Amos 6
The people of Israel are condemned for their complacency and trust in their wealth and power, rather than in God. They are compared to other nations and found to be no better, and are criticized for their luxurious lifestyles and lack of concern for the suffering of others. God declares that He will punish Israel, and that even the strongest houses will be destroyed, and the people will be afflicted from the north to the south.
1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!2Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?3Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;4That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;6That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.7Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.8The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.9And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.10And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.11For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.12Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:13Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?14But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.
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