The Locusts, Fire, and Plumb Line
(Joel 2:1–11)

1  כֹּ֤ה (Thus) הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ (showed me) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֔ה (YHWH) וְהִנֵּה֙ (and behold), יוֹצֵ֣ר (he is forming) גֹּבַ֔י (locusts) בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת (at the beginning) עֲל֣וֹת (of the coming up) הַלָּ֑קֶשׁ (of the latter growth); וְהִ֨נֵּה־ (and behold), לֶ֔קֶשׁ (the late crop) אַחַ֖ר (after) גִּזֵּ֥י (mowings) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king). 2  וְהָיָ֗ה (And it came to pass), אִם־ (when) כִּלָּה֙ (it had finished) לֶֽאֱכוֹל֙ (eating) אֶת־ (-) עֵ֣שֶׂב (the grass) הָאָ֔רֶץ (of the land), וָאֹמַ֗ר (that I said), אֲדֹנָ֤י (Lord) יְהוִה֙ (YHWH) סְֽלַֽח־ (forgive), נָ֔א (please); מִ֥י (how) יָק֖וּם (arise)? יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב (Jacob) כִּ֥י (for) קָטֹ֖ן (small) הֽוּא׃ (he is).

3  נִחַ֥ם (Relented) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) עַל־ (concerning) זֹ֑את (this); לֹ֥א (Not) תִהְיֶ֖ה (will it come to pass), אָמַ֥ר (said) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

4  כֹּ֤ה (Thus) הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ (has shown me) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֔ה (YHWH) וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold), קֹרֵ֛א (was calling) לָרִ֥ב (to contend) בָּאֵ֖שׁ (by fire), אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH) וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ (and it devoured) אֶת־ (-) תְּה֣וֹם (the deep), רַבָּ֔ה (great) וְאָכְלָ֖ה (and it was devouring) אֶת־ (-) הַחֵֽלֶק׃ (the portion). 5  וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said) אֲדֹנָ֤י (Lord) יְהוִה֙ (YHWH), חֲדַל־ (cease), נָ֔א (please); מִ֥י (How) יָק֖וּם (arise)? יַעֲקֹ֑ב (Jacob) כִּ֥י (for) קָטֹ֖ן (small) הֽוּא׃ (he is).

6  נִחַ֥ם (Relented) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) עַל־ (concerning) זֹ֑את (this); גַּם־ (Also) הִיא֙ (It) לֹ֣א (not) תִֽהְיֶ֔ה (will come to pass), אָמַ֖ר (said) אֲדֹנָ֥י (the Lord) יְהוִֽה׃ס (YHWH).

7  כֹּ֣ה (Thus) הִרְאַ֔נִי (He has shown me) וְהִנֵּ֧ה (and behold), אֲדֹנָ֛י (the Lord) נִצָּ֖ב (was standing) עַל־ (by) חוֹמַ֣ת (a wall) אֲנָ֑ךְ (true to plumb), וּבְיָד֖וֹ (and in His hand) אֲנָֽךְ׃ (was a plumb line). 8  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֵלַ֗י (to me) מָֽה־ (What) אַתָּ֤ה (are you)? רֹאֶה֙ (Seeing) עָמ֔וֹס (Amos),

וָאֹמַ֖ר (and I said), אֲנָ֑ךְ (A plumb line).

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) אֲדֹנָ֗י (the Lord), הִנְנִ֨י (Behold, I) שָׂ֤ם (am setting) אֲנָךְ֙ (a plumb line) בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ (among) עַמִּ֣י (My people) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel). לֹֽא־ (Not) אוֹסִ֥יף (will I continue) ע֖וֹד (any longer); עֲב֥וֹר (to pass over) לֽוֹ׃ (him).

9  וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ (And will be desolate), בָּמ֣וֹת (the high places) יִשְׂחָ֔ק (of Isaac)

וּמִקְדְּשֵׁ֥י (and the sanctuaries) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ (will be laid waste);

וְקַמְתִּ֛י (and I will rise up) עַל־ (against) בֵּ֥ית (the house) יָרָבְעָ֖ם (of Jeroboam)

בֶּחָֽרֶב׃פ (with the sword).

Amaziah Accuses Amos

10  וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח (And sent word) אֲמַצְיָה֙ (Amaziah) כֹּהֵ֣ן (the priest) בֵּֽית־ (of Beth-) אֵ֔ל (el) אֶל־ (to) יָרָבְעָ֥ם (Jeroboam) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), קָשַׁ֨ר (Has conspired) עָלֶ֜יךָ (against you) עָמ֗וֹס (Amos) בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ (in the midst) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel); לֹא־ (not) תוּכַ֣ל (is able) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land) לְהָכִ֖יל (to bear) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) דְּבָרָֽיו׃ (his words). 11  כִּי־ (For) כֹה֙ (thus) אָמַ֣ר (has said), עָמ֔וֹס (Amos)

בַּחֶ֖רֶב (By the sword), יָמ֣וּת (will die) יָרָבְעָ֑ם (Jeroboam)

וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל (and Israel) גָּלֹ֥ה (into exile) יִגְלֶ֖ה (will be sent off)

מֵעַ֥ל (away from) אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃ס (his land).

12  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) אֲמַצְיָה֙ (Amaziah) אֶל־ (to) עָמ֔וֹס (Amos), חֹזֶ֕ה (Seer), לֵ֥ךְ (go), בְּרַח־ (flee) לְךָ֖ (for yourself) אֶל־ (to) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), וֶאֱכָל־ (and eat) שָׁ֣ם (there) לֶ֔חֶם (bread), וְשָׁ֖ם (and there); תִּנָּבֵֽא׃ (prophesy). 13  וּבֵֽית־ (But at Beth-) אֵ֔ל (el), לֹֽא־ (not) תוֹסִ֥יף (will you continue) ע֖וֹד (anymore) לְהִנָּבֵ֑א (to prophesy) כִּ֤י (for) מִקְדַּשׁ־ (the sanctuary), מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ (of king) ה֔וּא (it is) וּבֵ֥ית (and the house). מַמְלָכָ֖ה (Of the kingdom) הֽוּא׃ס (it is).

14  וַיַּ֤עַן (And answered) עָמוֹס֙ (Amos), וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) אֶל־ (to) אֲמַצְיָ֔ה (Amaziah), לֹא־ (Not) נָבִ֣יא (a prophet), אָנֹ֔כִי (I was) וְלֹ֥א (and not) בֶן־ (the son); נָבִ֖יא (of a prophet) אָנֹ֑כִי (was I) כִּֽי־ (but) בוֹקֵ֥ר (a herdsman), אָנֹ֖כִי (I was) וּבוֹלֵ֥ס (and a tender) שִׁקְמִֽים׃ (of sycamore-fig trees); 15  וַיִּקָּחֵ֣נִי (and took me) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) מֵאַחֲרֵ֖י (away from following) הַצֹּ֑אן (the herd), וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (and said) אֵלַי֙ (to me) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) לֵ֥ךְ (Go), הִנָּבֵ֖א (prophesy) אֶל־ (to) עַמִּ֥י (My people) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Israel).

16  וְעַתָּ֖ה (And now) שְׁמַ֣ע (hear) דְּבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH); אַתָּ֣ה (You) אֹמֵ֗ר (are saying),

לֹ֤א (Do not) תִנָּבֵא֙ (prophesy) עַל־ (against) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel),

וְלֹ֥א (and do not) תַטִּ֖יף (drop) עַל־ (against) בֵּ֥ית (the house) יִשְׂחָֽק׃ (of Isaac).

17  לָכֵ֞ן (Therefore) כֹּה־ (thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH);

אִשְׁתְּךָ֞ (Your wife) בָּעִ֤יר (in the city), תִּזְנֶה֙ (will be a prostitute)

וּבָנֶ֤יךָ (and your sons) וּבְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ (and daughters) בַּחֶ֣רֶב (by the sword), יִפֹּ֔לוּ (will fall)

וְאַדְמָתְךָ֖ (and your land) בַּחֶ֣בֶל (by a line); תְּחֻלָּ֑ק (will be divided)

וְאַתָּ֗ה (and You) עַל־ (in) אֲדָמָ֤ה (a land). טְמֵאָה֙ (Unclean) תָּמ֔וּת (will die)

וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל (and Israel) גָּלֹ֥ה (into exile) יִגְלֶ֖ה (will go off)

מֵעַ֥ל (away from) אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃ס (his land).