Crimes of the nations will be punished

1I am Amos. And I raised sheep near the town of Tekoa1.1 Tekoa: In the hill country of Judah about eight kilometres south of Bethlehem. when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam1.1 Uzziah…Jeroboam: Uzziah was king of Judah 781-740 BC, and Jeroboam II was king of Israel 783-743 BC. son of Jehoash1.1 Jehoash: The Hebrew text has “Joash”, another spelling of the name. was king of Israel.1.1: a 2 K 15.1-7; 2 Ch 26.1-23; b 2 K 14.23-29.

Two years before the earthquake,1.1 Two years…earthquake: Possibly the earthquake of 760 BC, which seems to have been especially violent. the LORD gave me several messages1.1 messages: Or “visions”. about Israel, 2and I said:1.2: Jl 3.16.

When the LORD roars

from Jerusalem,

pasture lands and Mount Carmel

dry up and turn brown.

Judgment on Syria

3The LORD said:1.3-5: Is 17.1-3; Jr 49.23-27; Zec 9.1.

I will punish Syria1.3 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 spikes1.3 logs with spikes: These were dragged over grain to thresh it.

over the people of Gilead.

4Now I will burn down the palaces

and fortresses of King Hazael

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

5I will break through

the gates of Damascus.

I will destroy the people1.5 people: Or “king”.

of Wicked Valley1.5 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 River Euphrates.

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

6The LORD said:1.6-8: Is 14.29-31; Jr 47.1-7; Ez 25.15-17; Jl 3.4-8; Zep 2.4-7; Zec 9.5-7.

I will punish Philistia1.6 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 people1.6 my people: The people of Israel.

from town after town

to sell them as slaves

to the Edomites.

7That's why I will burn down

the walls and fortresses

of the city of Gaza.

8I will destroy the king1.8 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

9The LORD said:1.9-10: 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.

I will punish Phoenicia1.9 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 people1.9 my people: See the note at 1.6.

from town after town

to sell them as slaves

to the Edomites.

10That's why I will send flames

to burn down the city of Tyre

along with its fortresses.

Judgment on Edom

11The LORD said:1.11-12: 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.

I will punish Edom

for countless crimes,

and I won't change my mind.

They killed their own relatives1.11 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.

12Now 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 forty-eight kilometres south-east of the Dead Sea.

Judgment on Ammon

13The LORD said:1.13-15: Jr 49.1-6; Ez 21.28-32; 25.1-7; Zep 2.8-11.

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.

14Now 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.

15Ammon's king and leaders

will be dragged away.

I, the LORD, have spoken!