Amos 2:5-15

5 I will send fire on Y'hudah, and it will consume the palaces of Yerushalayim.

6 Here is what ADONAI says: "For Isra'el's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because they sell the upright for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes,

7 grinding the heads of the poor in the dust and pushing the lowly out of the way; father and son sleep with the same girl, profaning my holy name;

8 lying down beside any altar on clothes taken in pledge; drinking wine in the house of their God bought with fines they imposed.

9 "I destroyed the Emori before them; though tall as cedars and strong as oaks, I destroyed their fruit above and their root below.

10 More than that, I brought you up from Egypt, led you forty years in the desert, so that you could have the Emori's land.

11 I raised up some of your sons to be prophets, other young men of yours to be n'zirim. People of Isra'el! Isn't that true?" asks ADONAI.

12 But you gave the n'zirim wine to drink and ordered the prophets, 'Don't prophesy!'

13 "Enough! I will make all this crush you, just as a cart overloaded with grain crushes what's under it.

14 Even the swift won't be able to flee; the strong won't be able to use their strength, the warriors won't save themselves.

15 Archers won't be able to stand, the fastest runners won't save themselves, those on horses won't save themselves.

Amos 2:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 2

In this chapter the prophet foretells the calamities that should come upon the Moabites for their transgressions, Am 2:1-3; and the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem for their iniquities, Am 2:4,5; also the judgments of God that should come upon Israel the ten tribes for their sins, which sins are enumerated; their oppression of the poor, their lewdness and idolatry, Am 2:6-8; and which are aggravated by the blessings of goodness bestowed upon them, both temporal and spiritual, Am 2:9-12; wherefore they are threatened with ruin, which would be inevitable, notwithstanding their swiftness, strength, and courage, and their skill in shooting arrows, and riding horses, Am 2:13-16.