The Cows of Bashan

Amos 4

The Lord rebukes the wealthy women of Samaria who oppress the poor, recounts famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and war that he sent to turn Israel back to him though it never returned, and warns Israel to prepare to meet its God.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonHEAR this word, ye heifers of Basanitis, ye who are on the mountain of Samaria; who tyrannise over the distressed and trample the needy, who say to your masters, Bring and let us drink!

BrentonHear ye this word, ye heifers of the land of Basan that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, and trample on the needy, which say to their masters, Give us that we may drink.

GreekἈκούσατε τὸν λόγον τοῦτον δαμάλεις τῆς Βασανίτιδος, αἱ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῆς Σαμαρείας, αἱ καταδυναστεύουσαι πτωχοὺς, καὶ καταπατοῦσαι πένητας, αἱ λέγουσαι τοῖς κυρίοις αὐτῶν, ἐπίδοτε ἡμῖν ὅπως πίωμεν.

KJVHear 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.

JPSHear this word, ye kine of Bashan, That are in the mountain of Samaria, That oppress the poor, that crush the needy, That say unto their lords: ‘Bring, that we may feast.’

ThomsonThe Lord sweareth by his Holies, and lo! days are coming upon you when fiery pestilent men will seize you with arms, and throw them with you into boiling kettles;

BrentonThe Lord swears by his holiness, that, behold, the days come upon you, when they shall take you with weapons, and fiery destroyers shall cast those with you into boiling caldrons.

GreekΟμνύει Κύριος κατὰ τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ, διότι ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς, καὶ λήψονται ὑμᾶς ἐν ὅπλοις, καὶ τοὺς μεθʼ ὑμῶν εἰς λέβητας ὑποκαιομένους ἐμβαλοῦσιν ἔμπυροι λοιμοὶ,

KJVThe 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.

JPSThe Lord GOD hath sworn by His holiness: Lo, surely the days shall come upon you, That ye shall be taken away with hooks, And your residue with fish-hooks.

Thomsonand you shall be dragged out naked over against one another, and cast out naked on Romman mountain, saith the Lord.

BrentonAnd ye shall be brought forth naked in the presence of each other; and ye shall be cast forth on the mountain Romman, saith the Lord.

Greekκαὶ ἐξενεχθήσεσθε γυμναὶ κατέναντι ἀλλήλων, καὶ ἀποῤῥιφήσεσθε εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Ῥομμὰν, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVAnd 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.

JPS—

ThomsonYou have gone to Baithel and committed transgression, [gone] to Galgala and multiplied transgressions, and have offered your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every three days;

BrentonYe went into Bæthel, and sinned, and ye multiplied sin at Galgala; and ye brought your meat-offerings in the morning, and your tithes every third day.

GreekΕἰσήλθατε εἰς Βαιθὴλ, καὶ ἠσεβήσατε, καὶ εἰς Γάλγαλα ἐπληθύνατε τοῦ ἀσεβῆσαι· καὶ ἠνέγκατε εἰς τοπρωῒ θυσίας ὑμῶν, εἰς τὴν τριημερίαν τὰ ἐπιδέκατα ὑμῶν.

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsonfor having publicly read a law they proclaimed thanksgivings. Proclaim them, because in such things the children of Israel delight, saith the Lord.

BrentonAnd they read the law without, and called for public professions: proclaim aloud that the children of Israel have loved these things, saith the Lord.

GreekΚαὶ ἀνέγνωσαν ἔξω νόμον, καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντο ὁμολογίας· ἀναγγείλατε ὅτι ταῦτα ἠγάπησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVAnd offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

JPSAnd offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, And proclaim freewill-offerings and publish them; For so ye love to do, O ye children of Israel, Saith the Lord GOD.

ThomsonBut as for Me, I will give you gnashing of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places.

BrentonAnd I will give you dulness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet ye returned not to me, saith the Lord.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγὼ δώσω ὑμῖν γομφιασμὸν ὀδόντων ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσιν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔνδειαν ἄρτων ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς τόποις ὑμῶν· καὶ οὐκ ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς μὲ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVAnd I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

JPSAnd I also have given you Cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And want of bread in all your places; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonWhen you returned not to Me, saith the Lord, I withheld from you the rain three months before harvest, with an intent to rain on one city and on another city not to rain. One part was to be watered, and the part on which I did not rain, to be dried up,

BrentonAlso I withheld from you the rain three months before the harvest: and I will rain upon one city, and on another city I will not rain: one part shall be rained upon, and the part on which I shall not rain shall be dried up.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγὼ ἀνέσχον ἐξ ὑμῶν τὸν ὑετὸν πρὸ τριῶν μηνῶν τοῦ τρυγητοῦ, καὶ βρέξω ἐπὶ πόλιν μίαν, ἐπὶ δὲ πόλιν μίαν οὐ βρέξω· μερὶς μία βραχήσεται, καὶ μερὶς, ἐφʼ ἣν οὐ βρέξω, ξηρανθήσεται.

KJVAnd also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

JPSAnd I also have withholden the rain from you, When there were yet three months to the harvest; And I caused it to rain upon one city, And caused it not to rain upon another city; One piece was rained upon, And the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

Thomsonso that two or three cities should crowd to one city for drink and not be satisfied.

BrentonAnd the inhabitants of two or three cities shall be gathered to one city to drink water, and they shall not be satisfied: yet ye have not returned to me, saith the Lord.

GreekΚαὶ συναθροισθήσονται δύο καὶ τρεῖς πόλεις εἰς πόλιν μίαν τοῦ πιεῖν ὕδωρ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐμπλησθῶσι· καὶ οὐκ ἐπεστράφητε πρὸς μὲ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVSo two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

JPSSo two or three cities wandered unto one city To drink water, and were not satisfied; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonAnd when you turned not to Me, saith the Lord, I smote you with blasting and mildew. You multiplied your gardens: the caterpillar devoured your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive orchards.

BrentonI smote you with parching, and with blight: ye multiplied your gardens, your vineyards, and your fig-grounds, and the cankerworm devoured your oliveyards: yet not even thus did ye return to me, saith the Lord.

GreekἘπάταξα ὑμᾶς ἐν πυρώσει, καὶ ἐν ἰκτέρῳ· ἐπληθύνατε κήπους ὑμῶν, ἀμπελῶνας ὑμῶν, καὶ συκεῶνας ὑμῶν· καὶ ἐλαιῶνας ὑμῶν κατέφαγεν ἡ κάμπη· καὶ οὐδʼ ὡς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς μὲ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVI have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

JPSI have smitten you with blasting and mildew; The multitude of your gardens and your vineyards And your fig-trees and your olive-trees Hath the palmer-worm devoured; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonWhen even for this you turned not to Me, saith the Lord, I sent death among you by the way of Egypt, and slew your young men with the sword and gave up your horses to capture: and by your rage I involved your camps in fire. And when even for this you turned not to Me, saith the Lord,

BrentonI sent pestilence among you by the way of Egypt, and slew your young men with the sword, together with thy horses that were taken captive; and in my wrath against you I set fire to your camps: yet not even thus did ye return to me, saith the Lord.

GreekἘξαπέστειλα εἰς ὑμᾶς θάνατον ἐν ὁδῷ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἀπέκτεινα ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ τοὺς νεανίσκους ὑμῶν, μετὰ αἰχμαλωσίας ἵππων σου, καὶ ἀνήγαγον ἐν πυρὶ τὰς παρεμβολὰς ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ ὑμῶν· καὶ οὐδʼ ὡς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς μὲ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVI have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

JPSI have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; Your young men have I slain with the sword, And have carried away your horses; And I have made the stench of your camp to come up even into your nostrils; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonI overthrew you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorra; and you became like a brand plucked out of fire.

BrentonI overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodoma and Gomorrha, and ye became as a brand plucked out of the fire: yet not even thus did ye return to me, saith the Lord.

GreekΚατέστρεψα ὑμᾶς, καθὼς κατέστρεψεν ὁ Θεὸς Σόδομα καὶ Γόμοῤῥα, καὶ ἐγένεσθε ὡς δαλὸς ἐξέσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός· καὶ οὐδʼ ὡς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς μὲ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVI have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

JPSI have overthrown some of you, As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And ye were as a brand plucked out of the burning; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonNow as even for this you have not turned to Me, saith the Lord, therefore in this manner will I deal with thee, Israel. But because I will deal thus with thee, prepare, O Israel, to invoke thy God:

BrentonTherefore thus will I do to thee, O Israel: nay because I will do thus to thee, prepare to call on thy God, O Israel.

GreekΔιατοῦτο οὕτως ποιήσω σοι Ἰσραήλ· πλὴν ὅτι οὕτως ποιήσω σοι, ἑτοιμάζου τοῦ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν Θεόν σου Ἰσραήλ.

KJVTherefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

JPSTherefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; Because I will do this unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Thomsonfor behold here am I, Who give strength to thunder—Who create wind, and proclaim for men His anointed one—Who make the morning dawn, and thick darkness, and Who walk on the high places of the earth; Whose name is the Lord God, Omnipotent.

BrentonFor, behold, I am he that strengthens the thunder, and creates the wind, and proclaims to men his Christ, forming the morning and the darkness, and mounting on the high places of the earth, The Lord God Almighty is his name.

GreekΔιότι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ στερεῶν βροντὴν, καὶ κτίζων πνεῦμα, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλων εἰς ἀνθρώπους τὸν χριστὸν αὐτοῦ, ποιῶν ὄρθρον καὶ ὁμίχλην, καὶ ἐπιβαίνων ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ τῆς γῆς· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ.

KJVFor, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

JPSFor, lo, He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, And declareth unto man what is his thought, That maketh the morning darkness, And treadeth upon the high places of the earth; The LORD, the God of hosts, is His name.