The Prophet Amos

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Listen to this word, you fat cows that are on the mountain of Samaria, you who make false accusations against the destitute and crush the poor, who say to your nobles, “Bring, and we will drink.”(a)

(b)

The Lord God has sworn in his holiness: behold, the days that will overcome you and that will impale you on poles, and that will place what remains of you in boiling pots.

And you will go out through the breaches, one over another, and you will be cast out into Harmon, says the Lord.(c)

Come to Bethel and behave impiously, to Gilgal and increase betrayals. And bring daybreak to your victims, your tithes in three days.(d)

And offer a sacrifice of praise with leaven. And call for voluntary oblations, and announce it. For such is your will, sons of Israel, says the Lord God.

Therefore, because of this, I have given you dull teeth in every one of your cities, and a lack of bread in all your places. And you have not been turned back towards me, says the Lord.

Therefore, I have withheld the rains from you, when there were still three months left until the harvest. And I rained on one city, and I did not rain on another city; one part was rained on, and the part on which I did not rain, dried out.(e)

And two and three cities went to one city, in order to drink water, and they were not satisfied. And you did not return to me, says the Lord.

I struck you with a burning wind and with yellowing; the caterpillar has consumed your many gardens and your vineyards, your olive groves and your fig groves. And you did not return to me, says the Lord.(f)

I sent death to you by way of Egypt; I struck your youths with the sword, even bringing captivity to your horses. And I made the stench of your camp ascend into your nostrils. And you did not return to me, says the Lord.

I overturned you, just as God overturned Sodom and Gomorrah, and you became like an ember seized from the fire. And you did not return to me, says the Lord.

Because of this, I will do these things to you, Israel. But after I have done these things to you, Israel, be prepared to meet your God.

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind and announces his speech to man, who makes the morning mist and steps over the heights of the earth: the Lord God of hosts is his name.

Footnotes

(a)4:1 The word ‘dominis’ is either first declension plural feminine or second declension plural masculine. With this ambiguity, it could refer to a group that includes men and women. The word can mean ‘owner’ or it could refer to someone who is above you in authority or leadership. But, in this context, wherein they are giving a command to their ‘dominis,’ to serve them, it refers to aristocrats or nobles or other types of leaders (perhaps even religious leaders), who ought to be in a role of leadership, but who are made to serve these sinners instead.(Conte)

(b)4:1 Fat kine:He means the great ones that lived in plenty and wealth.(Challoner)

(d)4:4 A tithe is a tenth part, hence the term ‘decimas,’ meaning a tenth: ‘your tenth part in three days.’(Conte)

(e)4:7 The harvest in ancient times began during the Feast of Passover. Planting occurred in late fall/early winter, i.e. November/December. Three months until harvest is just after planting.(Conte)

(f)4:9 The word ‘aurugine’ is derived from the Latin word for gold. It refers to a yellow color caused by sickness. This could be translated as ‘jaundice’ or ‘yellowing’ or as some other disease that causes a sickly color, or as mildew when it refers to plants.(Conte)

Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husbands, “Bring us drinks!”

The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness, “Behold, the days shall come on you that they will take you away with hooks, and the last of you with fish hooks.

You will go out at the breaks in the wall, everyone straight before her; and you will cast yourselves into Harmon,” says the LORD.

“Go to Bethel, and sin; to Gilgal, and sin more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days,

offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim free will offerings and brag about them; for this pleases you, you children of Israel,” says the Lord GOD.

“I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in every town; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.

“I also have withheld the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city. One field was rained on, and the field where it didn’t rain withered.

So two or three cities staggered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.

“I struck you with blight and mildew many times in your gardens and your vineyards, and the swarming locusts have devoured your fig trees and your olive trees; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.

“I sent plagues among you like I did Egypt. I have slain your young men with the sword, and have carried away your horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.

“I have overthrown some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a burning stick plucked out of the fire; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.

“Therefore I will do this to you, Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel.

For, behold, he who forms the mountains, creates the wind, declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth: The LORD, the God of Armies, is his name.”