Amos 1

The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

Amos, a humble shepherd from Tekoa, had visions about Israel during the reigns of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam, Joash's son, from Israel. These insights came to him two years before a devastating earthquake.

And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

He proclaimed, God's mighty roar will echo from Zion, His voice will ring out from Jerusalem. The shepherd's homes will be filled with sorrow, and Carmel's peak will fade away.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:

The Lord declares, "For three sins of Damascus, even four, I won't hold back their punishment, because they threshed Gilead with iron threshing sledges."

But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

I will ignite a fierce blaze in Hazael's home, reducing Benhadad's grand mansions to ashes.

I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.

I will shatter Damascus' defenses and wipe out the people of the valley of Aven and the one who holds the scepter in Eden. The Syrians will be taken as prisoners to Kir, declares the Lord.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:

The Lord declares, "For three sins of Gaza, even four, I won't hold back their punishment, because they carried off whole communities and handed them over to Edom; for that, they must face the consequences."

But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:

I will ignite a fierce blaze upon Gaza's walls, reducing its grand palaces to ashes.

And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.

I will wipe out the people of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon, and I will turn my hand against Ekron. The remaining Philistines will perish, declares the Lord God.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:

The Lord declares, "I cannot ignore the repeated wrongdoings of Tyrus. They handed over whole communities of captives to Edom and forgot their covenant of brotherhood. Their punishment is inevitable."

But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

I will ignite a fierce blaze against the walls of Tyrus, reducing its majestic palaces to ashes.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:

The Lord declares, "Edom has wronged me not once, not twice, but four times. I cannot ignore their punishment. They chased their own kin with a sword, showed no mercy, and let their anger run wild. Their rage never subsided, it was held onto forever."

But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

I will ignite a fierce blaze in Teman, reducing Bozrah's majestic castles to ashes.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:

The Lord declares, "For three sins of the Ammonites, even four, I won't hold back their punishment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, all to expand their territory."

But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

I will ignite a fierce blaze within Rabbah's walls, consuming its grand palaces amidst the chaos of battle cries and the fury of a storm.

And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.

The Lord declares, their ruler and his leaders will be taken as prisoners, filled with fear and despair.