JERUSALEM CAPTURED.

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treasures of the king's house, and hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

Then Joash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

CHAPTER V.

II. KINGS, xiv. HOSEA, i.-iii. AMOS, i.-ix.

JEROBOAM II.

Amos the Herdman-Threshing Gilead-Kidnapping Slaves-Merciless Blood Feud-Inhumanity of Ammon-Desecrating the Grave-Scorning Jehovah-Israel's Crimes-Fall of Samaria-Denunciation of Bethel-Religious Formalism-Moral Rottenness— Visitations of Jehovah―The Day of Jehovah-Kine of BashanIdle Nobles-Fall of Jeroboam's House-The Priest of BethelThe End is Come-Tabernacle of David-Hosea the ProphetFall of Israel-Future Hope-Jeroboam's Conquests.

Now Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel reigned in Samaria forty-one years. And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah; he turned not from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

And in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, two years before the earthquake, came Amos, a herdman from Tekoa of Judah, and prophesied in Beth-el.

Jehovah roareth from Zion,

From Jerusalem He uttereth His voice;
The pastures of the shepherds languish,
Dried up is Carmel's summit.

Thus saith Jehovah : for three crimes of Damascus,
And for four I revoke it not;

For threshing Gilead with sharp iron :

I send fire on Hazael's house,

It devoureth Ben-hadad's palaces;

KIDNAPPING ŠLAVES.

I break the bars of Damascus,

I cut off inhabitants from Aven's plain,
And sceptre-bearers from Eden's house,
And Aram's folk go captive unto Kir:
Saith Jehovah.

Thus saith Jehovah : for three crimes of Gaza,

And for four I revoke it not;

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For making captives in time of peace to deliver unto

Edom:

I send fire on Gaza's wall,

It devoureth her palaces;

I cut off inhabitants from Ashdod,
Sceptre-bearers from Ashkelon;
Against Ekron I turn mine hand,

The remnant of the Philistines perisheth :
Saith the Lord Jehovah.

Thus saith Jehovah for three crimes of Tyre,

And for four I revoke it not;

For delivering captives of peace to Edom;
Neither remembered they the brotherly covenant :

I send fire on the wall of Tyre,

It devoureth her palaces.

Thus saith Jehovah for three crimes of Edom,

And for four I revoke it not;

For hunting his brother with the sword,

And stifling his compassion;

Because he guardeth his wrath for aye,

And his fury keepeth he for ever :

I send fire on Teman,

It devoureth Bozrah's palaces.

Thus saith Jehovah for three crimes of Ammon,

And for four I revoke it not;

For ripping up the wives of Gilead with child,

In order to enlarge their border :

I kindle fire on Rabbah's wall,
It devoureth her palaces,

With war-cry in the day of battle,
With tempest in the day of storm;
Their king goeth into captivity,
He and his princes together:
Saith Jehovah.

Thus saith Jehovah : for three crimes of Moab,

And for four I revoke it not;

For burning to lime the bones of Edom's king: I send fire on Moab,

It devoureth Kirioth's palaces;

And Moab dieth in tumult,

With war-cries, with trumpet-blasts;

I cut off judges from her midst,

All her princes I slay with them :

Saith Jehovah.

Thus saith Jehovah : for three crimes of Judah,
And for four I revoke it not;

For scorning Jehovah's teaching,
Neither keep they His laws,
But their false gods pervert them,

After which their fathers walked :

I send fire on Judah,

It devoureth Jerusalem's palaces.

Thus saith Jehovah for three crimes of Israel,

And for four I revoke it not;

ISRAEL'S CRIMES.

For selling the righteous for silver,

The needy for a pair of shoes;

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They grasp at the dust of the earth on the head of the poor,

And the way of the lowly they pervert ;

And son and father go unto one damsel,

To profane My holy name;

On pawned clothes they stretch themselves by every altar,

And debtors' wine they drink in the house of their god : Flight perisheth from the swift,

The strong doth not make good his strength,

Nor the valiant rescue his life,

Neither doth the bowman stand,

Nor the swift of foot escape,

And the horseman saveth not his life,

And the stoutest-hearted of the valiant fleeth naked in

that day:

Saith Jehovah.

And Amos prophesied again, and said: The Lord Jehovah doeth nought, but He revealeth His secret to His servants the prophets.

If a lion roar, who feareth not?

If the Lord Jehovah speak, who prophesieth not?
Publish it on the palaces of Ashdod,

And on the palaces of Egypt's land,

And say: Assemble on Samaria's mountains,
See the great tumults in her midst,

And oppressions within her.

For they know not to do right, saith Jehovah,

Who hoard violence and robbery in their palaces.