Amos 1

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

1 These are the words of Amos, one of the shepherds from Tekoa, what he saw about Israel two years before the earthquake, back when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash was king of Israel.

2 He said, “The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem. The pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Judgment on Damascus

3 This is what the LORD says: “For three crimes of Damascus, even four, I will not hold back judgment. They crushed Gilead with sledges of iron.

4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael, and it will burn up the strongholds of Ben-Hadad.

5 I will break the gate of Damascus, wipe out the ruler from the Valley of Aven and the one holding the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the LORD.

Judgment on Gaza

6 This is what the LORD says: “For three crimes of Gaza, even four, I will not hold back judgment. They took whole communities captive and sold them to Edom.

7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza, and it will burn up her strongholds.

8 I will wipe out the ruler from Ashdod and the one holding the scepter from Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the rest of the Philistines will die,” says the LORD God.

Judgment on Tyre

9 This is what the LORD says: “For three crimes of Tyre, even four, I will not hold back judgment. They sold whole communities of captives to Edom and forgot the covenant of brotherhood.

10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre, and it will burn up her strongholds.”

Judgment on Edom

11 This is what the LORD says: “For three crimes of Edom, even four, I will not hold back judgment. He chased his brother with the sword, crushed all compassion, and stayed angry forever.

12 I will send fire on Teman, and it will burn up the strongholds of Bozrah.”

Judgment on Ammon

13 This is what the LORD says: “For three crimes of the Ammonites, even four, I will not hold back judgment. They ripped open pregnant women in Gilead just to expand their territory.

14 I will light a fire on the walls of Rabbah, and it will burn up her strongholds, with war cries on the day of battle and a storm on the day of the whirlwind.

15 Their king will go into exile, he and his officials together,” says the LORD.