one that holds the scepter in Ashkelon.

      I’ll unleash my power on Ekron,

            and the remnant of Philistines will perish.”             

Amos 1:6-8

9 Yahveh says,

      “For three sins of Tyre and for four,

I won’t hold back its punishment:

      they delivered an entire population to Edom

            and broke the treaty between kin.

         10So I’ll send down fire on the walls of Tyre

            and burn its fortresses.”                                           

Amos 1:9-10

11 Yahveh says,

      “For three sins of Edom and for four,

I won’t hold back its punishment:

      they pursued their brothers with a sword

            and tossed mercy aside.

      In their anger they slashed them again and again;

            they kept up their fury without end.

         12 So I’ll send down fire on Teman

            and burn the fortresses in Bozrah.”                         

Amos 1:11-12

13 Yahveh says,

      “For three sins of the Ammonites and for four,

I won’t hold back their punishment:

      they ripped open pregnant women in Gilead

            when they extended their borders.

         14So I’ll kindle a fire on the walls of Rabbah

            and burn its fortresses

                  amid war cries like a storm.

         15Their king will go into exile with his officials.”           

Amos 1:13-15

From the CYV translation by Virgil Warren, PhD