Amos 6:1-14

Woe to you living so comfortably in Zion! Woe to you who live with a false sense of security on Mount Samaria, the elite of this foremost nation, on whom Israel’s people pin their hopes. Travel to the city of Calneh and see for yourself what happened. Then go on from there to Hamath, the great capital city of the Hittites. Make your way down to Gath in Philistia, and ask yourself— are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours? You refuse to consider the day when disaster will come, yet all your evil only brings that day closer. Lying on luxurious beds inlaid with ivory and sprawled out on your couches, you feast on lambs from the flock and stall-fattened veal. You compose songs like David and strum away on your harps. You guzzle wine by the bucketful, and slather yourselves with the finest lotions. Yet you do not grieve over Israel’s impending doom. That is why they will be the first to go into captivity. Their lying around while enjoying the good life will come to an end. Lord YAHWEH has sworn by his own being — YAHWEH, God of Angel Armies, declares: “I hate the pride of the people of Jacob, and I despise their strongholds, I will hand over their capital city to their enemies and everything in it.” Even if there are ten hiding in a house, they will all die. If a relative who is to light a memorial fire for the dead comes to carry the bodies out of the house for burial and asks, “Is anyone else inside the house with you?” and that person answers, “No,” then the one who asked will say, “Quiet! We must not mention the name of YAHWEH.” YAHWEH Behold, YAHWEH strikes with his command: “Houses large and small will be smashed to pieces!” Can horses gallop over rocky cliffs? Can boulder-strewn hills be plowed with oxen? Of course not! Yet you have managed to pervert justice into poison and the sweet fruits of righteousness into bitter fruit. You rejoice over conquering the city of Lo Debar, saying, “Wasn’t it by our own strength that we captured Karnaim for ourselves?” But look, house of Israel, YAHWEH, God of Angel Armies, declares to you: “I will raise up a mighty nation to come against you, and they will oppress you and overrun your land from the northern to the southern borders of your kingdom.”