The daysof punishmenthave come,The daysof retributionhave come;Let Israelknow[this]! The prophetis a fool,The inspiredmanis demented,Becauseof the grossnessof your iniquity,And [because] your hostilityis [so] great.
The bestof them is like a briar,The most uprightlike a thornhedge.The daywhen you post your watchmen,Your punishmentwill come.Thentheir confusionwill occur.
Now Jehucameout to the servantsof his master,and one saidto him, "Is all well?Whydid thismadfellowcometo you?" And he saidto them, "You know[very well] the manand his talk."
When His own people heard[of] [this], they wentout to take custodyof Him; for they were saying,"He has lost His senses."
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Woeto the foolishprophetswhoare followingtheir own spiritand have seennothing.
Your prophetshave seenfor you false and foolish[visions]; And they have not exposedyour iniquitySo as to restoreyou from captivity,But they have seenfor you false and misleadingoracles.
They are worthless,a workof mockery;In the timeof their punishmentthey will perish.
Now whatwill you doin the dayof punishment,And in the devastationwhich will comefrom afar?To whomwill you fleefor help?And wherewill you leaveyour wealth?
For ifwe are beside ourselves,it is for God;ifwe are of sound mind,it is for you.
becausetheseare daysof vengeance,so that all thingswhich are writtenwill be fulfilled.
"Ifa manwalkingafter windand falsehoodHad toldlies[and said], 'I will speakout to you concerning wineand liquor,'He would be spokesmanto thispeople.
"It is definitelybecausethey have misledMy peopleby saying,Peace!'when thereis nopeace.And when anyonebuildsa wall,behold,they plasterit overwith whitewash;
"The LORDhas madeyou priestinsteadof Jehoiadathe priest,to be the overseerin the houseof the LORDover everymadmanwho prophesies,to puthim in the stocksand in the ironcollar,
The greatcitywas splitinto threeparts,and the citiesof the nationsfell.Babylonthe greatwas rememberedbeforeGod,to giveher the cupof the wineof His fiercewrath.
Her prophetsare reckless,treacherousmen;Her priestshave profanedthe sanctuary.They have doneviolenceto the law.
He said,"Whatdo you see,Amos?"And I said,"A basketof summerfruit."Then the LORDsaidto me, "The endhas comefor My peopleIsrael.I will sparethem nolonger.
Ephraim[was] a watchmanwith my God,a prophet;[Yet] the snareof a birdcatcheris in allhis ways,[And] there is [only] hostilityin the houseof his God.
"I will magnifyMyself, sanctifyMyself, and makeMyself knownin the sightof manynations;and they will knowthat I am the LORD."'
"I will executegreatvengeanceon them with wrathfulrebukes;and they will knowthat I am the LORDwhen I layMy vengeanceon them."'"
"Alsoher mercenariesin her midstAre like fattenedcalves,For eventhey toohave turnedback[and] have fledaway together;They did not stand[their ground]. For the dayof their calamityhas comeupon them, The timeof their punishment.
"I will firstdoublyrepaytheir iniquityand their sin,becausethey have pollutedMy land;they have filledMy inheritancewith the carcassesof their detestableidolsand with their abominations."
and a remnantwill not be leftto them, for I will bringdisasteron the menof Anathoth--the yearof their punishment."
"They healthe brokennessof the daughterof My peoplesuperficially,Saying,'Peace,peace,'But thereis nopeace.
"They have healedthe brokennessof My peoplesuperficially,Saying,'Peace,peace,'But thereis nopeace.
Causing the omensof boastersto fail,Makingfoolsout of diviners,Causing wisemento drawbackAnd turningtheir knowledgeinto foolishness,
For the LORDhas a dayof vengeance,A yearof recompensefor the causeof Zion.
O LORD,Your handis liftedup [yet] they do not seeit. They see[Your] zealfor the peopleand are putto shame;Indeed,firewill devourYour enemies.
"Moreover, among the prophetsof SamariaI sawan offensivething:They prophesiedby Baaland ledMy peopleIsraelastray.
(For manynationsand greatkingswill makeslavesof them, eventhem; and I will recompensethem according to their deedsand according to the workof their hands.)'"
"But as for Me, My eyewill havenopitynorwill I spare,but I will bringtheir conductupon their heads."
As for My sacrificialgifts,They sacrificethe fleshand eat[it], [But] the LORDhas takennodelightin them. NowHe will remembertheir iniquity,And punish[them] for their sins;They will returnto Egypt.
Return,O Israel,to the LORDyour God,For you have stumbledbecause of your iniquity.
Ephraimwill becomea desolationin the dayof rebuke;Among the tribesof IsraelI declarewhat is sure.
