1:1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa - the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash* was king of Israel. / *Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash
1:2 He said: “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”
1:3 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth,
1:4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
1:5 I will break down the gate of Damascus; I will destroy the king who is in* the Valley of Aven** and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says the Lord. / *Or the inhabitants of / **Aven means wickedness.
1:6 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent. Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom,
1:7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses.
1:8 I will destroy the king* of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines are dead,” says the Sovereign Lord. / *Or inhabitants
1:9 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not relent. Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom, disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,
1:10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre that will consume her fortresses.”
1:11 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not relent. Because he pursued his brother with a sword and slaughtered the women of the land, because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked,
1:12 I will send fire on Teman that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.”
1:13 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not relent. Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders,
1:14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of battle, amid violent winds on a stormy day.
1:15 Her king* will go into exile, he and his officials together,” says the Lord. / *Or Molek