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Chapter 5

Third Summons[a]

Hear this word which I utter concerning you,
    this dirge, house of Israel:
She is fallen, to rise no more,
    virgin Israel;
She lies abandoned on her land,
    with no one to raise her up.(A)
For thus says the Lord God
    to the house of Israel:
The city that marched out with a thousand
    shall be left with a hundred,
Another that marched out with a hundred
    shall be left with ten.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:1–17 These verses form a chiastic section beginning and ending with a lament over Israel (vv. 2, 16–17) and containing a double appeal to “seek” the Lord (vv. 4, 14). This editorial arrangement gives the whole section a negative cast, in effect nullifying the only hopeful verse in Amos (v. 15). Israel is as good as dead.

A Lament and Call to Repentance

Hear this word, Israel, this lament(A) I take up concerning you:

“Fallen is Virgin(B) Israel,
    never to rise again,
deserted in her own land,
    with no one to lift her up.(C)

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:

“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
    will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
    will have only ten left.(D)

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