Amos 6
1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion and that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the renowned of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come.
How disastrous it will be for you who have an easy life in Zion, and you who feel secure living on Mount Samaria—you who are the most famous men in all of Israel to whom people come for help!
2 Pass unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go to Hamath the great; and go down to Gath of the Philistines: are they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
But go to Calneh, and see what took place there. Then go on to the great city of Hamath, and down to the Philistine city of Gath. Were they better kingdoms than yours? Did they have more territory than you?
3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
You put out of your minds any thought of coming disaster, yet you are bringing closer the time when violence reigns.
4 that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves from the midst of the stall;
How disastrous it will be for you people who lie on beds decorated with ivory and lounge on couches, eating lamb from your flocks and fattened calves from the stall.
5 that chant to the sound of the lute, [and] invent them instruments of music, like David;
You make up songs accompanied by the harp, thinking you're great composers like David.
6 that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but are not grieved for the breach of Joseph.
You drink wine by the bowlful, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph's descendants.
7 Therefore shall they now go captive, with the first that go captive, and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away.
So you will be at the head of those led away into exile; the feasting and lazing around will be over.
8 The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; and I will deliver up the city with all that is therein.
The Lord God has sworn an oath on his own life. This is what the Lord God of power declares: I detest Jacob's arrogance and I hate his fortresses; I will hand over this city and all in it to the enemy.
9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.
If there are ten people in a house, they will die.
10 And a man's uncle, and he that should burn him, shall take him up to bring out the bones from the house, and shall say unto him that is in the inner parts of the house, Is there yet [any] with thee? and he shall say, None. And he will say, Silence! for we may not make mention of Jehovah's name.
And when a relative comes to take away the bodies from the house, he will ask someone inside “Is there anyone else with you?” The person will reply, “No...” Then the other will say, “Quiet! Don't even mention the Lord's name.”
11 For behold, Jehovah commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
Watch out! When the Lord gives the command, large houses will be reduced to rubble, and small houses smashed to pieces.
12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will [men] plough [thereon] with oxen? For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,
Can horses gallop over rocks? Can oxen plow the sea? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of doing good into bitterness!
13 — ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, Have we not taken to us power by our own strength?
You joyfully celebrate your conquest of Lodebar, and say “Didn't we in our own strength capture Karnaim?”
14 For behold, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah the God of hosts, I will raise up against you a nation; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hamath unto the torrent of the Arabah.
Watch out, people of Israel! I am going to send an enemy nation to attack you, says the Lord God of power, and they will oppress you from the Pass of Hamath to the Arabah Valley.
