Amos 1

1 *2 K 15.1-7;2 Ch 26.1-23;2 K 14.23-29. I am Amos. And I raised sheep near the town of Tekoa*1.1 Tekoa: In the hill country of Judah about eight kilometers south of Bethlehem. when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam*1.1 Uzziah … Jeroboam: Uzziah was king of Judah 781–740 b.c., and Jeroboam II was king of Israel 783–743 b.c. son of Jehoash*1.1 Jehoash: The Hebrew text has "Joash," another spelling of the name. was king of Israel.

Two years before the earthquake,*1.1 Two years … earthquake: Possibly the earthquake of 760 b.c., which seems to have been especially violent. the Lord gave me several messages*1.1 messages: Or "visions." about Israel, 2 *Jl 3.16. and I said:

When the Lord roars

from Jerusalem,

pasturelands and Mount Carmel

dry up and turn brown.

Judgment on Syria

3 *Is 17.1-3;Jr 49.23-27;Zec 9.1. The Lord said:

I will punish Syria*1.3 Syria: The Hebrew text has "Damascus," the leading city of Syria.

for countless crimes,

and I won’t change my mind.

They dragged logs with spikes*1.3 logs with spikes: These were dragged over grain to thresh it.

over the people of Gilead.

4 Now I will burn down the palaces

and fortresses of King Hazael

and of King Benhadad.*1.4 Hazael … Benhadad: Two Syrian kings.

5 I will break through

the gates of Damascus.

I will destroy the people*1.5 people: Or "king."

of Wicked Valley*1.5 Wicked Valley: The Hebrew text has "Aven Valley," probably the fertile valley between the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon mountains.

and the ruler of Beth-Eden.*1.5 I will … Beth-Eden: Or "I will destroy the people of Wicked Valley and the king who rules from Beth-Eden." Beth-Eden was a city-state on the banks of the Euphrates River.

Then the Syrians will be dragged

as prisoners to Kir.*1.5 Kir: The exact location of this country is not known; in 9.7 Amos refers to Kir as the original home of the Syrians, and so the verse probably means that the Syrians will lose everything they have gained as a people.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

Judgment on Philistia

6 *Is 14.29-31;Jr 47.1-7;Ez 25.15-17;Jl 3.4-8;Zep 2.4-7;Zec 9.5-7. The Lord said:

I will punish Philistia*1.6 Philistia: The Hebrew text has "Gaza," one of the main Philistine cities.

for countless crimes,

and I won’t change my mind.

They dragged off my people*1.6 my people: The people of Israel.

from town after town

to sell them as slaves

to the Edomites.

7 That’s why I will burn down

the walls and fortresses

of the city of Gaza.

8 I will destroy the king*1.8 king: Or "people." of Ashdod

and the ruler of Ashkelon.

I will strike down Ekron,*1.8 Ashdod … Ashkelon … Ekron: Philistine cities.

and that will be the end

of the Philistines.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

Judgment on Phoenicia

9 *Is 23.1-18; Ez 26.1—28.19;Jl 3.4-8;Zec 9.1-4;Mt 11.21,22;Lk 10.13,14. The Lord said:

I will punish Phoenicia*1.9 Phoenicia: The Hebrew text has "Tyre," which was one of the two Phoenician cities; the other was Sidon, which is not mentioned by Amos.

for countless crimes,

and I won’t change my mind.

They broke their treaty

and dragged off my people*1.9 my people: See the note at 1.6.

from town after town

to sell them as slaves

to the Edomites.

10 That’s why I will send flames

to burn down the city of Tyre

along with its fortresses.

Judgment on Edom

11 *Is 34.5-17;63.1-6;Jr 49.7-22;Ez 25.12-14;35.1-15;Ob 1-14;Ml 1.2-5. The Lord said:

I will punish Edom

for countless crimes,

and I won’t change my mind.

They killed their own relatives*1.11 their own relatives: The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, the ancestor of the Israelites.

and were so terribly furious

that they showed no mercy.

12 Now I will send fire to wipe out

the fortresses of Teman

and Bozrah.*1.12 Teman and Bozrah: These stand for all of Edom; Teman may have been a city or a district. Bozrah, the chief city of northern Edom, was 48 kilometers southeast of the Dead Sea.

Judgment on Ammon

13 *Jr 49.1-6;Ez 21.28-32;25.1-7;Zep 2.8-11. The Lord said:

I will punish Ammon

for countless crimes,

and I won’t change my mind.

In Gilead they ripped open

pregnant women,

just to take the land.

14 Now I will send fire to destroy

the walls and fortresses

of Rabbah.*1.14 Rabbah: The capital city of Ammon.

Enemies will shout and attack

like a whirlwind.

15 Ammon’s king and leaders

will be dragged away.

I, the Lord, have spoken!