Amos 4
4
The Women Who Love Pleasure
1Listen to me, you cows of Bashan#4:1 cows of Bashan This means the wealthy women in Samaria. Bashan, an area east of the Jordan River, was famous for its big bulls and cows. on Samaria’s mountain. You hurt the poor and crush those in need. You tell your husbands,#4:1 your husbands Literally, “their masters.” “Bring us something to drink!”
2The Lord GOD made a promise. He promised by his holiness that troubles will come to you. People will use hooks and take you away as prisoners. They will use fishhooks to take away your children. 3Your city will be destroyed. The women will rush out through cracks in the wall and throw themselves onto the pile of dead bodies.#4:3 throw … dead bodies Or “You will be thrown away. People will take you to Mount Hermon.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand. It is not clear if the women will be “thrown away” or if the women will be “throwing something away.”
This is what the Lord says: 4“Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal#4:4 Bethel … Gilgal Places of worship for the people of Israel. God wanted the people of Israel and the people of Judah to worship him only in the Temple at Jerusalem. and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day festival. 5And offer a thank offering made with yeast. Tell everyone about the freewill offerings.#4:4-5 Offer your sacrifices … freewill offerings All these things were against the Law of Moses. The leaders and false priests started these new festivals and different ways of worshiping God. Israel, you love to do those things. So go and do them.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
6“I didn’t give you any food to eat.#4:6 I didn’t give you any food to eat Literally, “I gave you clean teeth.” There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
7“I also stopped the rain, and it was three months before harvest time. So no crops grew. Then I let it rain on one city, but not on another city. Rain fell on one part of the country, but on the other part of the country, the land became very dry. 8So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9“I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10“I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11“I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12“So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
13He is the one who made the mountains.
He created the wind.#4:13 the wind Or “your minds.”
He lets people know his thoughts.
He changes the darkness into dawn.
He walks over the mountains of the earth.
His name is YAHWEH, Lord God All-Powerful.
Currently Selected:
Amos 4: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Amos 4
4
Word for Worldly Women
1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on Samaria’s hill, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their masters: “Bring, so we may drink.”
2My Lord Adonai has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, days are coming upon you when he will drag you away with meat-hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.
3You will go out through breaches— each woman straight ahead, and you will be cast to Harmon.” It is the declaration of Adonai.
4“Come to Bethel and transgress, in Gilgal multiply transgression. Every morning bring your sacrifices and your tithes every three days.
5Offer up hametz as a thank offering, call out about freewill offerings— boast about it! For so you love to do, Bnei-Yisrael.” It is the declaration of my Lord Adonai.
Yet You Have Not Returned
6“So also, I myself have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
7“Also I myself have withheld from you the rain—when three months remain to the harvest, I caused it to rain on one city, while on another city I sent no rain; one piece of ground would get rain, while the portion not rained on would wither.
8So two or three cities go staggering to one city to drink water, but would not be satisfied— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
9“I struck you with blight and mildew. Your many gardens and vineyards, your fig-trees and olive trees the locust has devoured— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
10“I sent among you a plague in the manner of Egypt. I slew your young men by the sword, with your chariot-horses in captivity. I made the stench of your camp rise up even to your own nostrils— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
11I overthrew some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You became like a firebrand snatched from a blaze— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
Prepare to Meet Your God
12“Therefore here is what I will do to you, Israel. Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel!”
13For behold! He who forms mountains who creates the wind, who declares His thoughts to man, who makes dawn out of darkness, who walks above the heights of the earth—His Name is Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot!
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society