Amos 4
4
Judgment on Israel’s elite
1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
who are on Mount Samaria,
who cheat the weak,
who crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, “Bring drinks, so we can get drunk!”
2The LORD God has solemnly promised by his holiness:
The days are surely coming upon you,
when they will take you away with hooks,
even the last one of you with fishhooks.
3You will go out through the broken wall,
each one after another;
and you will be flung out into Harmon,
says the LORD.
A divine taunt
4Come to Bethel—and commit a crime;
multiply crimes at Gilgal.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tenth-part gifts every three days.
5Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice of leavened bread,
and publicize your gifts to the LORD;
for so you love to do, people of Israel!
says the LORD God.
Israel’s stubbornness
6I have sent a famine in all your cities,
and not provided enough bread in all your places,
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the LORD.
7I also withheld rain from you
when there were still three months to the harvest.
I allowed rain to fall on one city,
no rain to fall on another city.
One field was rained on,
and the field dried up where it didn’t rain.
8So two or three thirsty towns went to one city to drink water, and weren’t satisfied;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the LORD.
9I struck you with disease and mildew.
I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards.
The locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the LORD.
10I sent a plague against you like the one in Egypt.
I killed your young men with the sword.
I carried away your horses.
I made the stink of your camp go up into your nostrils;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the LORD.
11I destroyed some of you,
as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning coal plucked out of the fire;
yet you didn’t return to me,
says the LORD.
12Truly, Israel,
I will act in this way toward you;
therefore, I will do this to you.
Prepare to meet your God, Israel!
13The one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
makes known his thoughts to humankind,
makes the morning darkness,
and moves over the heights of the earth—
the LORD, the God of heavenly forces is his name!
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Amos 4: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Amos 4
4
Israel has not returned to God
1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria,
you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
and say to your husbands, ‘Bring us some drinks!’
2The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
‘The time will surely come
when you will be taken away with hooks,
the last of you with fishhooks.#4:2 Or away in baskets, / the last of you in fish baskets
3You will each go straight out
through breaches in the wall.
You will be cast out towards Harmon,#4:3 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew (see Septuagint) out, you mountain of oppression’
declares the Lord.
4‘Go to Bethel and sin;
go to Gilgal and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three years.#4:4 Or days
5Burn leavened bread as a thank-offering
and brag about your freewill offerings –
boast about them, you Israelites,
for this is what you love to do,’
declares the Sovereign Lord.
6‘I gave you empty stomachs in every city
and lack of bread in every town,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
7‘I also withheld rain from you
when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
but withheld it from another.
One field had rain;
another had none and dried up.
8People staggered from town to town for water
but did not get enough to drink,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
9‘Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
destroying them with blight and mildew.
Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
10‘I sent plagues among you
as I did to Egypt.
I killed your young men with the sword,
along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
11‘I overthrew some of you
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
12‘Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God.’
13He who forms the mountains,
who creates the wind,
and who reveals his thoughts to mankind,
who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth –
the Lord God Almighty is his name.
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