A Roar from Zion
A shepherd from Tekoa thunders against injustice and empty worship in a prosperous, complacent nation. Beneath the warnings beats a Father’s longing for His children to simply seek Him and live.
1 1The words of Amos, a shepherd of Tekoa, which he saw about Israel when Uzziah ruled Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash ruled Israel, two years before the earthquake. a a v1 This earthquake struck around 760 BC and was still remembered generations later — see Zechariah 14:5. 2He said: Our Father roars from Zion, sounds his voice from Jerusalem; the shepherds' pastures mourn, and Carmel's summit withers.
3This is what our Father says: For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn it back, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron. b b v3 "For three transgressions, and for four" is a Hebrew way of saying the offenses have piled past counting — not a literal tally, but a measure long since overflowing. 4So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it will devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. 5I will break the gate-bar of Damascus, and cut off the one who sits enthroned in the Valley of Aven and the one who holds the scepter in Beth-eden; and the people of Aram will go into exile to Kir, says our Father.
6So says our Father: For three crimes of Gaza, and for four, I will not reverse it — they exiled an entire people, handing them over to Edom. 7So I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, and it will devour her strongholds. 8I will cut off the one enthroned in Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon; I will turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish, says the Sovereign Father.
9So says our Father: For three sins of Tyre, and for four, I will not relent, because they handed over a whole community of exiles to Edom and forgot the covenant of brothers. 10So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it will devour her strongholds.
11This is what our Father says: For three sins of Edom, and for four, I will not relent, because he chased his brother with the sword, stifled all compassion, his anger tore endlessly, and he kept his wrath forever. 12So I will send a fire upon Teman, and it will devour the strongholds of Bozrah.
13This is what our Father says: For three sins of the Ammonites, and for four, I will not relent, because they ripped open Gilead's pregnant women to enlarge their border. 14So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour her strongholds, with shouting on the day of battle, with a tempest on the day of the whirlwind. 15And their king will go into exile, he and his officials together, says our Father.
