\NormalFont\ShortTitle{AMOS}

{\MTB This book is the account of Amos foretelling about God punishing Israel and Judah and other nations, and restoring Israel and Judah. We call this book

\par }{\MT Amos



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}This is the message that
{\ADD{Yahweh}} gave to
{\ADD{me}}, Amos. I am a ◄shepherd/man who takes care of sheep►. I am from
{\ADD{near}} Tekoa
{\ADD{town south of Jerusalem}}. I received this message about Israel in a vision two years before the
{\ADD{big}} earthquake. It was when Uzziah was the king of Judah, and Jeroboam, the son of
{\ADD{King}} Jehoash, was the king of Israel.


\par }{\PP \VS{2}This is what Yahweh said:

\par }{\Q “I will roar
{\ADD{like a lion}} [MET];

\par }{\QB when I speak from Zion
{\ADD{Hill in}} Jerusalem [DOU], my voice will
{\ADD{resemble the sound of}} thunder.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{When that happens}}, the pastures where you shepherds
{\ADD{take care of}} your sheep will dry up,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{the grass}} on top of Carmel
{\ADD{Mountain}} will ◄wither/become brown►

\par }{\QB {\ADD{because I will cause that no rain will fall}}.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Syria
\par }
{\PP \VS{3}This is
{\ADD{also}} what Yahweh said
{\ADD{to me}}:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will punish the people of}} Damascus,
{\ADD{the capital of Syria,}} because of the many sins that they have committed;

\par }{\QB I will not
{\ADD{change my mind about punishing them}} [MTY],

\par }{\Q because
{\ADD{the cruel things that they did to the people of the}} Gilead
{\ADD{region}}

\par }{\QB {\ADD{were like}} [MET] people threshing grain using sledges
{\ADD{that have ◄iron teeth/sharp iron nails► in them}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}I will cause a fire to burn the palace
{\ADD{that King}} Hazael
{\ADD{built and lived in}},

\par }{\QB the fortress where
{\ADD{his son King}} Ben-Hadad
{\ADD{also}} lived.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}I will cause the gates of Damascus to be broken
{\ADD{down}};

\par }{\QB I will get rid of the king who rules in Aven Valley

\par }{\Q and the one who rules in Beth Eden.

\par }{\QB And the people of Syria will be captured and taken to the Kir
{\ADD{region where they originally lived}}.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Philistia
\par }
{\PP \VS{6}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this
{\ADD{to me}}:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will punish the people of the cities in Philistia}}:

\par }{\QB {\ADD{I will punish the people of}} Gaza
{\ADD{city}} because of the many sins that they have committed;

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they captured large groups of people and took them to Edom

\par }{\QB and sold them to become the slaves of
{\ADD{the people of}} Edom.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}I will cause a fire to completely burn the walls of Gaza

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{also}} destroy its fortresses.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}I will get rid of the king of Ashdod
{\ADD{city}}

\par }{\QB and the king who rules [MTY] in Ashkelon
{\ADD{city}}.

\par }{\Q I will
{\ADD{also}} strike/punish
{\ADD{the people of}} Ekron
{\ADD{city}},

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{all}} the people of Philistia who are still alive will be killed.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Tyre
\par }
{\PP \VS{9}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this
{\ADD{to me}}:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will punish the people of}} Tyre
{\ADD{city}} because of the many sins that they have committed;

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they
{\ADD{also}} captured large groups of our people and took them to Edom,

\par }{\QB disregarding the treaty of friendship that they had made
{\ADD{with your rulers}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}So I will cause a fire to completely burn the walls of Tyre

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{also}} destroy its fortresses.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Edom
\par }
{\PP \VS{11}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this
{\ADD{to me}}:

\par }{\Q “I will punish
{\ADD{the people of}} Edom because of the many sins that they have committed;

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they pursued the people
{\ADD{of Israel}}, who descended from Esau’s
{\ADD{brother Jacob, and killed them}} with swords;

\par }{\QB they did not act mercifully toward them at all.

\par }{\Q They were extremely angry
{\ADD{with the people of Israel}},

\par }{\QB and they continued to be angry
{\ADD{with them}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}I will cause a fire to burn Teman
{\ADD{district in Edom}}

\par }{\QB and completely burn the fortresses of Bozrah,
{\ADD{the biggest city in Edom}}.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Ammon
\par }
{\PP \VS{13}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this
{\ADD{to me}}:

\par }{\Q “I will punish
{\ADD{the people of}} Ammon because of the many sins that
{\ADD{they}} have committed;

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because
{\ADD{their soldiers even}} ripped open
{\ADD{the bellies of}} pregnant women

\par }{\QB {\ADD{when their army attacked}} the Gilead
{\ADD{region}} to gain more territory.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}I will cause a fire to
{\ADD{completely}} burn the walls around Rabbah
{\ADD{city}}

\par }{\QB and completely burn its fortresses.

\par }{\Q During that battle,
{\ADD{their enemies}} will shout loudly

\par }{\QB and the fighting will be
{\ADD{like}} [MET] a fierce/raging wind/storm.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{After the battle}}, the king
{\ADD{of Ammon}} and his officials will be ◄exiled/forced to go to another country►.”




\par }\Chap{2}{\SH Yahweh will punish Moab
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will punish the people of}} Moab because of the many sins
{\ADD{that they have committed}};

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they
{\ADD{dug up}} the bones of the king of Edom and burned them completely,

\par }{\QB with the result that
{\ADD{the ashes became as white}} as lime.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}So I will cause a fire to completely burn the fortresses of Kerioth
{\ADD{city in Moab}}.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{People will hear soldiers}} shouting and blowing trumpets
{\ADD{loudly}}

\par }{\QB while I am causing Moab to be destroyed


\par }{\Q \VS{3}{\ADD{and while}} I am getting rid of its king and all its leaders.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{That will surely happen because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\SH Yahweh will punish Judah
\par }
{\PP \VS{4}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will also punish the people of}} Judah because of the many sins
{\ADD{that they have committed}};

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they have rejected what I taught them

\par }{\QB and they have not obeyed my commands.

\par }{\Q They have been deceived
{\ADD{and persuaded to worship false gods}},

\par }{\QB the same
{\ADD{gods}} that their ancestors
{\ADD{worshiped}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}So I will cause a fire to completely burn
{\ADD{everything in}} Judah, including the fortresses in Jerusalem.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Israel
\par }
{\PP \VS{6}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} said this:

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I will punish the people of}} Israel because of the many sins
{\ADD{that they have committed}};

\par }{\QB I will not change my mind about punishing them,

\par }{\Q because they sell righteous
{\ADD{people}} to get
{\ADD{a small amount of}} silver;

\par }{\QB they sell poor
{\ADD{people, causing them to become slaves}},

\par }{\QB getting for
{\ADD{each of}} them
{\ADD{only the amount of money with which they could buy}} a pair of sandals.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}{\ADD{It is as though}} they trample the poor people into the dirt

\par }{\QB and do not allow those who are helpless to be treated fairly.

\par }{\QB Men and their fathers dishonor me [MTY] by both having sex [EUP] with the same
{\ADD{slave}} girl.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}{\ADD{When poor people borrow money}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{the lenders force those people to give to them a piece of clothing}} for them to keep until he can pay back the money.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{But at the end of each day, instead of returning that garment as Yahweh had commanded them to}},

\par }{\QB they lie down on that garment at the places where they worship
{\ADD{their gods}}!

\par }{\Q They fine people,

\par }{\QB and with that money
{\ADD{they buy}} wine and drink it in the temples of their gods!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}{\ADD{Long ago,}} to assist your ancestors, I got rid of the Amor people-group.

\par }{\QB They
{\ADD{seemed to be}} as tall as cedar
{\ADD{trees}}

\par }{\QB and as strong as oak
{\ADD{trees}},

\par }{\Q but I got rid of them completely,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{as easily as someone cuts off}} [MET] the branches of a tree and then digs out all its roots.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}I brought your
{\ADD{ancestors}} out of Egypt,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{then}} I led them through the desert for 40 years.

\par }{\QB And then I enabled them to conquer/possess the Amor area.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}I chose some of you Israelis to be prophets,

\par }{\QB and I chose others to be Nazir-men
{\ADD{who were completely dedicated to me}}.

\par }{\Q You people of Israel certainly [RHQ] know that what I have said is true!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}But you commanded the prophets to not speak the messages that
{\ADD{I gave to}} them,

\par }{\Q and you persuaded the Nazir-men to drink wine,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{which I told them never to do}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{13}So I will crush you

\par }{\QB like [SIM]
{\ADD{the wheels of}} a wagon that is loaded with grain crushes
{\ADD{whatever it rolls over}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}{\ADD{Even}} if you run fast,

\par }{\QB you will not escape;

\par }{\Q {\ADD{even}} if you are strong,
{\ADD{it will be as though}} you are weak,

\par }{\QB and warriors will be unable to save themselves.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{Even}} if you are able to shoot arrows
{\ADD{well}},

\par }{\QB you will be forced to retreat [LIT];

\par }{\Q {\ADD{even}} if you run fast or if you ride
{\ADD{away}} on a horse,

\par }{\QB you will not
{\ADD{be able to}} save yourself.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}{\ADD{Even}} warriors who are very brave will drop their weapons

\par }{\QB when they try to flee on the day
{\ADD{that I get rid of them}}.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That will surely happen because I}}, Yahweh, have said it.”




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH Yahweh warned the Israeli people
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}“You people of Israel, I brought all your ancestors out of Egypt;

\par }{\QB so listen to what I am saying about you.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}From all the people-groups on the earth,

\par }{\QB I
{\ADD{chose and}} took care of only you.

\par }{\Q That is the reason that I will punish you

\par }{\QB for the sins that you have committed.”


\par }{\SH The prophets’ task
\par }
{\Q \VS{3}Two
{\ADD{people}} certainly cannot [RHQ] walk together

\par }{\QB if they have not
{\ADD{already}} agreed
{\ADD{about what place they will start walking from}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}A lion certainly does not [RHQ] roar in the bushes/forest

\par }{\QB if it has not killed another animal.

\par }{\Q It does not [RHQ] growl in its den

\par }{\QB if it is not eating
{\ADD{the flesh of an animal that it has caught}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}No one can [RHQ] catch a bird

\par }{\QB if
{\ADD{he does}} not
{\ADD{set}} a trap for it.

\par }{\Q A trap does not spring shut

\par }{\QB unless some
{\ADD{animal}} has not sprung the trap.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}{\ADD{Similarly, all}} the people in a city certainly [RHQ] become afraid

\par }{\QB when
{\ADD{they hear someone}} blowing a trumpet

\par }{\QB {\ADD{to signal that enemies are attacking}}.

\par }{\Q And when a city experiences disaster,

\par }{\QB Yahweh is the one who has caused it [RHQ].


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{7}And whatever Yahweh plans to do,

\par }{\QB he tells his prophets about it.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}Everyone certainly becomes terrified [RHQ] when they hear a lion roar,

\par }{\QB and if Yahweh the Lord has given messages
{\ADD{to prophets like me}},

\par }{\Q we certainly must [RHQ] proclaim those messages,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{even if they cause people to become terrified}}.


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Samaria
\par }
{\Q \VS{9}{\ADD{I said this to the leaders of Samaria}} (OR,
{\ADD{Yahweh said this to me}}):

\par }{\QB Send this message to the leaders [MET] in Ashdod
{\ADD{city}} and to Egypt:

\par }{\Q “Come to the hills of Samaria

\par }{\QB and see
{\ADD{the way that their ◄leaders/wealthy people►}} are causing people in that city to be terrified,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{the way that they}} are causing the people to suffer!”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}Yahweh says that the people there do not know how to do things that are right.

\par }{\QB Their homes are filled with
{\ADD{valuable things}} that they have stolen or
{\ADD{taken}} violently
{\ADD{from others}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{11}So Yahweh
{\ADD{our}} God says that
{\ADD{soon}} their enemies will come

\par }{\QB and tear down their ◄defenses/high city walls►

\par }{\QB and take away those valuable things.


\par }{\PP \VS{12}Yahweh has declared this:

\par }{\Q “When a lion attacks a sheep,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{sometimes}} a shepherd will be able to snatch from the lion’s mouth

\par }{\QB only two legs or an ear of the sheep.

\par }{\Q Similarly,
{\ADD{only}} a few people from Samaria will escape,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{they will be able to rescue only}} a part of a couch and a part of a bed.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{13}The Commander of the armies of angels said this:

\par }{\QB “Proclaim
{\ADD{this message}} about the descendants [MTY] of Jacob:


\par }{\Q \VS{14}When I, Yahweh, punish
{\ADD{the people of}} Israel

\par }{\QB because of the sins that they have committed,

\par }{\Q I will cause the altars at Bethel
{\ADD{town}} to be destroyed;

\par }{\QB even the projections at the corners of the altars will be cut off and fall to the ground.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}I will cause the houses
{\ADD{that they live in during}} the ◄winter/rainy season► and those
{\ADD{in which they live during}} the ◄summer/dry season► to be torn down.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{Beautiful}} big houses and houses
{\ADD{that are decorated}} with ivory will be destroyed.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That will surely happen because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!”




\par }\Chap{4}{\SH The Israelis have not returned to God
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}You
{\ADD{wealthy women}} of Samaria
{\ADD{have grown fat like}} [MET] the fat cows of the Bashan
{\ADD{region}}.

\par }{\QB You oppress poor people

\par }{\QB and you cause needy people to suffer.

\par }{\Q And you say to your husbands,

\par }{\QB “Bring us
{\ADD{more wine}} to drink!”


\par }{\Q \VS{2}But Yahweh
{\ADD{our}} God has said this:

\par }{\QB “Because I am holy, I solemnly promise this:

\par }{\Q It will
{\ADD{soon}} be the time when you all will be taken
{\ADD{to another country}};

\par }{\QB {\ADD{your enemies will take you away as though they are}} using sharp hooks [DOU]
{\ADD{to grab you}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}{\ADD{Your enemies}} will drag you out through breaks/holes
{\ADD{in your city walls}},

\par }{\QB and they will throw you outside the city.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That will surely happen because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{4}Go to Bethel and Gilgal
{\ADD{towns where many people worship me}}

\par }{\QB and sin more and more [SAR]!

\par }{\Q {\ADD{I say that not because I want you to do it}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{but because it is what you have always been doing}}!

\par }{\Q Offer sacrifices on the morning
{\ADD{after you arrive}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{and bring me}} ◄a tithe/one tenth► of your crops the next day.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}Bring offerings of bread to thank me,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{other}} offerings that are not required/commanded,

\par }{\Q and boast about
{\ADD{these offerings that you bring}},

\par }{\QB because that is what you like to do,

\par }{\Q {\ADD{but you do it to impress others, not to please me}}.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That is certainly true, because I}}, Yahweh, have said it.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{6}I
{\ADD{am the one who}} caused there to be no food in any of your cities and towns [DOU],

\par }{\QB but you rejected me in spite of that.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{7}When it was still three months before
{\ADD{the time of}} harvesting
{\ADD{crops}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{at the time when your crops needed rain the most}},

\par }{\QB I prevented rain from falling.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Sometimes}} I allowed rain to fall on some towns

\par }{\QB and prevented it from falling on other towns.

\par }{\Q Rain fell on some fields,

\par }{\QB but it did not fall on other fields,

\par }{\QB with the result that
{\ADD{the soil in}} those fields
{\ADD{where it did not rain}} dried up.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}People would stagger from one town to another town to find water,

\par }{\QB but they could not even get enough water to drink,

\par }{\QB but in spite of that, you have not returned to me.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That is certainly true because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}I caused your grain fields to dry up;

\par }{\QB I caused your gardens and vineyards to be struck/destroyed by ◄blight/hot winds► and mildew.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{I sent}} locusts to eat
{\ADD{the leaves on}} your fig trees and olive trees,

\par }{\QB but in spite of that, you rejected me.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That is certainly true because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}I caused you to experience ◄plagues/severe sicknesses►

\par }{\QB like the plagues
{\ADD{that I sent to the people}} of Egypt.

\par }{\Q I caused
{\ADD{many of}} your young men to die in battles.

\par }{\QB I allowed
{\ADD{your enemies}} to capture your horses.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Many of your soldiers were killed,}}

\par }{\QB and I caused your camps to be filled with the smell/stink of their
{\ADD{decaying}} corpses.

\par }{\QB But in spite of that, you rejected me.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That is certainly true, because}} I, Yahweh, have said it!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{11}I got rid of many of you,

\par }{\QB like I got rid of
{\ADD{the people in}} Sodom and Gomorrah.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Those of}} you who
{\ADD{did not die}} were like [SIM] a burning stick that was snatched from a fire
{\ADD{so that it would not burn completely}}.

\par }{\QB But in spite of that, you rejected me.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That is certainly true, because I}}, Yahweh, have said it!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}So
{\ADD{now}}, you
{\ADD{people of}} Israel, I am going to punish you.

\par }{\QB Prepare to stand in front of me, your God,
{\ADD{when I judge you}}!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{13}I created the mountains,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{I}} created winds.

\par }{\Q I reveal to humans what I am thinking.

\par }{\QB I
{\ADD{sometimes}} cause the daylight to become dark
{\ADD{like the night}}.

\par }{\Q I
{\ADD{rule over everything}};

\par }{\QB I
{\ADD{even}} walk on the highest mountains on the earth!

\par }{\QB I am the Commander of the armies of angels!”




\par }\Chap{5}{\SH The people of Israel must repent
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}You people [MTY] of Israel, listen to this funeral song that I will sing about you:


\par }{\Q \VS{2}“You are like [MET] a young woman,

\par }{\QB but in spite of that, you will certainly be struck down

\par }{\QB and you will never get up again!

\par }{\Q You will lie on the ground, abandoned,

\par }{\QB and there will be no one to help you stand up.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{3}This is what Yahweh the Lord says to the people [MTY] of Israel:

\par }{\Q {\ADD{“When your enemies attack you,}}

\par }{\Q and when 1,000
{\ADD{of your soldiers}} will go
{\ADD{to a battle}},

\par }{\QB there will be only 100 who will survive.

\par }{\Q When 100 soldiers march out
{\ADD{from a city to fight}},

\par }{\QB there will be only ten who will remain alive.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{4}Yahweh continues to say to the people [MTY] of Israel:

\par }{\Q “You Israeli people, return to me!

\par }{\QB If you do that, you will continue to remain alive.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}Do not go to Bethel to seek
{\ADD{my help}};

\par }{\QB do not go to Gilgal
{\ADD{to worship}};

\par }{\Q do not
{\ADD{even}} go to Beersheba,

\par }{\QB because
{\ADD{your enemies}} will drag away
{\ADD{the people of}} Gilgal to other countries,

\par }{\QB and Bethel will be completely destroyed.”


\par }{\Q \VS{6}So, come to Yahweh;

\par }{\QB if you do that, you will remain alive.

\par }{\Q If you do not do that,

\par }{\QB Yahweh will descend on you descendants [MTY] of Joseph like [SIM] a fire;

\par }{\Q that fire will burn everything in Bethel,

\par }{\QB and ◄nothing/no one► will be able to save that town.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}You people distort what is fair/right and cause
{\ADD{people to think that}} it is something that is very bitter;

\par }{\QB you treat good things as though they are evil.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}{\ADD{Do you know who}} created all the groups of stars

\par }{\QB and put them in their places?

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Each morning}} he causes the darkness to become the dawn,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{each evening}} he causes the daylight to become darkness.

\par }{\Q He scoops up water from the oceans
{\ADD{to become clouds}},

\par }{\QB and then he dumps the water
{\ADD{from the clouds}} onto the earth.

\par }{\Q The one who does those things is named Yahweh.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}He causes strong
{\ADD{soldiers}} to be killed,

\par }{\QB and causes the ◄high walls around/fortresses of► cities to be torn down.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{He is the one who will punish you}}

\par }{\QB because you hate those who challenge anyone who tries to make unjust decisions,

\par }{\QB and you hate those who tell the truth in your courts.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{11}You oppress poor people and force them to pay big taxes.

\par }{\Q You have built big stone mansions
{\ADD{for yourselves}},

\par }{\QB but you will not be able to live in them.

\par }{\Q You have planted vineyards,

\par }{\QB but there will not be any
{\ADD{grapes for you to harvest to make}} wine.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}I know all of your sins

\par }{\QB and the terrible crimes that you have committed.

\par }{\Q You oppress righteous/honest people,

\par }{\QB and you accept bribes.

\par }{\Q You do not allow judges to treat poor people justly.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}This is a time when
{\ADD{many people do}} evil things,

\par }{\QB so people who have good sense say nothing
{\ADD{when they hear about such things being done}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\QB \VS{14}In order to remain alive,

\par }{\Q you must stop doing what is wrong, and start doing what is right.

\par }{\Q If you do that, the Commander of the armies of angels will be with you

\par }{\QB like you claim
{\ADD{that he always is}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}Love what is good, and hate what is evil!

\par }{\QB Try to cause
{\ADD{judges}} in your courts to make decisions that are right/fair!

\par }{\Q If you do those things, perhaps the Commander of the armies of angels

\par }{\QB will act mercifully toward
{\ADD{you descendants of}} Joseph who are still alive.


\par }{\PP \VS{16}“Because I, Yahweh,
{\ADD{will punish you for your sins}}, this is what I have solemnly declared:

\par }{\Q People will be wailing loudly in every street,

\par }{\QB and people will be very sorrowful in every plaza.

\par }{\Q Farmers will be summoned to
{\ADD{come and}} weep,

\par }{\QB along with the other official mourners who will wail
{\ADD{for those who have died}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}People will be wailing in your vineyards,

\par }{\QB because I will punish you [IDM] severely.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That will surely happen because}} I, Yahweh, have said it!”


\par }{\SH The day of punishment
\par }
{\Q \VS{18}Terrible things will happen to you who desire that it will soon be the day when Yahweh
{\ADD{will punish your enemies}},

\par }{\QB because that will be a day of darkness, not of light.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}{\ADD{At that time,}} when you try to run from a lion,

\par }{\QB you will face a bear.

\par }{\Q When you run into your house
{\ADD{to be safe}},

\par }{\Q and you put your hand on a wall,

\par }{\QB it will be bitten by a snake.


\par }{\Q \VS{20}That day,
{\ADD{when he punishes people}}, will certainly be [RHQ] a very dark day [MET],

\par }{\QB without even a little bit of light.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{21}{\ADD{Yahweh says}}, “I hate your religious celebrations

\par }{\QB and the times when you gather to worship me;

\par }{\QB I detest them [DOU].


\par }{\Q \VS{22}Even if you bring me offerings that will be completely burned
{\ADD{on the altar}} and offerings of grain,

\par }{\QB I will no longer accept them.

\par }{\Q Even if you bring me offerings to renew/maintain fellowship with me,

\par }{\QB I will not pay any attention to them.


\par }{\Q \VS{23}So, stop singing noisy/loud songs!

\par }{\QB I will not listen when you play harps.


\par }{\Q \VS{24}Instead, your continually acting justly/fairly and righteously should be
{\ADD{never stop,}}

\par }{\QB like [SIM]
{\ADD{the water in}} a river that never stops flowing.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{25}You Israeli people [MTY], your
{\ADD{ancestors}} wandered through the desert for 40 years;

\par }{\QB and during that time, they never brought any sacrifices and offerings to me!


\par }{\Q \VS{26}But they carried the two idols that they had made—

\par }{\QB the idols of Succoth, the god
{\ADD{that they considered to be}} their king,

\par }{\QB and Kaiwan,
{\ADD{the image of the}} star
{\ADD{that they worshiped}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{27}Therefore, now I will force you to go to
{\ADD{a country that is}} far beyond Damascus!

\par }{\Q {\ADD{That will surely happen because}} I, the Commander of the armies of angels, have said it!”




\par }\Chap{6}{\SH Israel will be punished
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}Terrible things will happen to you people in Jerusalem who are not worried about anything,

\par }{\QB and also to you leaders who live on Samaria Hill who think that you are safe.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{You think that}} [IRO] you are the most important people
{\ADD{in the world}},

\par }{\QB people to whom Israeli people [MTY] go
{\ADD{to get help}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}But go to Calneh
{\ADD{city}} and see
{\ADD{what happened there}}.

\par }{\QB Then go to
{\ADD{see}} the great
{\ADD{city}} Hamath
{\ADD{and see what happened there}}.

\par }{\QB Then go down to Gath
{\ADD{city}} in Philistia
{\ADD{and see what happened to their city walls}}.

\par }{\Q Your land/country is certainly not [RHQ] larger or more powerful than their countries were,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{but they were all destroyed}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}You are trying to not think about a day when you will experience disasters,

\par }{\QB when
{\ADD{your enemies will come and}} violently attack you.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}You lie on beds
{\ADD{decorated with expensive}} ivory,

\par }{\QB and on
{\ADD{soft}} couches.

\par }{\Q You eat
{\ADD{the tender meat of}} lambs

\par }{\QB and fat calves.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}You create/compose new songs

\par }{\QB and play them on your harps like
{\ADD{King}} David did.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}You drink entire bowlfuls of wine

\par }{\QB and you put expensive oils/perfumes on your bodies,

\par }{\QB but you do not grieve about
{\ADD{your country of}} Israel [MTY], which is about to be destroyed.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}Your feasting and lounging
{\ADD{on soft couches}} will soon end,

\par }{\QB and you will be among the first ones to be forced
{\ADD{by your enemies}} to go ◄into exile/to another country►.


\par }{\SH Yahweh detests the Israelis for being very proud
\par }
{\PP \VS{8}Yahweh the Lord has solemnly declared this:

\par }{\Q “I hate the people of Israel because they are very proud;

\par }{\QB I detest their fortresses.

\par }{\Q I will enable
{\ADD{their enemies}} to capture their
{\ADD{capital}} city

\par }{\QB and everything in it.”


\par }{\PP \VS{9}{\ADD{When that happens,}} if there are ten people in one house, they will all die.

\VS{10}If a relative who ◄has the task of/is responsible for► burning their corpses comes to the house and inquires of anyone who is still hiding there, “Is there anyone here with you?”, and that person replies “No,”
{\ADD{the one who inquired}} will say, “Be quiet! We must not mention the name of Yahweh,
{\ADD{lest he cause us also to be killed}}!”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{11}{\ADD{Terrible things like that will happen}} because Yahweh has commanded that large houses
{\ADD{in Israel}} must be smashed into pieces,

\par }{\QB and small houses must be smashed into tiny bits.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}Horses certainly do not [RHQ] run on big rocks,

\par }{\QB and certainly people do not [RHQ] plow the sea with oxen.

\par }{\Q But you have
{\ADD{done things that no one should do}}:

\par }{\Q You have distorted what is fair/right and caused it to be considered like poison [MET];

\par }{\QB you have changed what is right and consider it to be like things that are bitter.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}You are proud because you have captured Lo-Debar
{\ADD{town}},

\par }{\QB and you have said, “We captured Karnaim by our own power!”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{14}But the Commander of the armies of angels declares,

\par }{\QB “I will cause another nation to attack you people [MTY] of Israel;

\par }{\Q they will ◄oppress you/cause you to suffer► all the way from Hamath Pass
{\ADD{in the northwest}}

\par }{\QB to the Dead Sea
{\ADD{in the southeast}}.”




\par }\Chap{7}{\SH Visions that Yahweh gave to Joel
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}Yahweh our God showed me
{\ADD{in a vision}} that he was going to send locusts
{\ADD{to destroy our crops}}. It was going to happen right after the king’s share of the hay had been harvested/cut and before the rest of the hay was ready to be harvested.

\VS{2}{\ADD{And in the vision I saw}} those locusts come, and they ate everything that was green. Then I cried out, “Yahweh our Lord, please forgive us! We Israeli people are very helpless; ◄how will we be able to survive [RHQ]?/we will not be able to survive!►”


\par }{\PP \VS{3}So Yahweh changed his mind and said, “That will not happen.”


\par }{\PP \VS{4}Then this is what Yahweh our Lord showed me
{\ADD{in another vision}}: He was calling to a fire to
{\ADD{come and}} punish
{\ADD{his people}}.
{\ADD{In the vision I saw that}} the fire dried up the ocean and also burned
{\ADD{everything on}} the land.

\VS{5}Then I cried out again, “Yahweh our Lord, I plead with you, please stop this! We Israeli people are very helpless; how will we be able to survive [RHQ]?”


\par }{\PP \VS{6}So Yahweh changed his mind again, and said, “That also will not happen.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{7}Then Yahweh showed me
{\ADD{another vision}}. I saw him standing beside a wall.
{\ADD{It was very straight because}} it had been built using a ◄plumb line/cord with a weight on one end to determine if walls are vertically straight►. Yahweh had the plumb line in his hand.

\VS{8}Yahweh asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”

\par }{\PP I replied, “A plumb line.”

\par }{\PP Then Yahweh said, “Look, I am going to use a plumb line among my Israeli people,
{\ADD{to show that they are like a wall that is not straight}}. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}The places on hills where
{\ADD{the descendants of}} [MTY] Isaac worship
{\ADD{idols}} will be destroyed.

\par }{\QB And the other important shrines in Israel will also be destroyed.

\par }{\Q And I will enable
{\ADD{your enemies}} to attack your people with swords

\par }{\QB and they will get rid of
{\ADD{King}} Jeroboam and all his descendants.”


\par }{\SH Amaziah criticized Amos
\par }
{\PP \VS{10}Then Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, sent
{\ADD{a message}} to Jeroboam, the King of Israel. In the message he said, “Amos is plotting against you among the Israeli people [MTY].
{\ADD{I am worried that}} the people of this country will not be able to refute his words.

\VS{11}This is what he is saying:

\par }{\Q ‘Jeroboam will soon be killed by
{\ADD{someone using}} a sword,

\par }{\QB and the people of Israel will be ◄exiled/forced to leave their land and go to another country►.’ ”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{12}Then Amaziah
{\ADD{came to me and}} said, “You prophet, get out of here! Go back to the country of Judah! Earn money to
{\ADD{buy food to be able}} to live there, and do your prophesying there!

\VS{13}Do not prophesy any more here at Bethel, because this is where the national temple, the king’s temple, is!”


\par }{\PP \VS{14}I replied to Amaziah, “I was
{\ADD{previously}} not a prophet, and my father was not a prophet; I was a shepherd. I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.

\VS{15}But Yahweh took me away from taking care of my sheep, and he said to me, ‘Go to Israel and prophesy to my people there!’


\par }{\Q \VS{16}You said to me, ‘Do not prophecy saying terrible things will happen to
{\ADD{the people of}} Israel;

\par }{\QB stop saying those things!’


\par }{\PP \VS{17}Therefore listen to what Yahweh says about you:

\par }{\Q ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in this city,

\par }{\QB and your sons and daughters will be killed by
{\ADD{your enemies’}} swords.

\par }{\Q Others will measure your land

\par }{\QB and divide it up
{\ADD{among themselves}};

\par }{\Q and you yourself will die in a foreign country.

\par }{\Q And the people of Israel will certainly be forced to leave their country and go ◄into exile/to live in another country►.’ ”




\par }\Chap{8}{\SH A vision of ripe fruit
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}Yahweh showed me
{\ADD{in a vision}} a basket full of ripe fruit.

\VS{2}He asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”

\par }{\PP I replied, “A basket of
{\ADD{very}} ripe fruit.”

\par }{\PP He said, “That indicates that it almost the end for my Israeli people. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.


\par }{\PP \VS{3}{\ADD{Soon,}} instead of singing in the temple, they will be wailing. There will be corpses everywhere [HYP]. So, remain silent (OR, Everyone will be silent).
{\ADD{These things will surely happen because}} I, Yahweh, have said it!”


\par }{\SH Israel will be destroyed
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}{\ADD{It is as though}} you people trample on needy people,

\par }{\QB and you destroy the poor people.


\par }{\PP \VS{5}You habitually say,

\par }{\Q “We wish that [RHQ] the new moon
{\ADD{festival}} would end soon,

\par }{\QB in order that
{\ADD{restrictions on doing business during the festival will be ended}}

\par }{\QB and we can sell grain.

\par }{\Q We wish that the Sabbath would end soon,

\par }{\QB in order that we will again be permitted to sell our wheat”—

\par }{\Q and
{\ADD{when you sell it}},

\par }{\QB you charge a big price for it,

\par }{\Q and you cheat people by using scales that do not weigh correctly.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}You sell wheat that you have swept up from the floor, and as a result it is mixed with dirt.

\par }{\QB Those who are needy and poor [DOU] and who do not have money
{\ADD{to buy things}},

\par }{\Q you cause them to become your slaves

\par }{\QB by buying them with the
{\ADD{small amount of}} silver
{\ADD{with which you could buy}} a pair of sandals!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{7}Yahweh has declared, “Although you are very proud of
{\ADD{being descendants}} [MTY] of Jacob, I solemnly declare that I will not forget the
{\ADD{evil things}} that you have done.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}{\ADD{Because of those evil things}}, your country will certainly [RHQ] soon be shaken,

\par }{\QB and all of you will mourn.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{It will be as though}} it will repeatedly rise and fall

\par }{\QB like [SIM] the Nile
{\ADD{River}} that gets full of water
{\ADD{and overflows it banks}}

\par }{\QB and then settles back into its riverbed.


\par }{\PP \VS{9}On the day
{\ADD{when I punish my people}},

\par }{\Q I will cause the sun to set at noontime,

\par }{\QB and the
{\ADD{entire}} earth will be dark in the daytime.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}I will cause your
{\ADD{religious}} celebrations to become times when you mourn;

\par }{\QB instead of singing, everyone will be weeping.

\par }{\Q Because of what I
{\ADD{will do}}, all of you will wear rough sackcloth and shave your heads

\par }{\QB {\ADD{to show that you are sorrowing}}.

\par }{\Q I will cause that time to be like when people mourn after an only son
{\ADD{has died}}.

\par }{\QB All of you will be extremely sad all of that day.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{11}And Yahweh our God says this:

\par }{\QB “It will
{\ADD{soon}} be the time when I will cause something to be very scarce [MET] throughout the country.

\par }{\Q But it will not be a time when there is no food or water;

\par }{\QB it will instead be a time when there will be no messages from me for anyone to hear.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}People will stagger from the
{\ADD{Dead}} Sea to the
{\ADD{Mediterranean}} Sea,

\par }{\QB and wander from the north to the east,

\par }{\Q searching for a message from me,

\par }{\QB but there will not be any.


\par }{\PP \VS{13}At that time,

\par }{\Q even beautiful young women and strong young men will faint

\par }{\QB because of being very thirsty.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}Those who ◄make oaths/solemnly promise to do something► using the names of their shameful gods of Samaria,

\par }{\QB and those who solemnly promise to do something
{\ADD{using the name of}} the god of Dan,

\par }{\QB and those who solemnly promise to do something
{\ADD{using the name of}} the god of Beersheba,

\par }{\Q will all die;

\par }{\QB and they will never live again.”




\par }\Chap{9}{\SH Israel will be punished
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}Yahweh
{\ADD{showed me another vision. In the vision,}} I saw him standing next to the altar. He said,

\par }{\Q “Shake the tops of the pillars
{\ADD{of the temple}},

\par }{\QB until they become loose and fall down,

\par }{\QB so that even the foundation will shake.

\par }{\Q Then cause the
{\ADD{pieces of the temple}} to fall down on the people
{\ADD{who are inside}}.

\par }{\Q I will kill with a sword anyone who
{\ADD{tries to}} flee;

\par }{\QB no one will escape.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}If they dig deep pits in the ground,

\par }{\QB or if they try to climb up to the sky

\par }{\Q {\ADD{in order to escape}},

\par }{\QB I will reach out and grab them.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}If they go to the top of Carmel
{\ADD{Mountain}} to escape,

\par }{\QB I will search for them and seize them.

\par }{\Q If they
{\ADD{try to}} hide from me at the bottom of the sea,

\par }{\QB I will command the
{\ADD{huge}} sea monster to bite them.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}If their enemies
{\ADD{capture them and}} force them to go to other countries,

\par }{\QB I will command that they be killed there with swords.

\par }{\Q I am determined [IDM] to get rid of them, not to help them.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{5}When the Commander of the armies of angels touches the earth, it melts,

\par }{\QB and all over the earth
{\ADD{many people die, and the others}} mourn for them.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{It is as though}} Yahweh causes the earth repeatedly to rise and fall

\par }{\QB like [SIM] the Nile
{\ADD{River}} rises and falls.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}He builds his
{\ADD{beautiful}} palace in heaven,

\par }{\QB and sets/causes the sky to be like a dome over the earth.

\par }{\Q He scoops up the water from the ocean and
{\ADD{puts it into clouds}},

\par }{\QB and then empties
{\ADD{the clouds}} onto the earth.

\par }{\QB His name is Yahweh.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{7}And Yahweh says, “You people of Israel,

\par }{\QB you are certainly [RHQ]
{\ADD{now no more important to me}} than the people of Ethiopia.

\par }{\Q I brought your
{\ADD{ancestors}} here from Egypt,

\par }{\QB but I also brought the people of Philistia from Crete
{\ADD{Island}},

\par }{\QB and I brought the people of Syria from the Kir
{\ADD{region}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}I [SYN], Yahweh the Lord, have seen that you people in the kingdom
{\ADD{of Israel}} are very sinful,

\par }{\QB so I will ◄destroy you/wipe you off the earth►.

\par }{\Q But I will not get rid of all you descendants [MTY] of Jacob.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{That is what will surely happen because}} I, Yahweh, have said it.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}When I command it,
{\ADD{it will be as though}} I will shake you Israeli people
{\ADD{who are living}} in various nations,

\par }{\QB like [MET]
{\ADD{a farmer}} shakes a sieve
{\ADD{to separate}} the stone pebbles
{\ADD{from the grain}},

\par }{\QB in order that they do not fall on the ground
{\ADD{with the grain}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}From among my people,

\par }{\QB all you sinful people who say, ‘We will not experience disasters; nothing evil will happen to us,’

\par }{\Q will be killed by
{\ADD{your enemies’}} swords.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh promised to restore Israel
\par }
{\Q \VS{11}“The kingdom
{\ADD{over which King}} David
{\ADD{ruled has been destroyed, like}} [MET] a house that collapsed and then became ruins.

\par }{\QB But some day I will cause it to be a kingdom again.

\par }{\Q I will cause it to prosper again

\par }{\QB just like it did previously.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}When that happens, your
{\ADD{armies}} will seize/capture the remaining part of Edom
{\ADD{region}} again,

\par }{\QB and they will also seize the land in other nations that previously belonged to me [MTY].

\par }{\Q I, Yahweh, have said
{\ADD{that I will do these things}},

\par }{\QB and I will certainly cause them to happen.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\PP \VS{13}There will be a time
{\ADD{when your crops will grow very well}}.

\par }{\Q Very soon after the crops are harvested,

\par }{\QB farmers will plow the ground
{\ADD{to plant more crops in it again}},

\par }{\Q and soon after the vineyards are planted,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{farmers will harvest}} grapes and tread on them
{\ADD{to make wine}}.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{And because there will be a lot of}} wine,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{it will seem as though}} wine is flowing down from the hills [DOU].


\par }{\Q \VS{14}I will cause you, my Israeli people, to prosper again.

\par }{\QB You will rebuild your towns and live in them.

\par }{\Q You will plant vineyards and then drink the wine
{\ADD{made from the grapes that grows in them}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}I will enable you to live [MET] in your land again,

\par }{\QB the land that I gave to
{\ADD{your ancestors}},

\par }{\Q and never again will you be forced to leave it.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{That is what will surely happen because}} I, Yahweh, have said it.”


\par }