Amos - The Old Testament

¹ Disaster for those so comfortable in Zion and for those so confident on the hill of Samaria, the notables of this first of nations, those to whom the House of Israel has recourse!

² Travel to Calneh and look, go on from there to Hamath the great, then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they more powerful than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?

³ Thinking to defer the evil day, you are hastening the reign of violence.

⁴ Lying on ivory beds and sprawling on their divans, they dine on lambs from the flock, and stall-fattened veal;

⁵ they bawl to the sound of the lyre and, like David, they invent musical instruments;

⁶ they drink wine by the bowlful, and lard themselves with the finest oils, but for the ruin of Joseph they care nothing.

⁷ That is why they will now go into captivity, heading the column of captives. The sprawlers' revelry is over.

⁸ Lord Yahweh has sworn by his own self -declares Yahweh, God Sabaoth: I detest the pride of Jacob, I hate his palaces, I shall hand over the city and all in it.

⁹ If ten people are left in a single house, they will die

¹⁰ and a few will be left to carry the bones from the house, and they will say to anyone deep inside the house, 'Any more there?' and he will answer, 'No.' Then he will say, 'Hush!-Yahweh's name must not be mentioned.'

¹¹ For look, Yahweh gives the command: as he strikes, the great house falls to pieces and the small house is in fragments.

¹² Can horses gallop over rocks? Can the sea be ploughed with oxen? Yet you have changed justice into poison, and the fruit of uprightness into wormwood,

¹³ while rejoicing over Lo-Debar and saying, 'Wasn't it by our own strength that we captured Karnaim?'

¹⁴ But look, House of Israel, against you -declares Yahweh, God Sabaoth- I am raising a nation to oppress you from the Pass of Hamath to the Gorge of the Arabah.