Amos — Chapter 6

1Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.

2Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?

3You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence.

4You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.

5You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.

6You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

7Therefore, you will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and your feasting and lounging will come to an end.

8The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself—the LORD, the God of Hosts, has declared: “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels, so I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”

9And if there are ten men left in one house, they too will die.

10And when the relative who is to burn the bodies picks them up to remove them from the house, he will call to one inside, “Is anyone else with you?” “None,” that person will answer. “Silence,” the relative will retort, “for the name of the LORD must not be invoked.”

11For the LORD gives a command: “The great house will be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble.”

12“Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—

13you who rejoice in Lo-debar and say, ‘Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?’

14For behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD, the God of Hosts, “and they will oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.”

1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

2Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

3Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

6That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

7Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

8The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

9And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

10And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

11For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

13Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

14But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.

1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

2Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?

3-ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

5that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

6that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

7Therefore shall they now go captive with the first that go captive; and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away.

8The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts: I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

9And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

10And when a man`s uncle shall take him up, even he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is in the innermost parts of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No; then shall he say, Hold thy peace; for we may not make mention of the name of Jehovah.

11For, behold, Jehovah commandeth, and the great house shall be smitten with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow [there] with oxen? that ye have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood;

13ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

14For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of the Arabah.

1Woe to those who live in ease in Zion, to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. They think of themselves as the elite class of the best nation. The family of Israel looks to them for leadership.

2They say to the people: “Journey over to Calneh and look at it; then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they superior to our two kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?”

3You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, but you establish a reign of violence.

4They lie around on beds decorated with ivory and sprawl out on their couches. They eat lambs from the flock and calves from the middle of the pen.

5They sing to the tune of stringed instruments; like David they invent musical instruments.

6They drink wine from sacrificial bowls and pour the very best oils on themselves. Yet they are not concerned over the ruin of Joseph.

7Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, and the religious banquets where they sprawl on couches will end.

8The Sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is speaking: “I despise Jacob’s arrogance; I hate their fortresses. I will hand over to their enemies the city of Samaria and everything in it.”

9If 10 men are left in one house, they too will die.

10When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” He will respond, “No one.” Then he will say, “Hush! Don’t invoke the Lord’s name!”

11Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. He will smash the large house to bits and the small house into little pieces.

12Can horses run on rocky cliffs? Can one plow the sea with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant.

13You are happy because you conquered Lo Debar. You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?”

14“Look! I am about to bring a nation against you, family of Israel,” the Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking. “They will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the stream of the rift valley.”

1Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

2Go to Calneh, and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?

3Those who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4Who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the middle of the stall;

5who strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

6who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

7Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive; and the feasting and lounging will end.

8“The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself,” says Yahweh, the God of Armies: “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.

9It will happen, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

10“When a man’s relative carries him, even he who burns him, to bring bodies out of the house, and asks him who is in the innermost parts of the house, ‘Is there yet any with you?’ And he says, ‘No;’ then he will say, ‘Hush! Indeed we must not mention Yahweh’s name.’

11“For, behold, Yahweh commands, and the great house will be smashed to pieces, and the little house into bits.

12Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;

13you who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, ‘Haven’t we taken for ourselves horns by our own strength?’

14For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, house of Israel,” says Yahweh, the God of Armies; “and they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah.”