Amos 2

1 Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will punish the people of] Moab because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they [dug up] the bones of the king of Edom and burned them completely, with the result that [the ashes became as white] as lime.

Thus says the Lord; For three sins of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away from it; because they burnt the bones of the king of Idumea to lime.

2 So I will cause a fire to completely burn the fortresses of Kerioth [city in Moab]. [People will hear soldiers] shouting and blowing trumpets [loudly] while I am causing Moab to be destroyed

But I will send forth a fire on Moab, and it shall devour the foundations of its cities: and Moab shall perish in weakness, with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet.

3 [and while] I am getting rid of its king and all its leaders. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”

And I will destroy the judge out of her, and kill all her princes with him, says the Lord.

4 Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will also punish the people of] Judah because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they have rejected what I taught them and they have not obeyed my commands. They have been deceived [and persuaded to worship false gods], the same [gods] that their ancestors [worshiped].

Thus says the Lord; For three sins of the children of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away from him; because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his ordinances, and their vain [idols] which they made, which their fathers followed, caused them to err.

5 So I will cause a fire to completely burn [everything in] Judah, including the fortresses in Jerusalem.”

And I will send a fire on Juda, and it shall devour the foundations of Jerusalem.

6 Yahweh [also] said this: “[I will punish the people of] Israel because of the many sins [that they have committed]; I will not change my mind about punishing them, because they sell righteous [people] to get [a small amount of] silver; they sell poor [people, causing them to become slaves], getting for [each of] them [only the amount of money with which they could buy] a pair of sandals.

Thus says the Lord; for three sins of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away from him; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for sandals,

7 [It is as though] they trample the poor people into the dirt and do not allow those who are helpless to be treated fairly. Men and their fathers dishonor me [MTY] by both having sex [EUP] with the same [slave] girl.

wherewith to tread on the dust of the earth, and they have struck upon the heads of the poor, and have perverted the way of the lowly: and a son and his father have gone into the same maid, that they might profane the name of their God.

8 [When poor people borrow money], [the lenders force those people to give to them a piece of clothing] for them to keep until he can pay back the money. [But at the end of each day, instead of returning that garment as Yahweh had commanded them to], they lie down on that garment at the places where they worship [their gods]! They fine people, and with that money [they buy] wine and drink it in the temples of their gods!

And binding their clothes with cords they have made them curtains near the altar, and they have drunk wine gained by extortion in the house of their God.

9 [Long ago, ] to assist your ancestors, I got rid of the Amor people-group. They [seemed to be] as tall as cedar [trees] and as strong as oak [trees], but I got rid of them completely, [as easily as someone cuts off] [MET] the branches of a tree and then digs out all its roots.

Nevertheless I cut off the Amorite from before them, whose height was as the height of a cedar, and he was strong as an oak; and I dried up his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

10 I brought your [ancestors] out of Egypt, and [then] I led them through the desert for 40 years. And then I enabled them to conquer/possess the Amor area.

And I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you about in the desert forty years, that you should inherit the land of the Amorites.

11 I chose some of you Israelis to be prophets, and I chose others to be Nazir-men [who were completely dedicated to me]. You people of Israel certainly [RHQ] know that what I have said is true!

And I took of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for consecration. Are not these things so, you sons of Israel? says the Lord.

12 But you commanded the prophets to not speak the messages that [I gave to] them, and you persuaded the Nazir-men to drink wine, [which I told them never to do].

But you gave the consecrated ones wine to drink; and you commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

13 So I will crush you like [SIM] [the wheels of] a wagon that is loaded with grain crushes [whatever it rolls over].

Therefore, behold, I roll under you, as a waggon full of straw is rolled.

14 [Even] if you run fast, you will not escape; [even] if you are strong, [it will be as though] you are weak, and warriors will be unable to save themselves.

And flight shall perish from the runner, and the strong shall not hold fast his strength, and the warrior shall not save his life:

15 [Even] if you are able to shoot arrows [well], you will be forced to retreat [LIT]; [even] if you run fast or if you ride [away] on a horse, you will not [be able to] save yourself.

and the archer shall not withstand, and he that is swift of foot shall in no wise escape; and the horseman shall not save his life.

16 [Even] warriors who are very brave will drop their weapons when they try to flee on the day [that I get rid of them]. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”

And the strong shall find no confidence in power: the naked shall flee away in that day, says the Lord.