Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
1
This is what the Almighty LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts when the second crop was being harvested. It was the harvest that followed the harvest for the king.
2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, "O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!"
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When the locusts had finished eating every plant in the land, I said, "Almighty LORD, please forgive us! How can [the descendants of] Jacob survive? There are so few of them."
3 The LORD repented concerning this; "It shall not be," said the LORD.
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The LORD changed his plans about this. "This won't happen," the LORD said.
4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.
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This is what the Almighty LORD showed me: The Almighty LORD was calling for judgment by fire. The fire dried up the ocean and burned up the land.
5 Then I said, "O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!"
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Then I said, "Almighty LORD, please stop! How can [the descendants of] Jacob survive? There are so few of them."
6 The LORD repented concerning this; "This also shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
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The LORD changed his plans about this. "This won't happen either," the Almighty LORD said.
7 He showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
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This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall built with the use of a plumb line, and he had a plumb line in his hand.
8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them;
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He asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" I answered, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "I'm going to hold a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will no longer overlook what they have done.
9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jerobo'am with the sword."
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The worship sites of Isaac will be destroyed, and the holy places of Israel will be in ruins. I will attack Jeroboam's heirs with my sword."
10 Then Amazi'ah the priest of Bethel sent to Jerobo'am king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.
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Then Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, sent a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. It read, "Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. The country isn't able to endure everything he is saying.
11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jerobo'am shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"
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Amos says that Jeroboam will be killed with a sword and that Israel cannot avoid being taken from its land into exile."
12 And Amazi'ah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there;
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Then Amaziah said to Amos, "You seer, run away to Judah! Eat there, and prophesy there!
13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."
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But don't [ever] prophesy again in Bethel, because this is the king's holy place and the king's palace."
14 Then Amos answered Amazi'ah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees,
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Amos responded, "I'm not a prophet, and I'm not a disciple of the prophets. I am a rancher and a grower of figs.
15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
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But the LORD took me away from herding the flock and said to me, 'Prophesy to my people Israel.'
16 "Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.'
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"Now listen to the word of the LORD: You said, 'Stop prophesying against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.'
17 Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.'"
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"However, this is what the LORD says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will be killed with swords. Your land will be surveyed and divided up, and you will die in an unclean land. Israel cannot avoid being taken from its land into exile."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.