Old Testament · Amos

Amos 4

Punishment Brings No Repentance

1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan that are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their lords, "Bring, that we may drink."

2The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness, that behold, days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks.

3And you shall go out through the breaches, each woman^a straight before her, and you shall cast yourselves toward Harmon," declares the LORD.
4Come to Beth-el and transgress, to Gilgal and multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices in the morning, your tithes every three days.
5And burn a thank-offering from leaven, and proclaim freewill-offerings, publish them; for so you love, O sons of Israel," declares the Lord GOD.
6"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places; yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
7"And I also have withheld from you the rain, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and upon one city I did not cause it to rain; one portion was rained upon, and the portion on which it did not rain withered.
8And two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
9"I smote you with blight and with mildew; the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
10"I sent among you pestilence in the way of Egypt; I slew your young men with the sword, with the captivity of your horses; and I made the stench of your camp to come up into your nostrils; yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
11"I overthrew among you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
12Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
13For behold, he that forms the mountains, and creates the wind^b, and declares to man^c what is his thought, that makes the dawn darkness, and treads upon the high places of the earth — the LORD, the God of hosts^d, is his name.