READINGS &
QUESTIONARIES
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(archive of past readings can be found below the latest reading)
just society questionary
amos 5.10-13
(thursday, june 13, 2024)
this is the seventh in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
10They hate the one who calls for justice in the place of governance.
They abhor the one who speaks uprightly.
11Therefore, because of your plundering of the underprivileged
by the grain taxes you extract from them,
you have built the most luxurious of homes,
but you will not live in them;
you have planted cherished vineyards
but you will not drink their wine.
12For I am well aware of the magnitude of your criminality
and the vastness of your corruption:
oppressing the innocent, taking bribes,
and deny the impoverished a hearing.
13The shrewd in such times remains quite,
for such times are depraved (author’s translation).
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
10They hate him that rebuketh in the gate,
and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor,
and ye take from him burdens of wheat:
ye have built houses of hewn stone,
but ye shall not dwell in them;
ye have planted pleasant vineyards,
but ye shall not drink wine of them.
12For I know your manifold transgressions
and your mighty sins:
they afflict the just, they take a bribe,
and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time;
for it is an evil time.
1. In the KJV, verses 10 and 12 both speak of “the gate.”
? What is the significance of the city gate in this culture?
? How does my translation help you to understand the significance of “the gate”?
? What do you read in today’s passage that evidences the injustices that are taking place in Israel’s law-making and court centers?
? What is the motive of the ruling elite in denying criminal and economic justice?
2. Amos charges the wealthy ruling class of establishing taxes on wheat.
? What is the significance and evil of taxing the poor for the wheat they purchase?
3. Through unjust rulings, both legal and economic, the ruling classes have, according to the KJV, “built houses of hewn stone.”
? What is the significance of “hewn stone” in the construction of homes?
? How does my translation help understand the significance of “hewn stone” in construction projects?
4. Today’s passage is another of many in which the prophet imagination understands that economic success of the ruling elites—symbolized in today’s reading by their luxurious homes and fine vineyards—is often the result of wickedness. Here, that wickedness is their manipulation of economic and legal laws and policies—symbolized by their taking of bribes from those with the resources to bribe, and their making more expensive the necessities of life for the already impoverished.
? What are the necessities of life in today’s world?
? How are our current governing, legal, and economic elites guilty of these same crimes against the vulnerable?
? What necessities are a challenge for the poorer classes to obtain due to the injustices of the monied and ruling classes?
? How do you feel about economic wealth and various forms of success and achievement being the result of wickedness rather than righteousness?
? Amos mentions several consequences of these injustices. What consequences does Amos mention in today’s reading?
? How are they indicative of the sins that bring on the consequences?
4. Finally, Amos ends with this lament:
“The shrewd in such times remains quite,
for such times are depraved.”
? What do you understand Amos to be saying here?
? How do you feel about those who remain silent and uncritical of the injustice taking place in their society?
They abhor the one who speaks uprightly.
11Therefore, because of your plundering of the underprivileged
by the grain taxes you extract from them,
you have built the most luxurious of homes,
but you will not live in them;
you have planted cherished vineyards
but you will not drink their wine.
12For I am well aware of the magnitude of your criminality
and the vastness of your corruption:
oppressing the innocent, taking bribes,
and deny the impoverished a hearing.
13The shrewd in such times remains quite,
for such times are depraved (author’s translation).
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
10They hate him that rebuketh in the gate,
and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor,
and ye take from him burdens of wheat:
ye have built houses of hewn stone,
but ye shall not dwell in them;
ye have planted pleasant vineyards,
but ye shall not drink wine of them.
12For I know your manifold transgressions
and your mighty sins:
they afflict the just, they take a bribe,
and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time;
for it is an evil time.
1. In the KJV, verses 10 and 12 both speak of “the gate.”
? What is the significance of the city gate in this culture?
? How does my translation help you to understand the significance of “the gate”?
? What do you read in today’s passage that evidences the injustices that are taking place in Israel’s law-making and court centers?
? What is the motive of the ruling elite in denying criminal and economic justice?
2. Amos charges the wealthy ruling class of establishing taxes on wheat.
? What is the significance and evil of taxing the poor for the wheat they purchase?
3. Through unjust rulings, both legal and economic, the ruling classes have, according to the KJV, “built houses of hewn stone.”
? What is the significance of “hewn stone” in the construction of homes?
? How does my translation help understand the significance of “hewn stone” in construction projects?
4. Today’s passage is another of many in which the prophet imagination understands that economic success of the ruling elites—symbolized in today’s reading by their luxurious homes and fine vineyards—is often the result of wickedness. Here, that wickedness is their manipulation of economic and legal laws and policies—symbolized by their taking of bribes from those with the resources to bribe, and their making more expensive the necessities of life for the already impoverished.
? What are the necessities of life in today’s world?
? How are our current governing, legal, and economic elites guilty of these same crimes against the vulnerable?
? What necessities are a challenge for the poorer classes to obtain due to the injustices of the monied and ruling classes?
? How do you feel about economic wealth and various forms of success and achievement being the result of wickedness rather than righteousness?
? Amos mentions several consequences of these injustices. What consequences does Amos mention in today’s reading?
? How are they indicative of the sins that bring on the consequences?
4. Finally, Amos ends with this lament:
“The shrewd in such times remains quite,
for such times are depraved.”
? What do you understand Amos to be saying here?
? How do you feel about those who remain silent and uncritical of the injustice taking place in their society?
just society questionary
amos 3.9-4.3--questionary 3 (4.1-3)
(thursday, june 13, 2024)
this is the sixth in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
1Hear this promise, you fat cows
who reside in mount Šōmrôn;
who oppress the disadvantaged;
who crush the impoverished;
who demand of their husband:
“Make provisions that we might feast.”
2My Lord, YHWH, has sworn in his preeminence
that—pay attention!— your time is coming
when he will bear you off with barbed hooks,
and bear off your children with barbed fishhooks.
3You will leave through breaches made in the walls,
woman after woman,
and be sent north.
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to his criticism of Israel and its rebellion against God (3.9-4.3). In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the third of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
1Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan
that are in the mountain of Samaria,
which oppress the poor,
which crush the needy,
which say to their masters,
“Bring, and let us drink.
2The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness,
that, lo, the days shall come upon you,
that he will take you away with hooks,
and your posterity with fishhooks.
3And ye shall go out at the breaches,
every cow at that which is before her;
and ye shall cast them into the palace,
saith the LORD.
1. We might imagine that injustices, pillage, and violence against the poor involved physical abuse practiced by aggressive males who dominated ancient societies. However, in today's reading, Amos reminds us that oppression and violence takes many forms and is practiced by many populations.
? Who is oppressing the disadvantaged and impoverished in this reading?
? What form does the oppression and abuse that the wealthy women exercise against the disadvantaged and impoverished likely take?
? Why, do you suppose, does Amos compare wealthy Israelite women to cows from Bashan, where, due to plenteous grazing, they are able to grow fat? (You will have to get past how totally politically incorrect this would be today at several levels)
? How do you feel about Amos likening the wealthy Israelite women to cows?
? How do the demands that the wealthy women make of their husbands serve to oppress and crush the poor?
? How do you feel about these women?
? When is enough, enough so that “the additional” can be devoted to the poor?
2. So far in Amos’ oracles the prophet has repeatedly addressed the wealthy and their moral state. In 2.6-7, we read
“…because they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.”
Then, in this section of his oracles (3.9-4.3), the prophet has pointed out,
“…the abuses that are inside it [the capital city].
They do not know how to act properly”--
this is YHWH’s declaration--
“those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces” (3.9-10).
In this same section, the prophet has made threats against “luxurious” home décor (vs. 12), mansions decorated with expensive ivory (vs. 15), and those who possess both summer and winter homes (vs. 15). Now, in this reading, Amos speaks of wealthy women “oppress the disadvantaged” and the “impoverished” as they demand a luxuriant lifestyle.
? What does it say about the moral state of the wealthy that Amos focuses so consistently on the wealthy?
? Would Amos’ charges against the wealthy be justified in today’s society? Why do you answer as you do?
3. Amos says that these insatiable women one after another will be lead captive out of the breached walls of the capital city with linked together in some fashion through some type of torturous piercing.
? If you close your eyes, what do you see?
“According to Assyrian reliefs (pictures engraved on stone), prisoners of war were led away with a rope fastened to a hook that pierced the nose or lower lip” (NIV Study Bible text note).
? How does the imagery make you feel?
who reside in mount Šōmrôn;
who oppress the disadvantaged;
who crush the impoverished;
who demand of their husband:
“Make provisions that we might feast.”
2My Lord, YHWH, has sworn in his preeminence
that—pay attention!— your time is coming
when he will bear you off with barbed hooks,
and bear off your children with barbed fishhooks.
3You will leave through breaches made in the walls,
woman after woman,
and be sent north.
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to his criticism of Israel and its rebellion against God (3.9-4.3). In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the third of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
1Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan
that are in the mountain of Samaria,
which oppress the poor,
which crush the needy,
which say to their masters,
“Bring, and let us drink.
2The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness,
that, lo, the days shall come upon you,
that he will take you away with hooks,
and your posterity with fishhooks.
3And ye shall go out at the breaches,
every cow at that which is before her;
and ye shall cast them into the palace,
saith the LORD.
1. We might imagine that injustices, pillage, and violence against the poor involved physical abuse practiced by aggressive males who dominated ancient societies. However, in today's reading, Amos reminds us that oppression and violence takes many forms and is practiced by many populations.
? Who is oppressing the disadvantaged and impoverished in this reading?
? What form does the oppression and abuse that the wealthy women exercise against the disadvantaged and impoverished likely take?
? Why, do you suppose, does Amos compare wealthy Israelite women to cows from Bashan, where, due to plenteous grazing, they are able to grow fat? (You will have to get past how totally politically incorrect this would be today at several levels)
? How do you feel about Amos likening the wealthy Israelite women to cows?
? How do the demands that the wealthy women make of their husbands serve to oppress and crush the poor?
? How do you feel about these women?
? When is enough, enough so that “the additional” can be devoted to the poor?
2. So far in Amos’ oracles the prophet has repeatedly addressed the wealthy and their moral state. In 2.6-7, we read
“…because they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.”
Then, in this section of his oracles (3.9-4.3), the prophet has pointed out,
“…the abuses that are inside it [the capital city].
They do not know how to act properly”--
this is YHWH’s declaration--
“those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces” (3.9-10).
In this same section, the prophet has made threats against “luxurious” home décor (vs. 12), mansions decorated with expensive ivory (vs. 15), and those who possess both summer and winter homes (vs. 15). Now, in this reading, Amos speaks of wealthy women “oppress the disadvantaged” and the “impoverished” as they demand a luxuriant lifestyle.
? What does it say about the moral state of the wealthy that Amos focuses so consistently on the wealthy?
? Would Amos’ charges against the wealthy be justified in today’s society? Why do you answer as you do?
3. Amos says that these insatiable women one after another will be lead captive out of the breached walls of the capital city with linked together in some fashion through some type of torturous piercing.
? If you close your eyes, what do you see?
“According to Assyrian reliefs (pictures engraved on stone), prisoners of war were led away with a rope fastened to a hook that pierced the nose or lower lip” (NIV Study Bible text note).
? How does the imagery make you feel?
just society questionary
amos 3.9-4.3--questionary 2 (3.11-15)
(tuesday, june 11, 2024)
this is the fifth in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
11Therefore, this is what my Lord, YHWH, says:
“The enemy is everywhere in the land.
They strip you of your power,
as your palaces are plundered.”
12This is what YHWH says:
“As a shepherd might save from a lion’s mouth
a couple of legs or a severed ear
in like manner will those Yiśrāʾēli who inhabit Šōmrôn be saved
with only a bit of their bed
and a small fraction of their luxurious divan.”
13Listen, then bear witness against Yaʿaqōb’s descendants--
this is the declaration of my Lord, YHWH, ʾElōhîm Ṣebā ’ôt:
14“At the time of my totaling up Yiśrāʾēl’s crimes against it,
I will destroy Bêt-ʾēl’s altars.
The altar’s horns will be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
15I will destroy the winter house as well as the summer house.
The houses decorated in ivory will be destroy,
and mansions swept away”—this is YHWH’s declaration (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to his criticism of Israel and its rebellion against God (3.9-4.3). In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the second of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
11Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
An adversary there shall be even round about the land;
and he shall bring down thy strength from thee,
and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
12Thus saith the LORD;
As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion
two legs, or a piece of an ear;
so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria
in the corner of a bed,
and in Damascus in a couch.
13Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob,
saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,
14That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him
I will also visit the altars of Bethel:
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
15And I will smite the winter house with the summer house;
the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.
1. Amos warns that
“As a shepherd might save from a lion’s mouth
a couple of legs or a severed ear
in like manner will those Yiśrāʾēli who inhabit Šōmrôn be saved
with only a bit of their bed
and a small fraction of their luxurious divan.”
? What do you see when you read this?
? How do the following images impact what you see when you read Amos’ warnings?
“The enemy is everywhere in the land.
They strip you of your power,
as your palaces are plundered.”
12This is what YHWH says:
“As a shepherd might save from a lion’s mouth
a couple of legs or a severed ear
in like manner will those Yiśrāʾēli who inhabit Šōmrôn be saved
with only a bit of their bed
and a small fraction of their luxurious divan.”
13Listen, then bear witness against Yaʿaqōb’s descendants--
this is the declaration of my Lord, YHWH, ʾElōhîm Ṣebā ’ôt:
14“At the time of my totaling up Yiśrāʾēl’s crimes against it,
I will destroy Bêt-ʾēl’s altars.
The altar’s horns will be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
15I will destroy the winter house as well as the summer house.
The houses decorated in ivory will be destroy,
and mansions swept away”—this is YHWH’s declaration (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to his criticism of Israel and its rebellion against God (3.9-4.3). In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the second of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
11Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
An adversary there shall be even round about the land;
and he shall bring down thy strength from thee,
and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
12Thus saith the LORD;
As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion
two legs, or a piece of an ear;
so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria
in the corner of a bed,
and in Damascus in a couch.
13Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob,
saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,
14That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him
I will also visit the altars of Bethel:
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
15And I will smite the winter house with the summer house;
the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.
1. Amos warns that
“As a shepherd might save from a lion’s mouth
a couple of legs or a severed ear
in like manner will those Yiśrāʾēli who inhabit Šōmrôn be saved
with only a bit of their bed
and a small fraction of their luxurious divan.”
? What do you see when you read this?
? How do the following images impact what you see when you read Amos’ warnings?
2. In this reading, Amos speaks of “treasures in their [the wealthy’s] palaces,” of “luxurious divan[s],” of “winter house[s],” of “summer house[s],” and of “houses decorated in ivory.”
? What does all this language suggest about the target of Amos’ criticisms?
3. We have spoken before concerning “the law of restoration” in which punishment or consequences are commensurate with the sin (“punishment fits the crime”). The classic Old Testament version of it is that those who “dig a pit for their neighbor” will, themselves, fall into the very pit they dug.
? What punishments/ consequences for Israel’s rebellion against God do you find in this reading?
? What do these punishments/ consequences suggest about the nature of Israel’s sins/ crimes?
? What does the loss of luxuriously decorated homes (vs. 15) and the cherished and luxurious household items with which they were furnished (vs. 12) suggest about the nature of Israel’s sins/ crimes?
? Do you see how the “law of restoration” works in this case? Why do you answer as you do?
We saw in Amos 2.6-9 and Amos 3.9-10 that the wealthy acquired their wealth through plundering and looting the poor. This, of course, left the poor with very little. The poor were unable to protect themselves or their possession from the wealthy. So it is that the wealthy are plundered and looted, unable to protect themselves or their possessions from the plunderer.
4. The loss of mansions that the wealthy suffer, is presented in association with the destruction of one of Israel’s foremost sanctuaries, Bethel.
? Is it possible that in Amos’ view, the temple, “Yahweh’s palace,” was also built and maintained on the backs of the poor? Why do you answer as you do?
It is one thing for a bunch of “hedonists” to live it up at the expense of the more vulnerable of society. It is another for the “religious” to do so. And it is yet another thing for the religious to “worship” by means of plundering the poor.
? How might this passage from a previous questionary relate to the destruction of Israel’s temple institutions?
“Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods” (author’s translation).
? How are our modern religious institutions doing in regard to the poor?
? Are they sometimes guilty of “plundering” the poor, not only for personal gain but for institutional gain?
? What can you do to resist this error?
? What can you do to assist religious institutes to see where they may be guilty of this error, and to see what actions they can take to correct the error?
? What does all this language suggest about the target of Amos’ criticisms?
3. We have spoken before concerning “the law of restoration” in which punishment or consequences are commensurate with the sin (“punishment fits the crime”). The classic Old Testament version of it is that those who “dig a pit for their neighbor” will, themselves, fall into the very pit they dug.
? What punishments/ consequences for Israel’s rebellion against God do you find in this reading?
? What do these punishments/ consequences suggest about the nature of Israel’s sins/ crimes?
? What does the loss of luxuriously decorated homes (vs. 15) and the cherished and luxurious household items with which they were furnished (vs. 12) suggest about the nature of Israel’s sins/ crimes?
? Do you see how the “law of restoration” works in this case? Why do you answer as you do?
We saw in Amos 2.6-9 and Amos 3.9-10 that the wealthy acquired their wealth through plundering and looting the poor. This, of course, left the poor with very little. The poor were unable to protect themselves or their possession from the wealthy. So it is that the wealthy are plundered and looted, unable to protect themselves or their possessions from the plunderer.
4. The loss of mansions that the wealthy suffer, is presented in association with the destruction of one of Israel’s foremost sanctuaries, Bethel.
? Is it possible that in Amos’ view, the temple, “Yahweh’s palace,” was also built and maintained on the backs of the poor? Why do you answer as you do?
It is one thing for a bunch of “hedonists” to live it up at the expense of the more vulnerable of society. It is another for the “religious” to do so. And it is yet another thing for the religious to “worship” by means of plundering the poor.
? How might this passage from a previous questionary relate to the destruction of Israel’s temple institutions?
“Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods” (author’s translation).
? How are our modern religious institutions doing in regard to the poor?
? Are they sometimes guilty of “plundering” the poor, not only for personal gain but for institutional gain?
? What can you do to resist this error?
? What can you do to assist religious institutes to see where they may be guilty of this error, and to see what actions they can take to correct the error?
just society questionary
amos 3.9-4.3--questionary 1 (3.9-10)
(thursday, june 6, 2024)
this is the fourth in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
9Make the following proclamation among ʾAšdôd’s palaces
and among Miṣrayim’s palaces:
“Gather on Šōmrôn’s mountains,
and witness the great tumults within it
and the abuses that are inside it.
10They do not know how to act properly”--
this is YHWH’s declaration--
“those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces” (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to the criticism of Israel he began to 2.6-9. In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the first of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
9Publish in the palaces at Ashdod,
and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say,
“Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,
and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,
and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10For they know not to do right,
saith the LORD,
who store up
violence and robbery in their palaces.
1. Ashdod is one of the Philistine’s principle political centers. Of course, Egypt we know.
? Why do you suppose the Lord called upon these specific nations to witness the oppressive evil that existed in Israel’s capitol city of Samaria? As far as Israel was concerned, Egypt, Israel’s “original” and most personal “agent of oppression,” would certainly know oppression when it saw it. On the other hand, the Philistines were Israel’s principal enemy, repeatedly “oppressing” Israel. This makes both Egypt and Philistia a kind of “expert witness” when it comes to oppression.
? What does it say about the state of oppression in Israel, that it would be witnessed against by known and “expert” oppressors such as Egypt and Philistia?
2. Amos speaks of “great tumults” and “abuses” taking place in Israel and the “treasures” found in the palaces of the wealthy that are the result of their “violence and oppression.”
? How had Israel’s wealthy accumulated their wealth?
? How does Amos 2.6-9 answer this question?
“…they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.
A man and his son have sex with the same defenseless girl,
thereby bringing disrepute upon My unmatched reputation.
Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods” (author’s translation).
We have seen elsewhere the prophetic belief that wealth is, as often as not, acquired, not through righteousness, but through wickedness. It is not acquired through doing good, but through knowing how to manipulate and oppress. Jeremiah may offer the best expression of this.
“For there can be found among my people ungodly individuals.
They keep watch, like bird catchers watching a trap.
They place traps, they capture human beings.
Just as a bird cage is full of birds,
their houses are filled with deceit.
This is how they have become powerful and wealthy” (Jer. 2.26-27).
“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong;
that useth his neighbour’s service without wages,
and giveth him not for his work;
That saith,
‘I will build me a wide house
and large chambers,’
And cutteth him out windows;
and it is cieled with cedar,
and painted with vermilion” (Jer. 22.13-14).
We see it again in today’s passage.
“‘They do not know how to act properly’— this is YHWH’s declaration--
‘those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces.’”
? How do you feel about this assertion that the accumulation of wealth on the part of Israelites was a result of violence and oppression, ?
? Can you see the truth of this from a historical and global perspective?
? Can you see the truth of this in your own society? Why do you answer as you do?
? What form does “violence” and “oppression” take today that make it possible for the rich to build their wealth?
3. In the following passage from Moses, Cain, in that very first generation, articulates a basic principle for acquiring this world’s goods.
“And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness” (Moses 5.31).
Murder is, of course, the ultimate exercise of “violence.” However, “gain” does not come only through the ultimate in violence—murder—but through all expressions of violence. This is the point.
? How does Cain’s discovery relate to Amos’ assertion concerning the accumulation of this world’s goods?
and among Miṣrayim’s palaces:
“Gather on Šōmrôn’s mountains,
and witness the great tumults within it
and the abuses that are inside it.
10They do not know how to act properly”--
this is YHWH’s declaration--
“those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces” (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations” (1.3-2.16), united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes. In these oracles, Amos identifies how each nation, including Judah and Israel, having broken covenants with God and man, have behaved violently against other nations and against their own citizens. He has warned of the consequences that follow such violation of others.
After a brief interlude in which Amos defends himself against attacks and demands that he cease prophesying (3.1-8), Amos returns to the criticism of Israel he began to 2.6-9. In this oracle, the prophet warns how an invading army will plunder the plunder that Israelites have plundered from their own countrymen. This is the first of three questionaries on 3.9-4.3.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the King James Translation.
9Publish in the palaces at Ashdod,
and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say,
“Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,
and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,
and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10For they know not to do right,
saith the LORD,
who store up
violence and robbery in their palaces.
1. Ashdod is one of the Philistine’s principle political centers. Of course, Egypt we know.
? Why do you suppose the Lord called upon these specific nations to witness the oppressive evil that existed in Israel’s capitol city of Samaria? As far as Israel was concerned, Egypt, Israel’s “original” and most personal “agent of oppression,” would certainly know oppression when it saw it. On the other hand, the Philistines were Israel’s principal enemy, repeatedly “oppressing” Israel. This makes both Egypt and Philistia a kind of “expert witness” when it comes to oppression.
? What does it say about the state of oppression in Israel, that it would be witnessed against by known and “expert” oppressors such as Egypt and Philistia?
2. Amos speaks of “great tumults” and “abuses” taking place in Israel and the “treasures” found in the palaces of the wealthy that are the result of their “violence and oppression.”
? How had Israel’s wealthy accumulated their wealth?
? How does Amos 2.6-9 answer this question?
“…they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.
A man and his son have sex with the same defenseless girl,
thereby bringing disrepute upon My unmatched reputation.
Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods” (author’s translation).
We have seen elsewhere the prophetic belief that wealth is, as often as not, acquired, not through righteousness, but through wickedness. It is not acquired through doing good, but through knowing how to manipulate and oppress. Jeremiah may offer the best expression of this.
“For there can be found among my people ungodly individuals.
They keep watch, like bird catchers watching a trap.
They place traps, they capture human beings.
Just as a bird cage is full of birds,
their houses are filled with deceit.
This is how they have become powerful and wealthy” (Jer. 2.26-27).
“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong;
that useth his neighbour’s service without wages,
and giveth him not for his work;
That saith,
‘I will build me a wide house
and large chambers,’
And cutteth him out windows;
and it is cieled with cedar,
and painted with vermilion” (Jer. 22.13-14).
We see it again in today’s passage.
“‘They do not know how to act properly’— this is YHWH’s declaration--
‘those who through violence and oppression collect treasures in their palaces.’”
? How do you feel about this assertion that the accumulation of wealth on the part of Israelites was a result of violence and oppression, ?
? Can you see the truth of this from a historical and global perspective?
? Can you see the truth of this in your own society? Why do you answer as you do?
? What form does “violence” and “oppression” take today that make it possible for the rich to build their wealth?
3. In the following passage from Moses, Cain, in that very first generation, articulates a basic principle for acquiring this world’s goods.
“And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness” (Moses 5.31).
Murder is, of course, the ultimate exercise of “violence.” However, “gain” does not come only through the ultimate in violence—murder—but through all expressions of violence. This is the point.
? How does Cain’s discovery relate to Amos’ assertion concerning the accumulation of this world’s goods?
just society questionary
amos 1.3-2.16--questionary 4 (2.6-8)
(tuesday, june 4, 2024)
this is the third in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
against israel
6This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Yiśrāʾēl’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
7They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.
A man and his son have sex with the same defenseless girl,
thereby bringing disrepute upon My unmatched reputation.
8Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This fourth of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the eighth oracle spoken against Israel itself.
In our previous questionaries on Amos (1.3-2.3), we found that the crimes of which six of the nations neighboring Israel were guilty involved international actions against other nations that were rash, overly aggressive, brutal, unjust, inhumane, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws. In the seventh oracle aimed at Judah, we found that Judah’s transgression, or rebellion, also involved a breach of covenant or treaty. However, Judah’s rebellion was against God Himself. Judah was guilty of idolatry or covetousness. Judah’s idolatry misled them. However, we were not informed of the exact nature of their errors. However, as we understand them, there is a kind of “looping feedback” that takes place between the oracle against Judah and those that proceeded it—each shinning a light on the others.
As Amos turns his attention to Israel and their rebellion against God, we should again think in terms of “looping feedback” between the oracle against Judah and Israel. Judah’s specific errors, not mentioned in the oracle, were likely the same as those found in Israel. Israel’s specific errors that Amos catalogues were indicative of a rebellion involving breach of covenant, or treaty with God and with fellow Israelites. Israel, like Judah, was guilty of—idolatry or covetousness.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
6Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they sold the righteous for silver,
and the poor for a pair of shoes;
7That pant after the dust of the earth
on the head of the poor,
and turn aside the way of the meek:
and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid,
to profane my holy name:
8And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge
by every altar,
and they drink the wine of the condemned
in the house of their god.
1. In this reading, Amos lists very specific attitudes and behaviors that constitute sin and breach of covenant with God.
? What attitudes and behaviors do you identify?
? As you look at the list of errors committed in Israel, do you see a common element?
? What elements of covetousness and abuse of power do you find in the immoral behaviors listed?
2. There are any number of ways that the wealthy buy and sell the poor. Consider the following passages.
“Hear this, those who weary the impoverished
to the end that they ruin the land’s downtrodden--
thinking: “when will the new moon sabbath be over
so that we can sell grain;
and the weekly sabbath
so that we can make our produce available,
while shrinking the size of the dry measure,
increasing the weight of šeqel,
and rigging fraudulent scales
to buy the underprivileged with money
and the impoverished at the cost of a pair of sandals.
We will even sell worthless debris mixed in with the grain!” (Amos 8.4-6)
“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong;
that useth his neighbour’s service without wages,
and giveth him not for his work;
That saith,
‘I will build me a wide house
and large chambers,’
And cutteth him out windows;
and it is cieled with cedar,
and painted with vermilion.
Shalt thou reign,
because thou closest thyself in cedar?
Did not thy father eat and drink,
and do judgment and justice,
and then it was well with him?
He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
then it was well with him:
was not this to know me?
saith the LORD.
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for
thy covetousness,
and for to shed innocent blood,
and for oppression, and for violence, to do it” (Jeremiah 22.13-17)
? How are you, your community, and your nation doing in regard to just behavior and policies? Are your national laws such that they encourage ethical use of resources by the wealthy in order to protect and bless the poor?
? Is there something you can and should do or demand to bring about a more just society?
? How does the covetousness of Israelites warp and twist their view of others?
? To what examples can you point where covetousness causes individuals, corporations, or nations to “dehumanize,” or “objectify” others, seeing them only as tools for their own profit and gain, and thus subject to abuse?
? What responsibility do you have as an individual, as an employee, and as a citizen to try and check such covetousness, abuse, and objectification of others?
? The rebellion of the surrounding nations was against each other, that of Judah against God, and that of Israelites against fellow citizens. What is the significance of this observation? How do they relate? In what ways are they all really the same? Consider Matthew 25.31-45.
? Having studied and pondered the oracle against the surrounding nations, the oracle against Judah, and the oracle against Israel, do you detect common transgressions and themes? Take some time to list them and ponder their significance.
3. Amos speaks of the wealthy “lusting after the dirt found on the head of the poor.”
? What does this mean to you?
? How is it indicative of the degree to which the wealthy have yielded to their own lust?
4. Amos speaks of “a man and his son hav[ing] sex with the same defenseless girl.”
? We might focus on the sexuality of this accusation, but might we also read another sin into this accusation? If so, what is it?
? How is the “defenseless girl” related to the impoverished, poor, and distressed mentioned before her and the indebted who are fined that are mentioned after her?
5. Amos speaks of those who
“Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods.”
? How does the following passage relate to this accusation?
“If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: for that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious” (Ex. 22.26-27).
? What sin and breach of covenants do you find in this accusation?
? How is this Israelite disregard for the humanity of their fellow citizens an indication of the same type of inhumanity displayed by the nations found in Amos’ oracle against the nations (1.3-2.3)?
6This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Yiśrāʾēl’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because they sell out the innocent for money,
and sell out the impoverished for a pair of sandals.
7They lust after the dirt found on the head of the poor,
and make the life of those distressed even more precarious.
A man and his son have sex with the same defenseless girl,
thereby bringing disrepute upon My unmatched reputation.
8Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This fourth of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the eighth oracle spoken against Israel itself.
In our previous questionaries on Amos (1.3-2.3), we found that the crimes of which six of the nations neighboring Israel were guilty involved international actions against other nations that were rash, overly aggressive, brutal, unjust, inhumane, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws. In the seventh oracle aimed at Judah, we found that Judah’s transgression, or rebellion, also involved a breach of covenant or treaty. However, Judah’s rebellion was against God Himself. Judah was guilty of idolatry or covetousness. Judah’s idolatry misled them. However, we were not informed of the exact nature of their errors. However, as we understand them, there is a kind of “looping feedback” that takes place between the oracle against Judah and those that proceeded it—each shinning a light on the others.
As Amos turns his attention to Israel and their rebellion against God, we should again think in terms of “looping feedback” between the oracle against Judah and Israel. Judah’s specific errors, not mentioned in the oracle, were likely the same as those found in Israel. Israel’s specific errors that Amos catalogues were indicative of a rebellion involving breach of covenant, or treaty with God and with fellow Israelites. Israel, like Judah, was guilty of—idolatry or covetousness.
For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
6Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they sold the righteous for silver,
and the poor for a pair of shoes;
7That pant after the dust of the earth
on the head of the poor,
and turn aside the way of the meek:
and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid,
to profane my holy name:
8And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge
by every altar,
and they drink the wine of the condemned
in the house of their god.
1. In this reading, Amos lists very specific attitudes and behaviors that constitute sin and breach of covenant with God.
? What attitudes and behaviors do you identify?
? As you look at the list of errors committed in Israel, do you see a common element?
? What elements of covetousness and abuse of power do you find in the immoral behaviors listed?
2. There are any number of ways that the wealthy buy and sell the poor. Consider the following passages.
“Hear this, those who weary the impoverished
to the end that they ruin the land’s downtrodden--
thinking: “when will the new moon sabbath be over
so that we can sell grain;
and the weekly sabbath
so that we can make our produce available,
while shrinking the size of the dry measure,
increasing the weight of šeqel,
and rigging fraudulent scales
to buy the underprivileged with money
and the impoverished at the cost of a pair of sandals.
We will even sell worthless debris mixed in with the grain!” (Amos 8.4-6)
“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong;
that useth his neighbour’s service without wages,
and giveth him not for his work;
That saith,
‘I will build me a wide house
and large chambers,’
And cutteth him out windows;
and it is cieled with cedar,
and painted with vermilion.
Shalt thou reign,
because thou closest thyself in cedar?
Did not thy father eat and drink,
and do judgment and justice,
and then it was well with him?
He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
then it was well with him:
was not this to know me?
saith the LORD.
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for
thy covetousness,
and for to shed innocent blood,
and for oppression, and for violence, to do it” (Jeremiah 22.13-17)
? How are you, your community, and your nation doing in regard to just behavior and policies? Are your national laws such that they encourage ethical use of resources by the wealthy in order to protect and bless the poor?
? Is there something you can and should do or demand to bring about a more just society?
? How does the covetousness of Israelites warp and twist their view of others?
? To what examples can you point where covetousness causes individuals, corporations, or nations to “dehumanize,” or “objectify” others, seeing them only as tools for their own profit and gain, and thus subject to abuse?
? What responsibility do you have as an individual, as an employee, and as a citizen to try and check such covetousness, abuse, and objectification of others?
? The rebellion of the surrounding nations was against each other, that of Judah against God, and that of Israelites against fellow citizens. What is the significance of this observation? How do they relate? In what ways are they all really the same? Consider Matthew 25.31-45.
? Having studied and pondered the oracle against the surrounding nations, the oracle against Judah, and the oracle against Israel, do you detect common transgressions and themes? Take some time to list them and ponder their significance.
3. Amos speaks of the wealthy “lusting after the dirt found on the head of the poor.”
? What does this mean to you?
? How is it indicative of the degree to which the wealthy have yielded to their own lust?
4. Amos speaks of “a man and his son hav[ing] sex with the same defenseless girl.”
? We might focus on the sexuality of this accusation, but might we also read another sin into this accusation? If so, what is it?
? How is the “defenseless girl” related to the impoverished, poor, and distressed mentioned before her and the indebted who are fined that are mentioned after her?
5. Amos speaks of those who
“Upon garments given as collateral
they recline next to their alter,
while they drink wine, payment of those fined,
in the house of their gods.”
? How does the following passage relate to this accusation?
“If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: for that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious” (Ex. 22.26-27).
? What sin and breach of covenants do you find in this accusation?
? How is this Israelite disregard for the humanity of their fellow citizens an indication of the same type of inhumanity displayed by the nations found in Amos’ oracle against the nations (1.3-2.3)?
just society questionary
amos 1.3-2.16--questionary 2 (1.11-2.3)
(sunday, june 2, 2024)
this is the second in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oracles concerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
against edom
11This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of ʾEdôm’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of its pursuit of an ally with a sword.
It flouted compassion,
perpetually fed its anger,
and maintained its rage continually.
12I will unleash fire upon Têmān,
and it will also consume Boṣrâ’s defenses.
against ammon
13This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Benê-ʿAmmôn’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their splitting open pregnant Gilʿādean women
in order to expand their territory.
14I will unleash fire upon Rabbâ’s fortifications,
and it will also consume its defenses
with the clamor of battle;
with the gale of a storm.
15Their king will go into exile:
He along with his administrative officials.
YHWH has spoken.
against moab
21This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Môʾāb’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of its burning to ash the bones of ʾEdôm‘s king.
2I will unleash fire upon Môʾāb,
and it will consume Qerîyôṯ’s defenses.
Môʾāb will perish catastrophically,
with war cry and the blast of alarm.
3I will cut off the ruler from it,
and will kill all government officials right along with him.
YHWH has spoken (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16.
This passage looks at the last three oracles spoken against nations surrounding the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
11Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Edom,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he did pursue his brother with the sword,
and did cast off all pity,
and his anger did tear perpetually,
and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman,
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of the children of Ammon,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
and it shall devour the palaces thereof,
with shouting in the day of battle,
with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity,
he and his princes together,
saith the LORD.
21Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Moab,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
2But I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth:
and Moab shall die with tumult,
with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
3And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof,
and will slay all the princes thereof with him,
saith the LORD.
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This second of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the fourth, fifth, and sixth oracles spoken against Israel’s neighboring nations. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
11Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Edom,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he did pursue his brother with the sword,
and did cast off all pity,
and his anger did tear perpetually,
and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman,
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of the children of Ammon,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
and it shall devour the palaces thereof,
with shouting in the day of battle,
with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity,
he and his princes together,
saith the LORD.
21Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Moab,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
2But I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth:
and Moab shall die with tumult,
with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
3And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof,
and will slay all the princes thereof with him,
saith the LORD.
1. While spending most of their time prophesying to and/or against the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament do not ignore the international scene. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all prophecy against Judah and Israel’s neighboring countries. In Chapters 1 and 2, Amos does so also.
? Take a moment to identify Israel’s and Judah’s three neighboring countries against whom Amos prophesied in this reading, and where they are on the map in relation to Israel and Judah.
2. In addressing each nation, Amos names them, identifies a national crime, and stipulates a consequence of the crime.
? Identify the sin of each of the foreign nations: Edom, Ammon, Moab.
3. In identifying Edom’s national sin, Amos charges that in attacking an allay,
“It flouted compassion,
perpetually fed its anger,
and maintained its rage continually.
? How do you feel about Amos’ charge that international conflicts were a conscious and willful choice?
? What modern day international conflicts demonstrate nation’s determination to hold onto and feed their anger and rage?
? How is the conscious and willful choice to hold onto and feel anger and rage manifest today in the Palestinian/ Israeli conflict? How was in manifested in America’s “war on terror,” including, especially its invasion of Iraq?
? What do the consequences that Amos warned of suggest for modern nations that consciously and willfully hold onto and fee their anger and rage in conflicts against their enemies?
4. In order to extend their political power, the Ammonite military “ripped up the women with child of Gilead.”
? So, of what are they actually guilty?
? To what modern day examples would you point of nations willfully targeting innocent noncombatants, including women and children?
? What do you think and feel when you consider that wars in your lifetime have seen the habitual and indiscriminate killing of noncombatants, including women and children.
? What do the consequences of which Amos warned suggest for modern nations that engage in the same crime as ancient Ammon?
5. Moab was guilty of burning “the bones of the king of Edom into lime.”
? What is the evil being described here?
? What do each of these individual nations’ crimes have in common?
? How do these crimes reflect a breach of the international order?
6. It is always easy to see the errors of others. It is easy for nations to only see the insults and aggressions committed against them, without seeing the role that they themselves play.
? What examples are found in your national history when it has been guilty before God of acting rashly, overly aggressively, brutally, unjustly, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws?
? Do you make yourself aware of such actions? Do you have a responsibility to do so?
? What reasons would there be for not doing so?
? In our modern era of democracies, what role can and does the individual and the electorate play in demanding that their national leaders not overstep godly and just actions on the international stage, and in holding their national leaders accountable?
11This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of ʾEdôm’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of its pursuit of an ally with a sword.
It flouted compassion,
perpetually fed its anger,
and maintained its rage continually.
12I will unleash fire upon Têmān,
and it will also consume Boṣrâ’s defenses.
against ammon
13This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Benê-ʿAmmôn’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their splitting open pregnant Gilʿādean women
in order to expand their territory.
14I will unleash fire upon Rabbâ’s fortifications,
and it will also consume its defenses
with the clamor of battle;
with the gale of a storm.
15Their king will go into exile:
He along with his administrative officials.
YHWH has spoken.
against moab
21This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Môʾāb’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of its burning to ash the bones of ʾEdôm‘s king.
2I will unleash fire upon Môʾāb,
and it will consume Qerîyôṯ’s defenses.
Môʾāb will perish catastrophically,
with war cry and the blast of alarm.
3I will cut off the ruler from it,
and will kill all government officials right along with him.
YHWH has spoken (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16.
This passage looks at the last three oracles spoken against nations surrounding the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
11Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Edom,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he did pursue his brother with the sword,
and did cast off all pity,
and his anger did tear perpetually,
and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman,
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of the children of Ammon,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
and it shall devour the palaces thereof,
with shouting in the day of battle,
with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity,
he and his princes together,
saith the LORD.
21Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Moab,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
2But I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth:
and Moab shall die with tumult,
with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
3And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof,
and will slay all the princes thereof with him,
saith the LORD.
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This second of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the fourth, fifth, and sixth oracles spoken against Israel’s neighboring nations. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
11Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Edom,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he did pursue his brother with the sword,
and did cast off all pity,
and his anger did tear perpetually,
and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman,
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of the children of Ammon,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
and it shall devour the palaces thereof,
with shouting in the day of battle,
with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity,
he and his princes together,
saith the LORD.
21Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Moab,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
2But I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth:
and Moab shall die with tumult,
with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
3And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof,
and will slay all the princes thereof with him,
saith the LORD.
1. While spending most of their time prophesying to and/or against the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament do not ignore the international scene. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all prophecy against Judah and Israel’s neighboring countries. In Chapters 1 and 2, Amos does so also.
? Take a moment to identify Israel’s and Judah’s three neighboring countries against whom Amos prophesied in this reading, and where they are on the map in relation to Israel and Judah.
2. In addressing each nation, Amos names them, identifies a national crime, and stipulates a consequence of the crime.
? Identify the sin of each of the foreign nations: Edom, Ammon, Moab.
3. In identifying Edom’s national sin, Amos charges that in attacking an allay,
“It flouted compassion,
perpetually fed its anger,
and maintained its rage continually.
? How do you feel about Amos’ charge that international conflicts were a conscious and willful choice?
? What modern day international conflicts demonstrate nation’s determination to hold onto and feed their anger and rage?
? How is the conscious and willful choice to hold onto and feel anger and rage manifest today in the Palestinian/ Israeli conflict? How was in manifested in America’s “war on terror,” including, especially its invasion of Iraq?
? What do the consequences that Amos warned of suggest for modern nations that consciously and willfully hold onto and fee their anger and rage in conflicts against their enemies?
4. In order to extend their political power, the Ammonite military “ripped up the women with child of Gilead.”
? So, of what are they actually guilty?
? To what modern day examples would you point of nations willfully targeting innocent noncombatants, including women and children?
? What do you think and feel when you consider that wars in your lifetime have seen the habitual and indiscriminate killing of noncombatants, including women and children.
? What do the consequences of which Amos warned suggest for modern nations that engage in the same crime as ancient Ammon?
5. Moab was guilty of burning “the bones of the king of Edom into lime.”
? What is the evil being described here?
? What do each of these individual nations’ crimes have in common?
? How do these crimes reflect a breach of the international order?
6. It is always easy to see the errors of others. It is easy for nations to only see the insults and aggressions committed against them, without seeing the role that they themselves play.
? What examples are found in your national history when it has been guilty before God of acting rashly, overly aggressively, brutally, unjustly, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws?
? Do you make yourself aware of such actions? Do you have a responsibility to do so?
? What reasons would there be for not doing so?
? In our modern era of democracies, what role can and does the individual and the electorate play in demanding that their national leaders not overstep godly and just actions on the international stage, and in holding their national leaders accountable?
just society questionary
amos 1.3-2.16--questionary 1 (1.3-10)
(may 31, 2024)
this is the first in a series of questionaries that explores the prophet amos' oraclesconcerning matters related to
international, national, and private social justice
against damascus
3This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Dammeśeq’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their threshing Gilʿād with iron threshers.
4I will unleash fire upon Ḥăzâ’êl’s palace,
and it will consume Ben-hăḏaḏ’s defenses.
5I will shatter Dammeśeq’s protective gate.
I will exterminate those who dwell in the plain of ʾEven,
and extinguish from Bet-ʿeden him who possesses the scepter.
And the people of ʾArām will be deported to Qîr.
YHWH has spoken.
against gaza
6This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of ʿAzzâ’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their stripping deportees buck naked,
and delivering them over to ʾEdôm.
7I will unleash fire upon ʿAzzâ’s fortifications,
and it will consume its defenses.
8I will exterminate those who dwell in ʾAšdôd,
extinguish from ʾAšqelôn him who possesses the scepter,
rear back my hand against ʿEqrôn,
and the surviving Pelištî will perish.
My Lord, Yahweh, has spoken.
against tyre
9This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Ṣōr’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their delivering deportees buck naked to ʾEdôm,
and not honoring the covenant of alliance.
10I will unleash fire upon Ṣōr’s fortifications,
and it will consume its defenses (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This first of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the first three oracles spoken against Israel’s neighboring nations. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
3Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Damascus,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have threshed Gilead
with threshing instruments of iron:
4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael,
which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
5I will break also the bar of Damascus,
and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven,
and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden:
and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir,
saith the LORD.
6Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Gaza,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they carried away captive the whole captivity,
to deliver them up to Edom:
7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza,
which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon,
and I will turn mine hand against Ekron:
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,
saith the Lord GOD.
9Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Tyrus,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus,
which shall devour the palaces thereof.
1. While spending most of their time prophesying to and/or against the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament do not ignore the surrounding countries. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all prophecy against surrounding countries. In Chapters 1 and 2, Amos does so also.
? Take a moment to identify Israel’s and Judah’s three neighboring countries against whom Amos prophesied in this reading, and where they are on the map in relation to Israel and Judah.
2. In addressing each nation, Amos names them, identifies a national crime, and stipulates a consequence of the crime.
? Identify the sin of each of the foreign nations: Syria, Philistia, Tyre.
? What does it mean that Syria “threshed Gilead”?
? Where is Gilead located? To which nation does it belong?
? How do you feel when you consider that Syria’s crime involved inhumane brutality—the threshing of human beings—against the inhabitants of Gilead, rather than a literal theft of grain?
? Is Syria’s crime against humanity mentioned here, a crime only because it was perpetrated against Israel? Why do you answer as you do? (As we read through each oracle, pay attention to how often the crimes are perpetrated against Israel/ Judah and now often they are perpetrated against other neighboring nations).
3. Gaza, one of the principle Philistine cities, “stripping deportees buck naked, and delivering them over to ʾEdôm.
? What is the crime here?
? What was the intent and purpose of stripping captives and then marching/ parading them?
? How do you feel about a nation purposefully acting to humiliate its enemies in any way?
? Why is such humiliation of one’s enemies a crime, punishable by God?
4. Tyre was guilty of the same crime as Gaza, but, in doing so they did “not honor the covenant of alliance.”
? How does this compound the crime?
? How do you feel about the crimes against humanity committed by each nation in light of the fact that they all almost certainly had entered at times into treaties and alliances with all the others?
? How do you feel about the importance of nations keeping their international treaties?
5. After identifying each nation’s international crimes—their aggression, violence, brutality, and crimes against humanity committed against other nations—Amos describes the consequences that each nation will face?
? What are those consequences?
? What is likely to be the long-term effect of such consequences?
? While Amos speaks of God being actively involved in the consequences, we know that it is the wicked who “punish” the wicked, not God?
? How, do you suppose, will God view the agents of the criminal nations’ “punishment”?
? What are the chances of those agents not being guilty of the very crimes that are being “punished”?
? How can a world that operates by such norms stop such madness so as to not end up devouring itself?
6. It is always easy to see the errors of others. It is easy for nations to only see the crimes committed against them, without seeing the crimes that they commit against other nations.
? Are there examples of your own nation acting criminally toward other nations and their populations? What are they?
? When has your own nation acted rashly, overly aggressively, brutally, unjustly, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws?[1]
? Do you make yourself aware of such actions? Do you have a responsibility to do so?
? What reasons would there be for not doing so?
? In our modern era of democracies, what role can and does the individual and the electorate play in demanding that their national leaders not overstep godly and just actions on the international stage, and in holding their national leaders accountable?
[1] To mention just three historical examples from American history, consider American military actions taken against the American Seminoles, atrocities committed during the Mexican-American War, abuses against African-American slaves, and war crimes against civilians during the “War on Terror”—all “institutional” deeds supported by a sizable portion of the American population.
3This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Dammeśeq’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their threshing Gilʿād with iron threshers.
4I will unleash fire upon Ḥăzâ’êl’s palace,
and it will consume Ben-hăḏaḏ’s defenses.
5I will shatter Dammeśeq’s protective gate.
I will exterminate those who dwell in the plain of ʾEven,
and extinguish from Bet-ʿeden him who possesses the scepter.
And the people of ʾArām will be deported to Qîr.
YHWH has spoken.
against gaza
6This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of ʿAzzâ’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their stripping deportees buck naked,
and delivering them over to ʾEdôm.
7I will unleash fire upon ʿAzzâ’s fortifications,
and it will consume its defenses.
8I will exterminate those who dwell in ʾAšdôd,
extinguish from ʾAšqelôn him who possesses the scepter,
rear back my hand against ʿEqrôn,
and the surviving Pelištî will perish.
My Lord, Yahweh, has spoken.
against tyre
9This is what YHWH says:
“Because of a series of Ṣōr’s crimes,
topped off with this last one,
I will not relent:
because of their delivering deportees buck naked to ʾEdôm,
and not honoring the covenant of alliance.
10I will unleash fire upon Ṣōr’s fortifications,
and it will consume its defenses (author’s translation).
The Book of Amos, written and inspired by an 8th century B.C. prophet (his name signifies “a burden,” or “load,” indicative of the book’s message) begins with a two-verse introduction (1.1-2), providing information concerning the time and place of the prophet’s ministry—during the reigns of Judah’s Uzziah and Israel’s Jeroboam, a period of economic and political resurgence, particularly in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Following this introduction are the “Oracles Against the Nations,” united by repeating literary patterns, devises, and themes, and comprising 1.3-2.16. This first of five questionaries covering the “Oracles Against the Nations” examines the first three oracles spoken against Israel’s neighboring nations. For those who wish to compare translations, here is the KJV.
3Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Damascus,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have threshed Gilead
with threshing instruments of iron:
4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael,
which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
5I will break also the bar of Damascus,
and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven,
and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden:
and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir,
saith the LORD.
6Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Gaza,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they carried away captive the whole captivity,
to deliver them up to Edom:
7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza,
which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon,
and I will turn mine hand against Ekron:
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,
saith the Lord GOD.
9Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Tyrus,
and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus,
which shall devour the palaces thereof.
1. While spending most of their time prophesying to and/or against the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament do not ignore the surrounding countries. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all prophecy against surrounding countries. In Chapters 1 and 2, Amos does so also.
? Take a moment to identify Israel’s and Judah’s three neighboring countries against whom Amos prophesied in this reading, and where they are on the map in relation to Israel and Judah.
2. In addressing each nation, Amos names them, identifies a national crime, and stipulates a consequence of the crime.
? Identify the sin of each of the foreign nations: Syria, Philistia, Tyre.
? What does it mean that Syria “threshed Gilead”?
? Where is Gilead located? To which nation does it belong?
? How do you feel when you consider that Syria’s crime involved inhumane brutality—the threshing of human beings—against the inhabitants of Gilead, rather than a literal theft of grain?
? Is Syria’s crime against humanity mentioned here, a crime only because it was perpetrated against Israel? Why do you answer as you do? (As we read through each oracle, pay attention to how often the crimes are perpetrated against Israel/ Judah and now often they are perpetrated against other neighboring nations).
3. Gaza, one of the principle Philistine cities, “stripping deportees buck naked, and delivering them over to ʾEdôm.
? What is the crime here?
? What was the intent and purpose of stripping captives and then marching/ parading them?
? How do you feel about a nation purposefully acting to humiliate its enemies in any way?
? Why is such humiliation of one’s enemies a crime, punishable by God?
4. Tyre was guilty of the same crime as Gaza, but, in doing so they did “not honor the covenant of alliance.”
? How does this compound the crime?
? How do you feel about the crimes against humanity committed by each nation in light of the fact that they all almost certainly had entered at times into treaties and alliances with all the others?
? How do you feel about the importance of nations keeping their international treaties?
5. After identifying each nation’s international crimes—their aggression, violence, brutality, and crimes against humanity committed against other nations—Amos describes the consequences that each nation will face?
? What are those consequences?
? What is likely to be the long-term effect of such consequences?
? While Amos speaks of God being actively involved in the consequences, we know that it is the wicked who “punish” the wicked, not God?
? How, do you suppose, will God view the agents of the criminal nations’ “punishment”?
? What are the chances of those agents not being guilty of the very crimes that are being “punished”?
? How can a world that operates by such norms stop such madness so as to not end up devouring itself?
6. It is always easy to see the errors of others. It is easy for nations to only see the crimes committed against them, without seeing the crimes that they commit against other nations.
? Are there examples of your own nation acting criminally toward other nations and their populations? What are they?
? When has your own nation acted rashly, overly aggressively, brutally, unjustly, and contrary to established treaties and accepted international laws?[1]
? Do you make yourself aware of such actions? Do you have a responsibility to do so?
? What reasons would there be for not doing so?
? In our modern era of democracies, what role can and does the individual and the electorate play in demanding that their national leaders not overstep godly and just actions on the international stage, and in holding their national leaders accountable?
[1] To mention just three historical examples from American history, consider American military actions taken against the American Seminoles, atrocities committed during the Mexican-American War, abuses against African-American slaves, and war crimes against civilians during the “War on Terror”—all “institutional” deeds supported by a sizable portion of the American population.
ARCHIVE OF PAST READINGS/QUESTIONARIES
OLD TESTAMENT
genesis-song of solomon |
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psalms 1-50 |
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psalms 51-100 |
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psalm 101-150 |
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isaiah |
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jeremiah-lamentation |
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amos |
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ezekiel-malachi |
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NEW TESTAMENT
matthew |
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mark |
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luke |
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john |
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acts-revelation |
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BOOK OF MORMON
1 nephi-mosiah |
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alma |
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helaman-moroni |
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DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS & PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
doctrine & covenants/ pgp |
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JUST SCRIPTURE
o.t. genesis-ecclesiastes |
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o.t. isaiah-malachi |
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new testament |
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book of mormon |
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dc & pgp |
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ATONEMENT
atonement readings & questionaries by series |
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atonement readings and questionaries by topic |
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