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Amos 5

Hear this word I take up against you, this lament, people of Israel: Fallen, never to rise again, is the virgin Israel. She is abandoned on her own land, with nobody to lift her up. For this is what the Lord God says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will h

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Look for me and live

Hear this word I take up against you, this lament, people of Israel: Fallen, never to rise again, is the virgin Israel. She is abandoned on her own land, with nobody to lift her up. For this is what the Lord God says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have ten left, for the people of Israel. For this is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: Seek me and live. Don't seek Bethel. Don't go to Gilgal. Don't cross over to Beersheba. Because Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out like fire on the house of Joseph and devour it, and there will be nobody at Bethel to put it out. You who turn justice into bitterness and throw righteousness on the ground — Seek him who made the seven stars and Orion, who turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark with night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the earth. The Lord is his name. He strengthens the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled come against the fortress.

Listen to this word I'm taking up over you, a lament, house of Israel. The virgin of Israel has fallen. She won't get up again. She's left lying on her own land, with nobody to lift her up. Because this is what the Lord God says: The town that went out a thousand strong will have a hundred left, and the one that went out a hundred strong will have ten left, in the house of Israel. Because this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: Look for me and live. But don't look for Bethel and don't come into Gilgal, and don't go over to Beersheba. Because Gilgal will definitely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. Look for the Lord and live — or he'll break out like fire in the house of Joseph and eat it up, and there'll be nobody in Bethel to put it out. You who turn justice into bitterness and leave righteousness lying on the ground — look for the one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark as night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth. The Lord is his name. He makes ruin flash out on the strong, so ruin comes on the stronghold.

Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel. For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name: That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

1

Hear this word I take up against you, this lament, people of Israel:

Plain English

Listen to this word I'm taking up over you, a lament, house of Israel.

King James Version, 1611

Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

2

Fallen, never to rise again, is the virgin Israel. She is abandoned on her own land, with nobody to lift her up.

Plain English

The virgin of Israel has fallen. She won't get up again. She's left lying on her own land, with nobody to lift her up.

King James Version, 1611

The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

3

For this is what the Lord God says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have ten left, for the people of Israel.

Plain English

Because this is what the Lord God says: The town that went out a thousand strong will have a hundred left, and the one that went out a hundred strong will have ten left, in the house of Israel.

King James Version, 1611

For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

4

For this is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: Seek me and live.

Plain English

Because this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: Look for me and live.

King James Version, 1611

For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

5

Don't seek Bethel. Don't go to Gilgal. Don't cross over to Beersheba. Because Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.

Plain English

But don't look for Bethel and don't come into Gilgal, and don't go over to Beersheba. Because Gilgal will definitely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.

King James Version, 1611

But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

6

Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out like fire on the house of Joseph and devour it, and there will be nobody at Bethel to put it out.

Plain English

Look for the Lord and live — or he'll break out like fire in the house of Joseph and eat it up, and there'll be nobody in Bethel to put it out.

King James Version, 1611

Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

7

You who turn justice into bitterness and throw righteousness on the ground —

Plain English

You who turn justice into bitterness and leave righteousness lying on the ground —

King James Version, 1611

Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

8

Seek him who made the seven stars and Orion, who turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark with night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the earth. The Lord is his name.

Plain English

look for the one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark as night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth. The Lord is his name.

King James Version, 1611

Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:

9

He strengthens the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled come against the fortress.

Plain English

He makes ruin flash out on the strong, so ruin comes on the stronghold.

King James Version, 1611

That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

Set up justice in the gate

They hate the man who pulls them up in the town gate, and they can't stand the one who speaks straight. So because you trample on the poor and take a levy of grain from him: you have built houses of dressed stone, but you won't live in them. You have planted good vineyards, but you won't drink their wine. Because I know how many your rebellions are and how great your sins — you who harass the just, take bribes, and turn the poor aside in the gate from their right. So the sensible man will keep quiet in a time like this, because it is an evil time. Seek good and not evil, so you may live. And then the Lord, the God Almighty, will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil and love good. Set up justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God Almighty will be gracious to the survivors of Joseph.

They hate the one who pulls them up in the gate, and they loathe the one who speaks straight. So because you trample the poor and take loads of grain off him — you've built houses of cut stone, and you won't live in them. You've planted good vineyards, and you won't drink the wine of them. Because I know how many your rebellions are and how heavy your sins — you who trouble the righteous and take a bribe and push the needy aside in the gate. So the wise man will keep quiet in a time like this, because it's a bad time. Look for good and not evil, so you live. And that's how the Lord, the God Almighty, will be with you, the way you've said. Hate the evil and love the good, and set up justice in the gate. Maybe the Lord, the God Almighty, will be gracious to what's left of Joseph.

They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

10

They hate the man who pulls them up in the town gate, and they can't stand the one who speaks straight.

Plain English

They hate the one who pulls them up in the gate, and they loathe the one who speaks straight.

King James Version, 1611

They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

11

So because you trample on the poor and take a levy of grain from him: you have built houses of dressed stone, but you won't live in them. You have planted good vineyards, but you won't drink their wine.

Plain English

So because you trample the poor and take loads of grain off him — you've built houses of cut stone, and you won't live in them. You've planted good vineyards, and you won't drink the wine of them.

King James Version, 1611

Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

12

Because I know how many your rebellions are and how great your sins — you who harass the just, take bribes, and turn the poor aside in the gate from their right.

Plain English

Because I know how many your rebellions are and how heavy your sins — you who trouble the righteous and take a bribe and push the needy aside in the gate.

King James Version, 1611

For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

13

So the sensible man will keep quiet in a time like this, because it is an evil time.

Plain English

So the wise man will keep quiet in a time like this, because it's a bad time.

King James Version, 1611

Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

14

Seek good and not evil, so you may live. And then the Lord, the God Almighty, will be with you, just as you say he is.

Plain English

Look for good and not evil, so you live. And that's how the Lord, the God Almighty, will be with you, the way you've said.

King James Version, 1611

Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15

Hate evil and love good. Set up justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God Almighty will be gracious to the survivors of Joseph.

Plain English

Hate the evil and love the good, and set up justice in the gate. Maybe the Lord, the God Almighty, will be gracious to what's left of Joseph.

King James Version, 1611

Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

Let justice run down like water

So this is what the Lord, the God Almighty, the Lord, says: There will be wailing in all the streets, and in all the roads they will cry, “Oh no! Oh no!” They will call the farmer to mourning, and those skilled in mourning songs to wailing. There will be wailing in every vineyard, because I will pass through you, says the Lord. Trouble is coming to you who long for the day of the Lord. What good will it be to you? The day of the Lord is darkness, not light. It is like a man running from a lion and meeting a bear, or going into the house, putting his hand on the wall, and getting bitten by a snake. Won't the day of the Lord be darkness, not light — pitch dark, without a glimmer in it? I hate, I despise your feast days, and I take no pleasure in your festival gatherings. Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. I won't regard the peace offerings of your fattened beasts. Take away from me the noise of your songs. I will not listen to the melody of your viols. But let judgement roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? But you have carried the tent of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves. So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God Almighty.

So this is what the Lord, the God Almighty, the Master, says: There'll be wailing in all the streets, and they'll say in all the roads: Trouble, trouble. And they'll call the farmer to mourning, and the ones skilled at wailing to wail. And there'll be wailing in all the vineyards, because I'll go through the middle of you, says the Lord. Trouble is coming to you who want the day of the Lord. What's the day of the Lord to you? It's darkness and not light. It's like a man running from a lion and a bear meeting him — or he goes into the house and leans his hand on the wall and a snake bites him. Won't the day of the Lord be darkness and not light? Even very dark, with no brightness in it? I hate and I sneer at your feast days, and I won't smell the smoke of your solemn gatherings. Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I won't accept them. And I won't look at the peace offerings of your fat animals. Take the noise of your songs away from me, because I won't listen to the music of your harps. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a stream that never dries up. Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel? But you've carried the tent of your king and the stand of your images, the star of your god that you made for yourselves. So I'll make you go into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God Almighty.

Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD. Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.

16

So this is what the Lord, the God Almighty, the Lord, says: There will be wailing in all the streets, and in all the roads they will cry, “Oh no! Oh no!” They will call the farmer to mourning, and those skilled in mourning songs to wailing.

Plain English

So this is what the Lord, the God Almighty, the Master, says: There'll be wailing in all the streets, and they'll say in all the roads: Trouble, trouble. And they'll call the farmer to mourning, and the ones skilled at wailing to wail.

King James Version, 1611

Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

17

There will be wailing in every vineyard, because I will pass through you, says the Lord.

Plain English

And there'll be wailing in all the vineyards, because I'll go through the middle of you, says the Lord.

King James Version, 1611

And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.

18

Trouble is coming to you who long for the day of the Lord. What good will it be to you? The day of the Lord is darkness, not light.

Plain English

Trouble is coming to you who want the day of the Lord. What's the day of the Lord to you? It's darkness and not light.

King James Version, 1611

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

19

It is like a man running from a lion and meeting a bear, or going into the house, putting his hand on the wall, and getting bitten by a snake.

Plain English

It's like a man running from a lion and a bear meeting him — or he goes into the house and leans his hand on the wall and a snake bites him.

King James Version, 1611

As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

20

Won't the day of the Lord be darkness, not light — pitch dark, without a glimmer in it?

Plain English

Won't the day of the Lord be darkness and not light? Even very dark, with no brightness in it?

King James Version, 1611

Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I take no pleasure in your festival gatherings.

Plain English

I hate and I sneer at your feast days, and I won't smell the smoke of your solemn gatherings.

King James Version, 1611

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

22

Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. I won't regard the peace offerings of your fattened beasts.

Plain English

Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I won't accept them. And I won't look at the peace offerings of your fat animals.

King James Version, 1611

Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

23

Take away from me the noise of your songs. I will not listen to the melody of your viols.

Plain English

Take the noise of your songs away from me, because I won't listen to the music of your harps.

King James Version, 1611

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

24

But let judgement roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Plain English

But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a stream that never dries up.

King James Version, 1611

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

25

Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

Plain English

Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel?

King James Version, 1611

Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

26

But you have carried the tent of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves.

Plain English

But you've carried the tent of your king and the stand of your images, the star of your god that you made for yourselves.

King James Version, 1611

But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

27

So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God Almighty.

Plain English

So I'll make you go into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God Almighty.

King James Version, 1611

Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.