Amos Chapter 6 – Woe to the Complacent
Ivory beds and wine bowls could not shield Samaria's elite from coming exile.
Following the plea to seek justice in Amos 5, this chapter turns to Israel's self-satisfied elite, who lie on ivory beds, invent instruments "like David," and drink wine in bowls without any grief for the ruin overtaking their nation.
Alas for the careless in Zion, and for them who put confidence in the mountain of Samaria,—the distinguished among the first group of nations, to whom came in the house of Israel.
Pass ye over to Calneh, and see, and go on from thence to Hamath the great,—and go down to Gath of the Philistines, are they better than these kingdoms? or their boundary larger than your boundary?
Ye who are putting far away the day of calamity,—but bringing near the abode of violence:
Who are lying on beds of ivory, and sprawling on their couch of pleasure,—and eating the well-fed of the flock, and the fatted calves out of the midst of the stalls:
Who are bawling at the bidding of the harp,—like David, have they invented for themselves instruments of song:
Who are quaffing bowls of wine, and, with the best of oils, anointing themselves,—and are not afflicted for the injury of Joseph:—
Therefore, at once, shall they go into exile among the first of the exiles,—so shall be disturbed the revelry of sprawlers.
Sworn hath the Lord, Yahweh, by his own life, Declareth Yahweh, God of hosts, abhorring am I, the grandeur of Jacob, and, his palaces, I hate,—therefore will I cast off the city and the fulness thereof.
And it shall come to pass, though there be left remaining ten men in one house, yet shall they die;
And a man’s near of kin, even he who is about to burn the bones, shall carry him out of the house, when he shall say to him that is in the hinder parts of the house—Are there yet any with thee? and he shall say—No one. Then shall he say—Hush! for we must not invoke the name of Yahweh.
For lo! Yahweh, is giving command, and will smite the great house into ruins,—and the little house with clefts.
Shall horses run upon crag? or will a man plough [there] with oxen? For ye have turned to poison the sentence of justice, and the fruit of righteousness, to wormwood:
Who rejoice in a thing of nought,—who say, Have we not by our own strength, taken to ourselves horns?
For behold me! raising up against you, O house of Israel, Declareth Yahweh, the God of hosts—a nation! And they shall crush you, from the entering in of Hamath, unto the torrent-bed of the waste plain.