Amplified Bible (AMP)

Judgment on Neighboring Nations

1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders ofTekoa, which he saw [in a divine revelation] concerningIsrael in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

2 And he said,

“The Lordthundersandroars from Zion [in judgment]

And utters His voice from Jerusalem;

Then the pastures of the shepherds mourn,

And the summit of [Mount] Carmel dries up [because of God’s judgment].”

3 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Damascus and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I shall not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because they have threshed Gilead [east of the Jordan River] with sharp iron sledges [having spikes that crushed and shredded].

4 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon the house ofHazael,

And it shall devour the palacesandstrongholds ofBen-hadad (Hazael’s son).

5 “I also will break the bar [of the gate] of Damascus,

And cut offanddestroy the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven (Wickedness),

And the ruler who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden (Damascus);

And the people of Aram [conquered by the Assyrians] will go into exile toKir,”

Says the Lord.

6 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Gaza [in Philistia] and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because [as slave traders] they took captive the entire [Jewish] population [of defenseless Judean border villages, of which none was spared]

And deported them to Edom [for the slave trade].

7 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Gaza

And it shall consume her citadels.

8 “And I will cut offanddestroy the inhabitants from Ashdod,

And the ruler who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;

And I will unleash My powerandturn My hand [in judgment] against Ekron,

And the rest of the Philistines [in Gath and the towns dependent on these four Philistine cities] shall die,”

Says the Lord God.

9 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Tyre and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because they [as middlemen] deported an entire [Jewish] population to Edom

And did not [seriously] remember their covenant of brotherhood.

10 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Tyre,

And it shall consume her citadels.”

11 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Edom [the descendants of Esau] and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because he pursued his brother Jacob (Israel) with the sword,

Corruptingandstifling his compassionsandcasting off all mercy;

His destructive anger raged continually,

And he maintained [and nurtured] his wrath forever.

12 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon Teman,

And it shall consume the citadels of Bozrah [in Edom].”

13 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of the children ofAmmon and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because the Ammonites have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead,

That they might enlarge their border.

14 “So I will kindle a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] on the wall of Rabbah [in Ammon]

And it shall devour its strongholds

Amid war criesandshouts of alarm on the day of battle,

And a tempest on the day of the whirlwind [when the enemy captures the city].

15 “Their king shall go into exile,

He and his princes together,” says the Lord.

Judgment on Moab

1 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions ofMoab and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom [Esau’s descendant] into lime [and used it to plaster a Moabite house].

2 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction] upon Moab

And it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth;

And Moab shall die amid tumultanduproar,

With war criesandshouts of alarm and the sound of the trumpet.

3 “I will also cut offanddestroy the ruler from its midst

And slay all the princes with him,” says the Lord.

Judgment on Judah

4 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Judah and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because they have rejected the law of the Lord[the sum of God’s instruction to His people]

And have not kept His commandments;

But their lies [and their idols], after which their fathers walked,

Caused them to go astray.

5 “So I will send a fire [of war, conquest, and destruction by the Babylonians] upon Judah

And it will devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”

Judgment on Israel

6 Thus says the Lord,

“For three transgressions of Israel and for four (multiplied delinquencies)

I will not reverse its punishmentorrevoke My word concerning it,

Because they sell the righteousandinnocent for silver

And the needy for the price of a pair of sandals.

7 “These who pant after (long to see) the dust of the earth on the head of the helpless [as sign of their grief and distress]

Also turn aside the way of the humble;

And a man and his father will go to the samegirl

So that My holy name is profaned.

8 “They stretch out beside every [pagan] altar on clothes taken in pledge [to secure a loan, disregarding God’s command],

And in the house of their God [in contempt of Him] they frivolously drink the wine [which has been] taken from those who have been fined.

9 “Yet it was I [not the false gods] who destroyed the Amorite before them,

Though his height was like the height of the cedars,

And he was as strong as the oaks;

I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below.

10 “Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt,

And I led you forty years through the wilderness

That you might possess the land of the Amorite.

11 “Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets [who gave you My revelation],

And some of your young men to be Nazirites (dedicated ones).

Is this not true, O you children of Israel?” says the Lord.

12 “But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink [despite their vows]

And commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’

13 “Behold, I am weighted down beneath you

As a cart that is weighted down when it is full of sheaves.

14 “Flight will be lost to the swift [so they will be unable to escape],

And the strong shall not strengthennormaintain his power,

Nor shall the mighty man save his own life.

15 “He who handles the bow will not standhis ground,

The one who is swift of foot will not escape,

Nor will he who rides the horse save his life [from the invading army].

16 “Even the bravest among the warriors shall flee naked on that day,” says the Lord.

All the Families Are Guilty

1 Hear this word that the Lordhas spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt:

2 “I have known [chosen, cared for, and loved] only you of all the families of the earth;

Therefore I shall punish you for all your wickedness.”

3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?

4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?

Does a young lion growl from his den if he has not capturedsomething?

5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?

Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has caught nothing at all? [Of course not! So it is that Israel has earned her impending judgment.]

6 If a trumpet is blown in a city [warning of danger] will not the people tremble?

If a disasterormisfortune occurs in a city has not the Lordcaused it?

7 Surely the Lord Goddoes nothing

Without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come]

To His servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared! Who will not fear?

The Lord Godhas spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim on the fortresses in Ashdod (Philistia) and on the citadels in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great confusion within her and the oppressionsandabuse of authority in her midst.

10 For they do not know how to do right,” says the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation [like treasures] in their strongholds.”

11 Therefore, thus says the Lord God,

“An adversary (Assyria), even one surrounding the land,

Shall pull down your strength from you

And your fortresses will be looted.”

12 Thus says the Lord,

“Just as the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion a couple of legs or a piece of the [sheep’s] ear [to prove to the owner that he has not stolen the animal],

So will the [remaining] children of Israel living in Samaria be snatched away

With the corner of a bed and [part of] the damask covering of a couch.

13 “Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”

Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,

14 “On that day when I punish Israel’s transgressions,

I shall also punish the altars of Bethel [with their golden calves];

And the horns of the altar shall be cut off

And fall to the ground.

15 “And I shall tear down the winter house with the summer house;

And the houses of ivory shall also perish

And the great houses shall come to an end,”

Says the Lord.

“Yet You Have Not Returned to Me”

1 Hear this word, you [well-fed, pampered] cows (women) of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,

Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,

Who say to their husbands, “Bring [the wine] now, and let us drink!”

2 The Lord Godhas sworn [an oath] by His holiness

That, “Behold, the days are coming upon you

When they shall take you away with meat hooks,

And the last of you with fish hooks.

3 “And you shall go out through the breaches [made in the city wall],

Every woman straight before her [unable to turn aside],

And you shall be cast toHarmon,”

Says the Lord.

4 “Come to Bethel [where the golden calf is] and transgress;

In Gilgal [where idols are worshiped] multiply transgression;

Bring your sacrifices every morning,

Your tithes every three days!

5 “Offer [by burning] a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened,

And [boastfully] proclaim freewill offerings, announce them.

For this you so love to do, O children of Israel!”

Says the Lord God.

6 “I also gave you cleanness of teeth [because of the famine] in all your cities

And lack of bread in all your places,

Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

7 “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you

Whenthere werestill three months until the harvest.

Then I would send rain on one city,

And on another city I would not send rain;

One piece of ground was rained on,

While the part not rained on would dry up.

8 “So [the people of] two or three cities would stagger into one city to drink water,

But would not be satisfied;

Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

9 “I wounded you with blight [from the hot, blasting east wind] and with mildew;

And the caterpillar devoured

Your many gardens and vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees;

Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

10 “I sent a plague among you like [those of] Egypt;

I killed your young men with the sword and I captured your horses,

I made the stench of your camp rise up into your nostrils;

Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

11 “I overthrewanddestroyed [some among] you, as [I, your] God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

And you were [rescued] like a log pulled out of the flame;

Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

12 “Therefore this is what I shall do to you, O Israel;

Because I will do this to you,

Prepare to meet your God [in judgment], O Israel!”

13 For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind

And declares to man what are His thoughts,

He who makes the dawn into darkness

And treads on the heights of the earth–

The LordGod of hosts is His name.

“Seek Me that You May Live”

1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a funeral song, O house of Israel:

2 She has fallen, she will not rise again–

The virgin Israel.

She lies neglected on her land;

There is no one to raise her up.

3 For thus says the Lord God,

“The city which goes forth a thousandstrong

Will have a hundred left,

And the one which goes forth a hundredstrong

Will have ten left to the house of Israel.”

4 For thus says the Lordto the house of Israel,

“Seek Me [search diligently for Me and regard Me as more essential than food] so that you may live.

5 “But do not resort to Bethel [to worship the golden calf]

Nor enter [idolatrous] Gilgal,

Nor cross over to Beersheba [and its idols];

For Gilgal will certainly go into captivityandexile,

And Bethel will come to nothing.

6 “Seek the Lord[search diligently for Him and long for Him as your most essential need] so that you may live,

Or He will rush down like a [devouring] fire, Ohouse of Joseph,

And there will be no one to quench the flame for [idolatrous]Bethel,

7 “For those [shall be consumed] who turn justice into wormwood (bitterness)

And cast righteousness down to the earth.”

8 He who made the [cluster of stars called] Pleiades and [the constellation] Orion,

Who turns deep darkness into the morning

And darkens the day into night,

Who calls for the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the surface of the earth,

The Lordis His name.

9 It is He who causes [sudden] destruction to flash forth on the strong

So that destruction comes on the fortress.

10 They hate the one who reprimands [the unrighteous] in the [court held at the city] gate [regarding him as unreasonable and rejecting his reprimand],

And they detest him who speaks [the truth] with integrityandhonesty.

11 Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poor

And demand a tribute (food-tax) of grain from them,

Though you have built [luxurious] houses of square stone,

You will not live in them;

You have planted beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.

12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great (shocking, innumerable),

You who distress the righteous and take bribes,

And turn away from the poor in the [court of the city] gate [depriving them of justice].

13 Therefore, he who is prudentandhas insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].

14 Seek (long for, require) good and not evil, that you may live;

And so may the LordGod of hosts be with you,

Just as you have said!

15 Hate evil and love good,

And establish justice in the [court of the city] gate.

Perhaps the LordGod of hosts

Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph [that is, those who remain after God’s judgment].

16 Therefore, thus says the LordGod of hosts, the Lord,

“There is wailing in all the public plazas,

And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’

And they call the farmers to mourning [for those who have died]

And professional mourners to wailing.

17 “And in all vineyardsthere iswailing,

For I will pass through your midst [in judgment],” says the Lord.

18 Woe (judgment is coming) to you who desire the day of the Lord[expecting rescue from the Gentiles]!

Why would you want the day of the Lord?

It is darkness (judgment) and not light [and rescue and prosperity];

19 It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger]

And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway],

Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall

And a snake bites him.

20 Will not the day of the Lordbe darkness, instead of light,

Even very dark with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I despiseandreject your [sacred] feasts,

And I do not take delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 “Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened animals.

23 “Take the noise of your songs away from Me [they are an irritation]!

I shall not even listen to the melody of your harps.

24 “But let justice run down like waters

And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream [flowing abundantly].

25 “Did you bring Me sacrifices and grain offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? [Certainly not!]

26 You carried along your king Sikkuth and Kayyun [your man-made gods of Saturn], your images of your star-god which you made for yourselves [but you brought Me none of the appointed sacrifices].

27 Therefore, I will send you to go into exile far beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.

“Those at Ease in Zion”

1 Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are at easeandcarefree in Zion (Judah)

And to those on the mountain of Samaria who feel secure,

The distinguished men of the foremost of nations,

To whom the house of Israel comes.

2 Go over to Calneh [in Babylonia] and look,

And from there go [north of Damascus] to the great city of Hamath;

Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are they better than these kingdoms [of yours],

Or is their territory greater than yours?

3 Do you put off the day of punishment,

Yet cause the seat of violence to come near?

4 Those who lie on [luxurious] beds of ivory

And lounge around out on their couches,

And eat lambs from the flock

And calves from the midst of the stall,

5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp–

Like David they have composed songs for themselves–

6 Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls

And anoint themselves with the finest oils [reflecting their unrestrained celebration];

Yet they are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph (Israel).

7 Therefore, they will now go into exile with the first of the captives,

And the cultic revelryandbanqueting of those who lounge around [on their luxurious couches] will pass away.

8 The LordGodhas sworn [an oath] by Himself–the LordGod of hosts, says:

“I loatheandreject the [self-centered] arrogance of Jacob (Israel),

And I hate his palacesandcitadels;

Therefore, I shall hand over the [idolatrous] city [of Samaria] with all that it contains [to the Assyrian invaders].”

9 And it shall come to pass that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die [by the pestilence that comes with war].

10 Then one’s uncle, or his undertaker, shall come to bring the [disease-infected] body out of the house, [to cremate it], and he will say to another in the farthest part of the house, “Is there anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will respond, “Hush! Keep quiet! For the name of the Lordis not to be mentioned [even casually, for fear that we might invoke even more punishment].”

11 For behold, the Lordis going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments.

12 Do horses run on rocks?

Do men plow rocks with oxen? [Of course not!]

Yet you have turned justice into poison

And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (bitterness),

13 You who [self-confidently] rejoice inLo-debar (Nothing),

Who say, “Have we not by our own strength takenKarnaim (Strength) for ourselves?”

14 “For behold, I am going to stir up a nation against you,

O house of Israel,” says the Lord, the God of hosts,

“And they will afflictandtorment you [to the entire limits of Israel] from the entrance of Hamath [in the north]

To the brook of the Arabah [in the south].”

Warning Through Visions

1 Thus the Lord Godshowed me [a vision], and behold, He was forming a swarm of locusts when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing.

2 And when the locusts had finished eating the plants of the land, then I said,

“O Lord God, please forgive!

How can Jacob stand,

For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”

3 The Lordrevoked this sentence.

“It shall not take place,” said the Lord.

4 Thus the Lord Godshowed me, and behold, the Lord Godcalled for punishment with fire, and it devoured the great deep [underground sources of water] and began to consume the land.

5 Then I said,

“O Lord God, please stop!

How can Jacob stand,

For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”

6 The Lordrevoked this sentence.

“This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

7 Thus He showed me [a vision], and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand [to determine if the wall was straight or if it needed to be destroyed].

8 The Lordsaid to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line [as a standard]

Among My people Israel [showing the defectiveness of the nation, requiring judgment].

I shall not spare them any longer. [The door of mercy is shut.]

9 “And the [idolatrous] high places of Isaac (Israel) will be devastatedanddeserted,

And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins.

Then I shall rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword [and destroy the monarchy].”

Amos Accused, Answers

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel [site of the golden calf shrine], sentwordtoJeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words.

11 For in this way Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, run for your life [from Israel] to the land of Judah [your own country] and eat bread and live as a prophet there!

13 But do not prophesy any longer at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal residence.”

14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet [by profession], nor am I a prophet’s son; I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.

15 But the Lordtook me as I followed the flock and the Lordsaid to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’

16 Now therefore, listen to the word of the Lord: You say, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you speak against the house of Isaac.’

17 Therefore, thus says the Lord, ‘Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city [when theAssyrians capture Samaria] and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an uncleananddefiled [pagan] land, and Israel shall certainly go from its land into exile.’”

Basket of Fruit and Israel’s Captivity

1 Thus the Lord Godshowed me [a vision], and behold,there wasa basket of [overripe] summer fruit.

2 And He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lordsaid to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer [for the nation is ripe for judgment].

3 In that day, the songs of the palace shall turn to wailing,” says the Lord God. “There will be many dead bodies; in [sacred] silence they will throw them everywhere.”

4 Hear this, you who trample down the needy, and do away with the poor of the land,

5 saying,

“When will the New Moon [festival] be over

So that we may sell grain,

And the Sabbath ended so that we may open the wheatmarket,

Making the ephah [measure] smaller and the shekel bigger [that is, selling less for a higher price]

And to cheat by falsifying the scales,

6 So that we may buy the poor [as slaves] for silver [since they are unable to support themselves]

And theneedy for a pair of sandals,

And that we may sell the leftovers of the wheat [as if it were a good grade of grain]?”

7 The Lordhas sworn [an oath] by the pride of Jacob,

“Surely I shall never forget [nor leave unpunished] any of their [rebellious] acts.

8 “Because of this [coming judgment] will the land not quake

And everyone mourn who dwells in it?

Indeed, all of it shall rise up like the Nile,

And it will be tossed around [from the impact of judgment]

And [afterward] subside again like the Nile of Egypt.

9 “It shall come about in that day,” says the Lord God,

“That I shall cause the sun to go down at noon,

And I shall darken the earth in broad daylight.

10 “And I shall turn your festivalsandfeasts into mourning

And all your songs into dirges (funeral poems to be sung);

And I shall cause sackcloth to be put on everyone’sloins

And baldness on every head [shaved for mourning].

And I shall make that time likea time ofmourning for an only son [who has died],

And the end of it shall be like a bitter day.

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,

“When I will send hunger over the land,

Not hunger for bread or a thirst for water,

But rather [a hunger] for hearing the words of the Lord.

12 “People shall stagger from sea to sea [to the very ends of the earth]

And from the north even to the east;

They will roam here and there to seek the word of the Lord[longing for it as essential for life],

But they will not find it.

13 “In that day the beautiful virgins

And [even the vigorous] young men shall faint from thirst.

14 “Those who swear [their oaths] by the sin (guilt) of SamariaorAshimah (a pagan goddess),

Who say, ‘By the life of your god [the golden calf], O Dan!’

And [swear], ‘By the life of the way of [idolatrous] Beersheba,’

They shall fall and not rise again.”

God’s Judgment Unavoidable

1 I saw [in a vision] the Lord standing at the altar, and He said,

“Destroy the capitals (tops) of the pillars so that the thresholds will shake,

And break them on the heads of all of the people!

Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword;

They will not have a fugitive who will get away,

Or a survivor who will escape.

2 “Though they dig intoSheol [to hide in the deepest pit],

From there My hand will take them [for judgment];

And though they climb up to heaven [to hide in the realm of light],

From there will I bring them down [for judgment].

3 “Though they hide on the summit of [Mount] Carmel,

I will track them down and take them from there;

And though they hide from My sight on the floor of the sea,

From there I shall command the serpent and it will bite them.

4 “And though they go into captivity before their enemies,

From there I shall command the sword to kill them,

And I will set My eyes against them for evil (judgment, punishment) and not for good [that is, not for correction leading to restoration].”

5 The Lord Godof hosts [the Omnipotent Ruler],

It is He who touches the earth [in judgment] and it melts,

And all who dwell on it mourn [in despair and fear],

And all of it rises up like the Nile

And subsides like the Nile of Egypt;

6 It is He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens

And has established His vaulted dome (the firmament of heaven) over the earth,

He who calls to the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the face of the earth–

The Lordis His name.

7 “Are you [degenerate ones] not as the [despised] sons of Ethiopia to Me,

O sons of Israel?” says the Lord.

“Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt,

And the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans (Syrians) from Kir?

8 “Behold, the eyes of the Lord Godare on the sinful [northern] kingdom [of Israel’s ten tribes]

And I shall destroy it from the face of the earth;

But I shall not totally destroy the house of Jacob [that is, the entire nation of Israel],”

Says the Lord.

9 “For behold, I am commanding,

And I shall shakeandsift the house of Israel among all nations [and cause it to tremble]

Likegrainis shaken in a sieve [removing the chaff],

But not a kernel [of the faithful remnant] shall fall to the groundandbe lost [from My sight].

10 “All the sinners among My people will die by the sword,

Those who say [defiantly], ‘The disaster will not overtake or confront us.’

The Restoration of Israel

11 “In that day I shall raise upandrestore the fallentabernacle (booth) of David,

And wall up its breaches [in the city walls];

I will also raise upandrestore its ruins

And rebuild it as it was in the days of old,

12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom (ancient enemies)

And all the nations that are called by My name,”

Says the Lordwho does this.

13 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,

“When the plowman shall overtake the one who gathers the harvest,

And the one who treads the grapes [shall overtake] him who sows the seed [for the harvest continues until planting time];

When the mountains will drip sweet wine

And all the hills shall melt [that is, everything that was once barren will overflow with streams of blessing].

14 “Also I shall bring back the exiles of My people Israel,

And they will rebuild the desertedandruined cities and inhabit them:

They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine,

And make gardens and eat their fruit.

15 “I will also plant them on their land,

And they shall never again be uprooted from their land

Which I have given them,”

Says the Lordyour God.