¹I 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.[#2 K 15.1-7; 2 Ch 26.1-23; 2 K 14.23-29.; #1.1 In the hill country of Judah about eight kilometers south of Bethlehem.; #1.1 Uzziah was king of Judah 781–740 b.c. , and Jeroboam II was king of Israel 783–743 b.c.; #1.1 The Hebrew text has “Joash,” another spelling of the name.]

Two years before the earthquake, the Lord gave me several messages about Israel,

²and I said:[#Jl 3.16.]

When the Lord roars

from Jerusalem,

pasturelands and Mount Carmel

dry up and turn brown.

Judgment on Syria

³The Lord said:[#Is 17.1-3; Jr 49.23-27; Zec 9.1.]

I will punish Syria

for countless crimes,

and I won't change my mind.

They dragged logs with spikes

over the people of Gilead.

⁴Now I will burn down the palaces

and fortresses of King Hazael

and of King Benhadad.

⁵I 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

⁶The Lord said:[#Is 14.29-31; Jr 47.1-7; Ez 25.15-17; Jl 3.4-8; Zep 2.4-7; Zec 9.5-7.]

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.

⁷That's why I will burn down

the walls and fortresses

of the city of Gaza.

⁸I will destroy the king of Ashdod[#1.8 Or “people.”]

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

⁹The Lord said:[#Is 23.1-18; Ez 26.1—28.19; Jl 3.4-8; Zec 9.1-4; Mt 11.21,22; Lk 10.13,14.]

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.

¹⁰That's why I will send flames

to burn down the city of Tyre

along with its fortresses.

Judgment on Edom

¹¹The Lord said:[#Is 34.5-17; 63.1-6; Jr 49.7-22; Ez 25.12-14; 35.1-15; Ob 1-14; Ml 1.2-5.]

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.

¹²Now I will send fire to wipe out

the fortresses of Teman

and Bozrah.

Judgment on Ammon

¹³The Lord said:[#Jr 49.1-6; Ez 21.28-32; 25.1-7; Zep 2.8-11.]

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.

¹⁴Now I will send fire to destroy

the walls and fortresses

of Rabbah.

Enemies will shout and attack

like a whirlwind.

¹⁵Ammon's king and leaders

will be dragged away.

I, the Lord , have spoken!