Amos 5
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A Lament for Israel

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1Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:1Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:1Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel:1Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.1Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament, house of Israel:
2"Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again, deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up."2“Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel; forsaken on her land, with none to raise her up.”2She has fallen, she will not rise again-- The virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up.2The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.2She has fallen; Virgin Israel will never rise again. She lies abandoned on her land, with no one to raise her up.
3This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Israel: "Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left; your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left."3For thus says the Lord GOD: “The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”3For thus says the Lord GOD, "The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ten left to the house of Israel."3For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.3For the Lord GOD says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left in the house of Israel.

A Call to Repentance

(Joel 1:13-20; Zephaniah 2:1-3; Luke 13:1-5)

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4This is what the LORD says to Israel: "Seek me and live;4For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live;4For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live.4For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:4For the LORD says to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live!
5do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing."5but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing.”5"But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble.5But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.5Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal or journey to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal will certainly go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.
6Seek the LORD and live, or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire; it will devour them, and Bethel will have no one to quench it.6Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,6"Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,6Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.6Seek Yahweh and live, or He will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph; it will consume everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.
7There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground.7O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!7For those who turn justice into wormwood And cast righteousness down to the earth."7Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,7Those who turn justice into wormwood throw righteousness to the ground.
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8He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land-- the LORD is his name.8He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name;8He who made the Pleiades and Orion And changes deep darkness into morning, Who also darkens day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The LORD is His name.8Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:8The One who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the earth-- Yahweh is His name.
9With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin.9who makes destruction flash forth against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.9It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.9That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.9He brings destruction on the strong, and it falls on the stronghold.
10There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.10They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.10They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks with integrity.10They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.10They hate the one who convicts the guilty at the city gate and despise the one who speaks with integrity.
11You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.11Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.11Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.11Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a grain tax from him, you will never live in the houses of cut stone you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted.
12For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.12For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.12For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate.12For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.12For I know your crimes are many and your sins innumerable. They oppress the righteous, take a bribe, and deprive the poor of justice at the gates.
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13Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.13Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.13Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.13Therefore, the wise person will keep silent at such a time, for the days are evil.
14Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.14Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.14Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said!14Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.14Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.
15Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.15Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.15Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.15Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.15Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

The Coming Judgment

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16Therefore this is what the Lord, the LORD God Almighty, says: "There will be wailing in all the streets and cries of anguish in every public square. The farmers will be summoned to weep and the mourners to wail.16Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: “In all the squares there shall be wailing, and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! Alas!’ They shall call the farmers to mourning and to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,16Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation.16Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.16Therefore Yahweh, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says: There will be wailing in all the public squares; they will cry out in anguish in all the streets. The farmer will be called on to mourn, and professional mourners to wail.
17There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst," says the LORD.17and in all vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through your midst,” says the LORD.17"And in all the vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.17And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.17There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass among you. The LORD has spoken.
18Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light.18Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light,18Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;18Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.18Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light.
19It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.19as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.19As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.19As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.19It will be like a man who flees from a lion only to have a bear confront him. He goes home and rests his hand against the wall only to have a snake bite him.
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20Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light-- pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?20Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?20Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?20Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?20Won't the Day of the LORD be darkness rather than light, even gloom without any brightness in it?
21"I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.21“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.21"I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.21I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.21I hate, I despise your feasts! I can't stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
22Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.22Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.22"Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.22Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.22Even if you offer Me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.
23Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.23Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.23"Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.23Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.23Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!24But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.24"But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.24But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.24But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream."
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25"Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?25“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?25"Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?25Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?25House of Israel, was it sacrifices and grain offerings that you presented to Me during the 40 years in the wilderness?
26You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god -- which you made for yourselves.26You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves,26"You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.26But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.26But you have taken up Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, images you have made for yourselves.
27Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty.27and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.27"Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.27Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.27So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus." Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name. He has spoken.



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