Amos 6

“Those at Ease in Zion”

1Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are at ease and carefree in Zion (Judah)

And to those on the mountain of Samaria who feel secure,

The distinguished men of the foremost of nations,

To whom the house of Israel comes.

2Go over to Calneh [in Babylonia] and look,

And from there go [north of Damascus] to the great city of Hamath;

Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are they better than these kingdoms [of yours],

Or is their territory greater than yours?

3Do you put off the day of punishment,

Yet cause the seat of violence to come near?

4Those who lie on [luxurious] beds of ivory

And lounge around out on their couches,

And eat lambs from the flock

And calves from the midst of the stall,

5Who improvise to the sound of the harp—

Like David they have composed songs for themselves—

6Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls

And anoint themselves with the finest oils [reflecting their unrestrained celebration];

Yet they are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph (Israel).

7Therefore, they will now go into exile with the first of the captives,

And the cultic revelry and banqueting of those who lounge around [on their luxurious couches] will pass away.

8The Lord #Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord.God has sworn [an oath] by Himself—the Lord God of hosts, says:

“I loathe and reject the [self-centered] arrogance of Jacob (Israel),

And I hate his palaces and citadels;

Therefore, I shall hand over the [idolatrous] city [of Samaria] with all that it contains [to the Assyrian invaders].”

9And it shall come to pass that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die [by the pestilence that comes with war]. 10Then one’s uncle, or his undertaker, shall come to bring the [disease-infected] body out of the house, [to cremate it], and he will say to another in the farthest part of the house, “Is there anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will respond, “Hush! Keep quiet! For the name of the Lord is not to be mentioned [even casually, for fear that we might invoke even more punishment].” 11For behold, the Lord is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments.

12Do horses run on rocks?

Do men plow rocks with oxen? [Of course not!]

Yet you have turned justice into poison

And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (bitterness),

13You who [self-confidently] rejoice in #Lit a thing of nothing. Lo-debar and Karnaim apparently were Aramean sites that had been captured by Israel. Amos uses the meanings of these names in a play on words to rebuke Israel.Lo-debar (Nothing),

Who say, “Have we not by our own strength taken #Lit a pair of horns. The horns of animals were regarded as symbols of power. Amos condemns Israel for claiming that their victories were achieved without God’s help.Karnaim (Strength) for ourselves?”

14“For behold, I am going to stir up a nation against you,

O house of Israel,” says the Lord, the God of hosts,

“And they will afflict and torment you [to the entire limits of Israel] from the entrance of Hamath [in the north]

To the brook of the Arabah [in the south].”

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Amos 6

At Ease in Zion

1Oy ! You who are at ease in Zion, trusting in Samaria’s hill! Distinguished ones of the foremost of nations— to whom the house of Israel comes

2Go over to Calneh and look. From there go to great Hamath, go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory larger than yours?

3Dismissing the day of calamity, you bring near the throne of violence.

4Reclining on beds of ivory, sprawling on their couches, dining on lambs from the flock and calves from amid the stall,

5chanting to the sound of harp like David, inventing their own instruments of song,

6drinking wine from bowls, anointing with choice ointments— yet they are not sickened over the breakdown of Joseph.

7Therefore now they will go into exile at the head of the exiles. Sprawling revelry will cease.

8My Lord Adonai has sworn by Himself —declares Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot— “I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, I despise his palaces, so I will shut down the city and everything in it.”

9If ten people remain in one house, they will die.

10One’s beloved—the one burning incense for him—will lift him up to carry the bones out of the house, and he will say to one in the innermost recess of the house: “Is anyone else still with you?” And he will say: “No one.” Then he will say, “Hush! For we must not mention the Name of Adonai.”

11For behold, Adonai will command, He will smash the big house to fragments and the little house to splinters.

12Will horses run on the cliff? Will one plow there with oxen? Yet you turned justice into venom, the fruit of righteousness into wormwood.

13You are rejoicing for no reason, saying: “Haven’t we taken two horns for ourselves by our own strength?”

14“For behold, I am raising up against you, O house of Israel, a nation, and they will afflict you from Lebo-Hamath to the Valley of the Arabah.” declares Adonai, the God of Hosts.

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