Amos 5

1 “Hear this accusation ^{a5:1 Lit. word} that I am bringing against you: ‘A dirge, house of Israel:ISV — Amos 5:1

2 Fallen is Israel the virgin—never to rise again! She is abandoned on her own land, with no one to raise her up.’ISV — Amos 5:2

3 “For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The city that is sending out a thousand will have a hundred left; The city ^{b5:3 The Heb. lacks The city} that is sending out a hundred will have ten left of the house of Israel.’”ISV — Amos 5:3

4 “For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live,ISV — Amos 5:4

5 but don’t seek Bethel. Don’t go to Gilgal, and don’t pass over to Beer-sheba. Because Gilgal will surely go into captivity, ^{c5:5 The root Heb. for Gilgal is a pun on the Heb. go into captivity} and Bethel will come to nothing.ISV — Amos 5:5

6 ‘Seek the LORD and live! Otherwise, he may break out like a fire in the house of Joseph and devour Bethel, ^{d5:6 So MT; LXX reads devour the House of Israel} and there will be no one to extinguish it.ISV — Amos 5:6

7 Those of you who are making justice taste bitter, ^{e5:7 Lit. are turning justice into wormwood} and who have thrown righteousness to the ground:ISV — Amos 5:7

8 Seek ^{f5:8 The Heb. lacks Seek} the one who fashions the Pleiades and Orion, who turns the deep darkness ^{g5:8 Or the shadow of death} into morning, who darkens day into night, who calls out to the waters of the sea, pouring them out onto the surface of the earth— the LORD is his name.ISV — Amos 5:8

9 It is he who is raining sudden destruction upon the strong like lightning, ^{h5:9 The Heb. lacks like lightning} so that ruin comes upon the fortress.ISV — Amos 5:9

10 They have hated those who are presenting their cases in court, ^{i5:10 Lit. in the gate} detesting the one who speaks truthfully.ISV — Amos 5:10

11 ‘Therefore, since you trample the poor continuously, taxing his grain, building houses of stone in which you won’t live and planting fine vineyards from which you won’t drink—ISV — Amos 5:11

12 and because I know that your transgressions are many, and your sins are numerous as you oppose the righteous, taking bribes as a ransom, and turning away the poor in court ^{j5:12 Lit. in the gate} —ISV — Amos 5:12

13 therefore the prudent person remains silent at such a time, for the time is evil.ISV — Amos 5:13

14 ‘Pursue good and not evil, so that you may live, and this is what will happen: ^{k5:14 Lit. And so it was} The LORD God of the Heavenly Armies will be with you, as you have been claiming.ISV — Amos 5:14

15 Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in court— ^{l5:15 Lit. in the gates} perhaps the LORD, the God of the Heavenly Armies, will be gracious to the survivors of Joseph.’”ISV — Amos 5:15

16 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of the Heavenly Armies, the Lord, says: ‘There will be dirges in all of the streets; and in all of the highways they will cry out in anguish. ^{m5:16 Lit. will say, “Alas! Alas!”} They will call the farmer to mourning and those who lament ^{n5:16 i.e. professional mourners} to grieve.ISV — Amos 5:16

17 And in all of the vineyards there will be mourning when I pass through your midst,’ says the LORD.”ISV — Amos 5:17

18 “Woe to those who are craving the Day of the LORD! How is it to your benefit, this Day of the LORD? It’s a day of ^{o5:18 The Heb. lacks a day of} darkness to you, and not light.ISV — Amos 5:18

19 It will be like a man who runs from a lion, only to encounter a bear; or who comes home, leans his hand against a wall, and a serpent bites him!ISV — Amos 5:19

20 Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness, and not light— pitch black at that, without a ray of sunshine?”ISV — Amos 5:20

21 “I hate—I despise—your festival days, and your solemn convocations stink. ^{p5:21 Lit. and I smell no pleasant scent in your solemn assemblies}ISV — Amos 5:21

22 And ^{q5:22 Lit. Because} if you send up burnt offerings to me as well as your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I consider your peace offerings of fattened cattle.ISV — Amos 5:22

23 Spare me your noisy singing— I will not listen to your musical instruments. ^{r5:23 i.e. a stringed instrument such as a harp or lyre}ISV — Amos 5:23

24 “But let justice roll on like many ^{s5:24 The Heb. lacks many} waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing river.ISV — Amos 5:24

25 “Was it to me that you brought offerings and gifts in the desert for 40 years, house of Israel?ISV — Amos 5:25

26 And you carried the tent of your king ^{t5:26 LXX reads of Moloch; MT reads carried Sikkuth your king} — and Saturn, ^{u5:26 Heb. Kiyyun} your star god idols ^{v5:26 So MT; LXX reads and the star of your God Raiphan, the images} that you crafted for yourselves.ISV — Amos 5:26

27 So I will cause you to be taken captive beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is God of the Heavenly Armies.ISV — Amos 5:27