Amos
1
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
(Jeremiah 12:14–17)
1 These are the words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders * of Tekoa—what he saw concerning Israel two years † before the earthquake, in the days when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash ‡ was king of Israel. 2 He said:
“The LORD roars from Zion
and raises His voice from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
and the summit of Carmel withers.”
3 This is what the LORD says:
“For three transgressions of Damascus, even four,
I will not revoke My judgment,§
because they threshed Gilead
with sledges of iron.
4 So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael
to consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.
5 I will break down the gates of Damascus;
I will cut off the ruler * of the Valley of Aven †
and the one who wields the scepter in Beth-eden.
The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,”
says the LORD.
6 This is what the LORD says:
“For three transgressions of Gaza, even four,
I will not revoke My judgment,
because they exiled a whole population,
delivering them up to Edom.
7 So I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza,
to consume its citadels.
8 I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod
and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn My hand against Ekron,
and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,”
says the Lord GOD.
9 This is what the LORD says:
“For three transgressions of Tyre, even four,
I will not revoke My judgment,
because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom
and broke a covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre
to consume its citadels.”
11 This is what the LORD says:
“For three transgressions of Edom, even four,
I will not revoke My judgment,
because he pursued his brother with the sword
and stifled all compassion;
his anger raged continually,
and his fury flamed incessantly.
12 So I will send fire upon Teman
to consume the citadels of Bozrah.”
13 This is what the LORD says:
“For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four,
I will not revoke My judgment,
because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to enlarge their territory.
14 So I will kindle a fire in the walls of Rabbah
to consume its citadels
amid war cries on the day of battle
and a violent wind on the day of tempest.
15 Their king will go into exile ‡—
he and his princes together,”
says the LORD.
* 1:1 Or sheep breeders † 1:1 Or during the two years ‡ 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash § 1:3 Or I will not revoke the punishment; Hebrew I will not revoke it; also in verses 6, 9, 11, and 13 * 1:5 Or the inhabitants † 1:5 Aven means wickedness. ‡ 1:15 Possibly Milcom will go into exile; Milcom, also called Molech, was god of the Ammonites; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7.