1 I am Amos. And I raised sheep near the town of Tekoa when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.
Two years before the earthquake, the Lord gave me several messages about Israel, 2 and I said:
When the Lord roars
from Jerusalem,
pasturelands and Mount Carmel
dry up and turn brown.
Judgment on Syria
3 The Lord said:
I will punish Syria
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They dragged logs with spikes
over the people of Gilead.
4 Now I will burn down the palaces
and fortresses of King Hazael
and of King Benhadad.
5 I will break through
the gates of Damascus.
I will destroy the people
of Wicked Valley
and the ruler of Beth-Eden.
Then the Syrians will be dragged
as prisoners to Kir.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Judgment on Philistia
6 The Lord said:
I will punish Philistia
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They dragged off my people
from town after town
to sell them as slaves
to the Edomites.
7 That's why I will burn down
the walls and fortresses
of the city of Gaza.
8 I will destroy the king of Ashdod
and the ruler of Ashkelon.
I will strike down Ekron,
and that will be the end
of the Philistines.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Judgment on Phoenicia
9 The Lord said:
I will punish Phoenicia
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They broke their treaty
and dragged off my people
from town after town
to sell them as slaves
to the Edomites.
10 That's why I will send flames
to burn down the city of Tyre
along with its fortresses.
Judgment on Edom
11 The Lord said:
I will punish Edom
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They killed their own relatives
and were so terribly furious
that they showed no mercy.
12 Now I will send fire to wipe out
the fortresses of Teman
and Bozrah.
Judgment on Ammon
13 The Lord said:
I will punish Ammon
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
In Gilead they ripped open
pregnant women,
just to take the land.
14 Now I will send fire to destroy
the walls and fortresses
of Rabbah.
Enemies will shout and attack
like a whirlwind.
15 Ammon's king and leaders
will be dragged away.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
© Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.