1. These are the words of Amos. He was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa. Here is the vision he saw concerning Israel. It came to him two years before the earthquake. At that time Uzziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam was king of Israel. He was the son of Jehoash. Here are the words of Amos.
2. I said, "The Lord roars like a lion from Jerusalem. His voice sounds like thunder from Zion. The grasslands of the shepherds turn brown. The top of Mount Carmel dries up."
3. The Lord says, "The people of Damascus have sinned again and again. So I will punish them. They used threshing sleds with iron teeth to crush Gilead's people.
4. So I will send fire to destroy the palace of King Hazael. It will burn up the forts of his son Ben-Hadad.
5. I will break down the city gate of Damascus. I will cut off the king who lives in the Valley of Aven. He holds the ruler's rod in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be taken away to Kir as prisoners," says the Lord.
6. The Lord says, "The people of Gaza have sinned again and again. So I will punish them. They captured whole communities. They sold them to Edom.