1 These are the words of Amos, one of the shepherds in Tekoa, a city in the highlands of Judah. God gave him these visions regarding Israel in the time of Uzziah (who ruled Judah) and Jeroboam (the son of Joash, who ruled Israel) two years before the great earthquake.
2 The Eternal One roars from Zion;
His voice thunders from Jerusalem.
The pastures shrivel and die beneath the shepherds’ feet,
and the crest of Mount Carmel dries to dust as all await His judgment.
3 Eternal One: For three crimes of Damascus,
no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
Because they have threshed the people of Gilead
with threshing-sledges made of iron.
4 I will send down fire on the house of Hazael, the ruler in Damascus,
and burn down the fortresses of Ben-hadad, his son and successor.
5 I will smash the gates of Damascus,
wipe out those who live in the valley of Aven.
I will cut off the hand that holds the scepter in Beth-eden
and force the people of Aram into exile in Kir.
So says the Eternal about Aram, Israel’s constant enemy to the northeast.
6 Eternal One: For three crimes of Gaza,
no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
Because they sent entire communities into exile,
including women and children,
Because they sold My people
as slaves to Edom.
7 So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Gaza
and burn down all of its fortifications.
8 I will destroy those who live in Ashdod
and cut off the hand that holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will raise My hand against Ekron and the rest of the Philistines;
even those in the formerly great city of Gath will perish.
Four of the five major cities of Philistia are mentioned here; only Gath is excluded. It was previously destroyed by Judah under King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:6).
So says the Eternal Lord about Philistia, Israel’s enemy in the southwest.
9 Here is what the Eternal says about Tyre, that maritime power to the northwest:
Eternal One: For three crimes of Tyre,
no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
Because they also handed over whole communities to Edom
and ignored the covenant of brotherhood, the treaty between Phoenicia and Israel.
10 So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Tyre
and burn down all of its fortifications.
11 Here is what the Eternal says about Edom, our neighbor to the southeast:
Eternal One: For three crimes of Edom,
no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
Because he pursued his brother, Israel, with the sword
without any pity,
Because he continually stoked his anger
and nourished his rage.
12 So I will send down fire on Teman, its largest city in the south,
and burn down the fortresses of Bozrah in the north.
13 Here is what the Eternal says about Ammon, just northeast of the Jordan:
Eternal One: For three crimes of the Ammonites,
no for four, I have laid down My sentence and will not revoke it
Because they ripped open the bellies of pregnant women in Gilead
as they made war to expand their territory.
14 So I will send down fire on the wall that protects Rabbah, its only major city,
and burn down all of its fortifications.
With shouts and war cries on the day of battle,
with a whirlwind in the midst of the storm,
15 I will force the king into exile,
along with all the officials who counsel him.
So says the Eternal One.