Finishing Amos

I had to finish the first book in this new pass at translating for the music. I changed 146 verses during this short project (102 of them not in Amos).

The opening verse interrupts with a single note a long low recitative on the tonic. The subdominant is approached through the dominant and the raised mediant. This creates a full close in the subdominant. (That's why this represents an emotional rest -- through the vibrations -- even though the modal tonic is a fourth below.)

Emotionally, the last chapter is a promise of change. The change begins in verse 11. So much destruction and so much promise and it seems the world has not changed a bit. What transformation in the prophet caused the last verses to be written? 

Music of Amos - chapters 7 and 8

... not a famine of bread and not a thirst for water but of hearing the words of Yahweh ...

The words of Yahweh could not be heard because the people could not hear each other. - Would the music support this interpretation of God with us?

Consider the indictment of the people beginning at verse 4 of chapter 8 -- 

The reason for famine Amos 8:4 ff.

Who is this mystery whose presence we deny by our actions? Every one of the actions above is visible in our social structures today. Each one of these actions degrades and inhibits the body politic. This is not about eternal life, but about temporal principle, in a word 'presence'. We are 'face to face' with our own actions and their consequences. This is not an external God who is doing this to us. But we can still attribute the consequences to the actions we pursue, so Yahweh can say in the oracle, I will do this ... Perhaps a little fear is relevant.

Music of Amos chapters 3 and 4

What are the unique motifs in the musical phrases within a section of the Bible? There are always stats if you don't have time to listen to every song!

The opening of Amos chapters 3, 4, and 5 is one such unique phrase. Tarsin (gershaim) with lyric 'hear' (wmyu) starts a verse 3 times. There is one difference in the three. Chapter 4 lacks the direct object marker. No other verses in the Bible use this start for the word 'hear'.

Tarsin (gershaim) with lyric 'hear' (wmyu) starts a verse 3 times.

Tarsin with the tonic begins a verse 675 times.

Tarsin itself is used 1,660 times.

Given this unique phrase, I thought I would check out the use of qarne (over the resh on the second syllable) with awr (אֲשֶׁר֩) that I noted in the first post in this series. This ornament on the very common relative pronoun occurs 119 times out of 5,612 opportunities. It is rare - 2% of the occurrences.

I noticed while doing this that most verses in Amos are verse by verse unique musical phrases. This is not uncommon. 14,790 verses of the 23,197 in the Hebrew Bible are unique. What makes them unique? Usually it is the ornamentation. The verses that have identical shape in Amos have no accents above the text. The consequential verses in chapter 1 show this commonality.

A common musical shape - (41 occurrences). Notice there are no accents above the text.

1:4, e f g# B ^A g# f e - 46 verses have this form;
1:7,10, e f g# B ^A g# e - 41 verses have this form;
1:12, e f g# ^A g# f e - 68 verses have this form.

I wonder though whether some note sequences (i.e. accent sequences) with or without the accents above the text carry information about the verses that could be deciphered from their shape. Possibly some of this could be translated into natural language for the non-musician.

A recurring word pattern in Amos 4

Common shapes often occur with repeated words. So in Amos, the phrase an oracle of Yahweh with some variation occurs 21 times, 10 of these in chapters 3 and 4. Verses 8 to 11 of chapter 4 has a clear pattern that is easy to see both in the words and in the music. In the pdf below for chapter 3 and 4, search for oracle to see the musical variations in verses 3:10, 13, 15 and 4:3, 4, 6, 8-11.

Amos 1 and 2, the musical structure

 This is a first report on underlaying the music of Amos with an English lyric. I have let stand complete the transcribed underlay, read left to right as expected, and the square text above the notes, words read left to right but letters of course read right to left. The Hebrew underlay and the music are fully automated - untouched by human hand, a rendering of my source text (WLC). The transcription was coded in 2013 and is a rough phonetic rendering. 

I have done just the first two chapters so far. The pattern in the music follows the pattern in the text as one would expect. One of my problems composing, when I do, is to know how to use repetition. Amos uses repetition in the first two chapters to great effect. Notice the consistency one would expect in the opening phrase of each of the 8 sections as described below. Then notice the variations in the consequences stated. The demonstration is with snippets of music. The full score is below.

Note how what we might think of as an unimportant word
is emphasized by the qarne ornament.

Begin with verse 1 which states the historical context. I notice that the description is of the prophet gazing and the description is on the subdominant, after the mid point rest. The prophet is therefore 'at rest' and his eye is the means of communication.

That might be pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but I think the reciting note has suggestive qualities.

Comparing two settings of 'in the days of'

Also note that Uzziah gets the proclamation on the dominant, and then a quiet low phrase to indicate his kingship over Judah, but Jeroboam gets a recitation on the (possibly) plaintif sixth. It suggests to me a subtext, "Why did we have to put up with this ruler in Israel?"

It is quite obvious that in chapters 1 and 2 there are 8 repetitions of a pattern. What does the music say about the variations within the repetitions. Again here are some snippets from the variability.

Damascus (1:3-5)

The return to the tonic is by way of a descent of a fifth.

Gaza (1:6-8)

A similar trope for the second of the eight phrases.

Tyre (1:9-10)

The third of the eight words continues with a more elaborate phrasing.

Edom (1:11-12)

The fourth accusation remains on the rest note
but rises immediately to the sixth.

the children of Ammon (1:13-15)

The fifth accusation rises only to the dominant and approaches the tonic without the lower notes.

Moab (2:1-3)

The sixth word reverts to a drop of a fifth, but the continuation differs.

Judah (2:4-5)

The word to Judah is like the word to Tyre but followed by a long recitation on the dominant.

Israel (2:6-16)

The word to Israel is unlike all the others, reproach after reproach to the end of the chapter. 

...  and the next 5 chapters - but hold on, the music is bound to change. Analysis will not yield to speed. And music has to be performed, not described.

The complete two chapters follow.

The Latter Prophets - with the music as derived from the accents

The Latter Prophets - Isaiah (iwyihu), Jeremiah (irmihu), Ezekiel (ikzqal), and The Twelve (tri ywr: howy, ioal, ymos, yobdih, ionh, mich, nkum, kbquq, xpnih, kgi, zcrih, mlaci).

You can tell from these how relatively big the job would be to sing the work from beginning to end. The Twelve give us 209 pages of music. The latter prophets in total are 979 pages in this form. Torah is 1032 pages. The former prophets are 913 pages. I had guessed years ago that the whole might be 6000 pages - slightly too high I think. Tell you in the next post.

Amos 9

When one goes down one path it is inevitably different from someone else going down another path. There is no sifting here but fugitives, refugees in modern terms. [I have changed this decision and used a synonym more in common with the other uses of נוע, filter]

And re the creation giving birth (see verse 9 below). This idea of creation giving birth is an image in the Psalms, and also in the NT (Romans 8 - and where did Paul get such a notion? From the OT of course.) This post completes the 300th chapter that I have read in Hebrew and wrestled into English.

Amos 9		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
רָאִ֨יתִי אֶת אֲדֹנָ֜י נִצָּ֣ב עַֽל הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ הַ֨ךְ הַכַּפְתּ֜וֹר וְיִרְעֲשׁ֣וּ הַסִּפִּ֗ים וּבְצַ֙עַם֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כֻּלָּ֔ם וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖ם בַּחֶ֣רֶב אֶהֱרֹ֑ג לֹֽא יָנ֤וּס לָהֶם֙ נָ֔ס וְלֹֽא יִמָּלֵ֥ט לָהֶ֖ם פָּלִֽיט	1		I have seen my Lord taking a stand over the altar and he said, Strike the capital and the doorway will quake, and find a mark on the head of every one of them, and the stragglers by the sword I will slay. Haven will not be haven for them and security will not be escape for them.	3e	4C	46 15
אִם יַחְתְּר֣וּ בִשְׁא֔וֹל מִשָּׁ֖ם יָדִ֣י תִקָּחֵ֑ם וְאִֽם יַעֲלוּ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִשָּׁ֖ם אוֹרִידֵֽם	2	B	If they dig hard into Sheol, from there my hand will take them, or if they ascend to the heavens, from there I will bring them down.	3e	4B	13 13
וְאִם יֵחָֽבְאוּ֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל מִשָּׁ֥ם אֲחַפֵּ֖שׂ וּלְקַחְתִּ֑ים וְאִם יִסָּ֨תְר֜וּ מִנֶּ֤גֶד עֵינַי֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַיָּ֔ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶת הַנָּחָ֖שׁ וּנְשָׁכָֽם	3		And if they camouflage themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will plan and lay hold of them. And if they are hidden from before my eyes at the floor of the sea, from there I will command the serpent and he will bite them.	3d	4C	18 27
וְאִם יֵלְכ֤וּ בַשְּׁבִי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹֽיבֵיהֶ֔ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶת הַחֶ֖רֶב וַהֲרָגָ֑תַם וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י עֵינִ֧י עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א לְטוֹבָֽה	4		And if they will go into captivity before their enemies, from there I will command the sword and it will slay them, and I will set my eyes on them for evil and not for good.	3c	4C	26 16
וַאדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה הַצְּבָא֗וֹת הַנּוֹגֵ֤עַ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ וַתָּמ֔וֹג וְאָבְל֖וּ כָּל י֣וֹשְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְעָלְתָ֤ה כַיְאֹר֙ כֻּלָּ֔הּ וְשָׁקְעָ֖ה כִּיאֹ֥ר מִצְרָֽיִם‫	5		And my Lord Yahweh of hosts is the one who touches the land and it softens so all her inhabitants will lament, and it will come up as the Nile, all of it, and abate as the Nile of Egypt.	3e	4C	25 15
הַבּוֹנֶ֤ה בַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מַעֲלוֹתָ֔יו וַאֲגֻדָּת֖וֹ עַל אֶ֣רֶץ יְסָדָ֑הּ הַקֹּרֵ֣א לְמֵֽי הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֽוֹ	6		The one building his ascents in the heavens and founding his architecture over the land, the one calling to the waters of the sea and pouring them out upon the face of the earth, Yahweh is his name.	3d	4C	21 21
הֲל֣וֹא כִבְנֵי֩ כֻשִׁיִּ֨ים אַתֶּ֥ם לִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם יְהוָ֑ה הֲל֣וֹא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הֶעֱלֵ֙יתִי֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּפְלִשְׁתִּיִּ֥ים מִכַּפְתּ֖וֹר וַאֲרָ֥ם מִקִּֽיר	7	B	Are you not as the children of Cush to me, O children of Israel, an oracle of Yahweh? Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt and the Philistines from Caphtor and Aram from Qyr?	3d	4B	19 27
הִנֵּ֞ה עֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה בַּמַּמְלָכָה֙ הַֽחַטָּאָ֔ה וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה אֶ֗פֶס כִּ֠י לֹ֣א הַשְׁמֵ֥יד אַשְׁמִ֛יד אֶת בֵּ֥ית יַעֲקֹ֖ב נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	8		Behold the eyes of my Lord Yahweh are on the kingdom of sin and I will exterminate you from off the surface of the ground, but, ... for not to exterminate do I exterminate the house of Jacob, an oracle of Yahweh.	3d	4B	31 17
כִּֽי הִנֵּ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֔ה וַהֲנִע֥וֹתִי בְכָֽל הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֶת בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנּ֙וֹעַ֙ בַּכְּבָרָ֔ה וְלֹֽא יִפּ֥וֹל צְר֖וֹר אָֽרֶץ	9		For behold, I myself have commanded, and I will disarrange among all the nations, the house of Israel, as many more are disarranged, and the anguish of the earth will not miscarry.	3e	4C	24 17
בַּחֶ֣רֶב יָמ֔וּתוּ כֹּ֖ל חַטָּאֵ֣י עַמִּ֑י הָאֹמְרִ֗ים לֹֽא תַגִּ֧ישׁ וְתַקְדִּ֛ים בַּעֲדֵ֖ינוּ הָרָעָֽה	10		By the sword will die all the sinners of my people, you who say, The evil will not come close or confront us.	3c	4B	12 16
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אָקִ֛ים אֶת סֻכַּ֥ת דָּוִ֖יד הַנֹּפֶ֑לֶת וְגָדַרְתִּ֣י אֶת פִּרְצֵיהֶ֗ן וַהֲרִֽסֹתָיו֙ אָקִ֔ים וּבְנִיתִ֖יהָ כִּימֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם	11	B	In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and I will fence its breaches, and what is overthrown I will raise up, and I will build her as in the days from eras past.	3d	4B	15 23
לְמַ֨עַן יִֽירְשׁ֜וּ אֶת שְׁאֵרִ֤ית אֱדוֹם֙ וְכָל הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָ֥א שְׁמִ֖י עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם נְאֻם יְהוָ֖ה עֹ֥שֶׂה זֹּֽאת	12		In order that they may possess the residue of Edom and all the nations who are called. My name is over them. An oracle of Yahweh doing this.	3e	4C	25 7
הִנֵּ֨ה יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם יְהוָ֔ה וְנִגַּ֤שׁ חוֹרֵשׁ֙ בַּקֹּצֵ֔ר וְדֹרֵ֥ךְ עֲנָבִ֖ים בְּמֹשֵׁ֣ךְ הַזָּ֑רַע וְהִטִּ֤יפוּ הֶֽהָרִים֙ עָסִ֔יס וְכָל הַגְּבָע֖וֹת תִּתְמוֹגַֽגְנָה	13		Behold days are coming, an oracle of Yahweh, when plougher will bump into reaper and treader of grapes into one who trails the seed. The hills will drop new wine from the pressing and all the hillocks will soften.	3e	4C	30 18
וְשַׁבְתִּי֮ אֶת שְׁב֣וּת עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וּבָנ֞וּ עָרִ֤ים נְשַׁמּוֹת֙ וְיָשָׁ֔בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְשָׁת֖וּ אֶת יֵינָ֑ם וְעָשׂ֣וּ גַנּ֔וֹת וְאָכְל֖וּ אֶת פְּרִיהֶֽם	14		And I will turn the captivity of my people Israel, and they will build desolated cities and inhabit them, and they will plant vineyards and they will imbibe their wine, and they will construct gardens and eat their fruit.	3e	4C	35 12
וּנְטַעְתִּ֖ים עַל אַדְמָתָ֑ם וְלֹ֨א יִנָּתְשׁ֜וּ ע֗וֹד מֵעַ֤ל אַדְמָתָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תִּי לָהֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ	15		And I will plant them on their ground, and they will not be deported any more away from their ground that I gave for them, says Yahweh your God.	3e	4C	7 26

Apocalypse

Two verses repeat in Amos, Amos 9:5 = Amos 8:8 and Amos 9:6 = Amos 5:8. This creates a bit of a circular structure with Amos 8:9 to 9:4 in the middle.

That section contains the apocalypse.

And what is that?

After that section comes another promise of extermination. Amos 9:8 - will post the chapter soon...

Behold the eyes of my Lord Yahweh are on the kingdom of sin and I will exterminate you from off the surface of the ground
but, ... for not to exterminate do I exterminate the house of Jacob, an oracle of Yahweh.

This leads me to another comment on doubled words: A few weeks ago I suggested that doubled words are more for rhythm than for intensity. Traditionally they are seen as intensifying the word, and they can be read that way, but sometimes there is also a question in them like the doubled אישׁ (someone, or person) yesterday, or they are a legitimate phrase, one a verb, the other a noun, as in keep watch.

Here I suggest a paradox, or a mystery, or a puzzle in the doubled exterminate, in typical form: infinitive followed by verb.

I say this is mystery for Christian reasons. Not that Christ is in or not in the text. Christ, the anointed is in all texts. And the anointing Spirit is in all texts. This is part of God with us which is equally in all these texts but not exclusively, for in these texts, the Spirit does not exclude the rest of the created order, all of which is, as they say, God's other book or God's other peoples...

Now my Christian reason is this. It is in the death of Jesus, called the anointed, i.e. Messiah, i.e. Christ (a Greek form of Messiah), it is in this death that we die. We are exterminated in him but not so that we are no longer alive. Since he was raised from death by God, we also are alive to that same Spirit in a wholly new way, a way that we could not have discovered without this particular death in and of our world. They say he gave his life for the life of the world. That's us. We are 'in him' to live not to die, but we must first die to live. But it is life and a new world in this present time, whatever else this hope leads to.

Hey - is this new world any good? Or does it need fixing also (tikkun olam)?
It needs fixing also, but it is good, like the good of Genesis, and the good of the Psalms, and a good that cannot be fully spoken or explained. Taste and see.

It's not original with me. It permeates Paul's writing in the NT. And if I learned from him, he yet did not explain what he meant. Such explanation is impossible. We are mystery to each other and to ourselves. If I say the mystery is resolved by this conundrum, it is only in doing that it is found by anyone else based on whatever pointer is tested. Paul is a pointer. He at least is recognized, if hated by many. I am also pointing. I am not an authority. I have like Amos, no standing anywhere in particular. I am outside the guild of scholars and I am not ordained. Why would anyone want such a difficult job? But it is no game that I am playing, even if I must play by so called 'secular' rules.

And I must play by these rules for very good equally Christian reasons. (O adjectives!) The reason is simple, any imposition of explanation on another person or any living being is abuse of power.

You are absolutely entitled to ignore me. Mind you, you don't have to. Comments are open.

Amos 8

As noted, the music of Amos 8 begins on the note one up from the tonic. The 13th verse has no rest point - so appropriate. It is a low recitation and I have continued the sentence into the next verse. Not all verses are isolated from each other even with a return to the tonic.

A hamper of summer. I wonder if it was an early summer. Why is summer threatening? You will find out by the end of the chapter.

Amos 8		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
כֹּ֥ה הִרְאַ֖נִי אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֖ה כְּל֥וּב קָֽיִץ	1	f	Thus showed me my Lord Yahweh: and behold a hamper of summer fruit.	3e	4B	9 7
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָֽה אַתָּ֤ה רֹאֶה֙ עָמ֔וֹס וָאֹמַ֖ר כְּל֣וּב קָ֑יִץ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י בָּ֤א הַקֵּץ֙ אֶל עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹא אוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד עֲב֥וֹר לֽוֹ	2		And he said, What you are seeing, Amos? And I said, A hamper of summer fruit, and Yahweh said to me, The summation to my people Israel has come. I will not again any more pass through him.	3e	4C	17 23
וְהֵילִ֜ילוּ שִׁיר֤וֹת הֵיכָל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה רַ֣ב הַפֶּ֔גֶר בְּכָל מָק֖וֹם הִשְׁלִ֥יךְ הָֽס	3		And howlings are the songs of the temple in that day, an oracle of my Lord Yahweh, many carcasses in every place, cast out, hushed.	3e	4C	19 11
שִׁמְעוּ זֹ֕את הַשֹּׁאֲפִ֖ים אֶבְי֑וֹן וְלַשְׁבִּ֖ית עֲנִיֵּי אָֽרֶץ	4		Hear this, you who bear down on the needy, and you who eradicate the afflicted, the poor of the land,	3e	4A	8 8
לֵאמֹ֗ר מָתַ֞י יַעֲבֹ֤ר הַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ וְנַשְׁבִּ֣ירָה שֶּׁ֔בֶר וְהַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וְנִפְתְּחָה בָּ֑ר לְהַקְטִ֤ין אֵיפָה֙ וּלְהַגְדִּ֣יל שֶׁ֔קֶל וּלְעַוֵּ֖ת מֹאזְנֵ֥י מִרְמָֽה	5		saying, When will the new moon pass through so we may peddle and rake it in, and the Sabbath opening for corn, to shrink ephah and to inflate shekel and to distort balance through deceit,	3e	4C	25 17
לִקְנ֤וֹת בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּעֲב֣וּר נַעֲלָ֑יִם וּמַפַּ֥ל בַּ֖ר נַשְׁבִּֽיר	6		to buy for silver the weak and the needy for a pair of sandals, and peddle miscarried corn?	3e	4C	17 6
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה בִּגְא֣וֹן יַעֲקֹ֑ב אִם אֶשְׁכַּ֥ח לָנֶ֖צַח כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶֽם	7		Yahweh has sworn by the pride of Jacob, As if I will forget in perpetuity all their deeds.	3e	4B	9 11
הַ֤עַל זֹאת֙ לֹֽא תִרְגַּ֣ז הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָבַ֖ל כָּל יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֑הּ וְעָלְתָ֤ה כָאֹר֙ כֻּלָּ֔הּ וְנִגְרְשָׁ֥ה וְנִשְׁקְעָ֖ה כִּיא֥וֹר מִצְרָֽיִם	8	C	About this will not the earth shudder and every inhabitant in her lament? And it will come up as the Nile, all of it, and it will be expelled and will abate as the Nile of Egypt.	3e	4C	16 20
וְהָיָ֣ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם וְהַחֲשַׁכְתִּ֥י לָאָ֖רֶץ בְּי֥וֹם אֽוֹר	9		And it will be in that day, an oracle of my Lord Yahweh, that I will cue the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in daylight.	3e	4B	26 11
וְהָפַכְתִּ֨י חַגֵּיכֶ֜ם לְאֵ֗בֶל וְכָל שִֽׁירֵיכֶם֙ לְקִינָ֔ה וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֤י עַל כָּל מָתְנַ֙יִם֙ שָׂ֔ק וְעַל כָּל רֹ֖אשׁ קָרְחָ֑ה וְשַׂמְתִּ֙יהָ֙ כְּאֵ֣בֶל יָחִ֔יד וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ כְּי֥וֹם מָֽר	10		And I will change your festivities to lament and all your songs to a dirge and I will bring up over all endowments, sackcloth, and over every head, baldness. And I will set it as a unique lament and following it, as a day of bitterness.	3e	4C	34 17
הִנֵּ֣ה יָמִ֣ים בָּאִ֗ים נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ לֹֽא רָעָ֤ב לַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹֽא צָמָ֣א לַמַּ֔יִם כִּ֣י אִם לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָֽה	11		Behold days are coming, an oracle of my Lord Yahweh, when I will set loose famine in the land, not a famine of bread and not a thirst for water but of hearing the words of Yahweh.	3e	4C	22 22
וְנָעוּ֙ מִיָּ֣ם עַד יָ֔ם וּמִצָּפ֖וֹן וְעַד מִזְרָ֑ח יְשֽׁוֹטְט֛וּ לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת דְּבַר יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יִמְצָֽאוּ	12		And they will totter from sea to sea and from north to the sunrise. They will rove to seek the word of Yahweh and not find it.	3d	4B	15 16
בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא תִּ֠תְעַלַּפְנָה הַבְּתוּלֹ֧ת הַיָּפ֛וֹת וְהַבַּחוּרִ֖ים בַּצָּמָֽא	13	~	In that day, the beautiful virgins and youths in their prime will languish with thirst,	3c	3g	22
הַנִּשְׁבָּעִים֙ בְּאַשְׁמַ֣ת שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן וְאָמְר֗וּ חֵ֤י אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ דָּ֔ן וְחֵ֖י דֶּ֣רֶךְ בְּאֵֽר שָׁ֑בַע וְנָפְל֖וּ וְלֹא יָק֥וּמוּ עֽוֹד	14		those who swear by the guilt of Samaria and say, Your God lives, O Dan, and the way of Beer-Sheva lives. And they will fall and not arise any more.	3e	4C	26 9

Ah, virgins and youths in your prime, do you thirst after the Word now in this secular summer drought? (I'll never make a preacher! They would laugh me out of town.)

Amos 7

Two more chapters to go. I think it has been a long time since I completed a book. I am sort of close to completion for Job and for the 12. Perhaps both will be done before too much longer. I had thought to have done Job by last summer, but it was too hard to rush, and too important. Maybe by the end of this summer, only a year late. There is no late.

The music for verses 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 are similar as would be expected. So much for the claims that prosody is confined to one verse at a time (Dresher and Wickes). It is simply not true. Musical phrases contain strong connections to each other. The first 6 verses are shown below.
For those who do not read music, verse 1 is this shape
C qad,qad,B z-q,qad,B z-q,g# B ^A pas,           z-q,g# f e

and verse 4

C qad,qad,B z-q,         f d f g# B ^A qad,qad,B z-q,g# e

In both these verses there is a recitation on the rest note. But though each verse pair is of similar shape, the verses are not identical, nor are the other pairs. In verse 5 Amos is more directly agitated over Israel. He moves to the high C immediately rather than by step. For tiny is he is identically phrased in verses 2 and 5. O Biblical studies students - please learn to read music.

Of the remaining verses, verses 11 and 17 are quite different though they have the same words in part. There are two different speakers. But interestingly both have recitation on the rest note.

I wonder what the significance of recitation notes is. I have some ideas but I cannot confirm them quickly without more data and correlating the data with the content.

See also  this article on puns in Amos (ht FB James McGrath). The plumb line pun says that Yahweh is going to measure Israel against himself. (plumb = אנך, I = אנכי).

Amos 7		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
כֹּ֤ה הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהִנֵּה֙ יוֹצֵ֣ר גֹּבַ֔י בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת עֲל֣וֹת הַלָּ֑קֶשׁ וְהִ֨נֵּה לֶ֔קֶשׁ אַחַ֖ר גִּזֵּ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ	1	C	Thus my Lord Yahweh showed me, and behold, he who fashions the great grub at the start of the coming up of final crop, and behold, the final crop following the king's mowing.	3e	4C	24 12
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם כִּלָּה֙ לֶֽאֱכוֹל֙ אֶת עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֔רֶץ וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ סְֽלַֽח נָ֔א מִ֥י יָק֖וּם יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י קָטֹ֖ן הֽוּא	2		And it was when they had finished devouring the field-grass of the earth and I said, My Lord Yahweh, forgive please. Who will raise Jacob? For tiny is he?	3e	4C	32 4
נִחַ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה עַל זֹ֑את לֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה	3		Yahweh sighed over this. It will not be, says Yahweh.	3e	4A	6 7
כֹּ֤ה הִרְאַ֙נִי֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה קֹרֵ֛א לָרִ֥ב בָּאֵ֖שׁ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ אֶת תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֔ה וְאָכְלָ֖ה אֶת הַחֵֽלֶק	4	C	Thus my Lord Yahweh showed me and behold, he called for contention in the fire, my Lord Yahweh, and it devoured an excessive abyss and it devoured the share.	3d	4C	23 15
וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ חֲדַל נָ֔א מִ֥י יָק֖וּם יַעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י קָטֹ֖ן הֽוּא	5		And I said, My Lord Yahweh, set it aside, please. Who will raise Jacob? For tiny is he.	3e	4C	17 4
נִחַ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה עַל זֹ֑את גַּם הִיא֙ לֹ֣א תִֽהְיֶ֔ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה	6		Yahweh sighed over this. Even this will not be, says my Lord, Yahweh.	3e	4B	6 12
כֹּ֣ה הִרְאַ֔נִי וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲדֹנָ֛י נִצָּ֖ב עַל חוֹמַ֣ת אֲנָ֑ךְ וּבְיָד֖וֹ אֲנָֽךְ	7	B	Thus he showed me and behold my Lord taking a stand over a plumb wall, and in his hand a plumbline.	3c	4B	17 5
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י מָֽה אַתָּ֤ה רֹאֶה֙ עָמ֔וֹס וָאֹמַ֖ר אֲנָ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲדֹנָ֗י הִנְנִ֨י שָׂ֤ם אֲנָךְ֙ בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹֽא אוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד עֲב֥וֹר לֽוֹ	8		And Yahweh said to me, What you are seeing, Amos. And I said, A plumbline. And my Lord said, Note me well. I have set up a plumbline within my people Israel. I will not again any more pass through him.	3e	4C	19 26
וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ בָּמ֣וֹת יִשְׂחָ֔ק וּמִקְדְּשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ וְקַמְתִּ֛י עַל בֵּ֥ית יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּחָֽרֶב	9		And desolate will be the high places of Isaac and the sanctuaries of Israel deserted, and I will arise against the house of Jeroboam by the sword.	3d	4B	19 11
וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֲמַצְיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן בֵּֽית אֵ֔ל אֶל יָרָבְעָ֥ם מֶֽלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר קָשַׁ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ עָמ֗וֹס בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹא תוּכַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ לְהָכִ֖יל אֶת כָּל דְּבָרָֽיו	10		And Amaziah, a priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has colluded against you within the house of Israel. The land cannot abide all his words.	3e	4B	21 28
כִּי כֹה֙ אָמַ֣ר עָמ֔וֹס בַּחֶ֖רֶב יָמ֣וּת יָרָבְעָ֑ם וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל גָּלֹ֥ה יִגְלֶ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ	11	~	For thus says Amos, By the sword Jeroboam will die, and Israel will go into exile away from their own ground.	3e	4B	14 13
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲמַצְיָה֙ אֶל עָמ֔וֹס חֹזֶ֕ה לֵ֥ךְ בְּרַח לְךָ֖ אֶל אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וֶאֱכָל שָׁ֣ם לֶ֔חֶם וְשָׁ֖ם תִּנָּבֵֽא	12		And Amaziah said to Amos, You visionary. You run away to the land of Judah, and there eat bread and there prophesy.	3e	4C	22 11
וּבֵֽית אֵ֔ל לֹֽא תוֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לְהִנָּבֵ֑א כִּ֤י מִקְדַּשׁ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ ה֔וּא וּבֵ֥ית מַמְלָכָ֖ה הֽוּא	13		And at Bethel prophesy not again any more, for it is the sanctuary of the king and it is the house of the kingdom.	3e	4C	11 12
וַיַּ֤עַן עָמוֹס֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל אֲמַצְיָ֔ה לֹא נָבִ֣יא אָנֹ֔כִי וְלֹ֥א בֶן נָבִ֖יא אָנֹ֑כִי כִּֽי בוֹקֵ֥ר אָנֹ֖כִי וּבוֹלֵ֥ס שִׁקְמִֽים	14		And Amos answered and he said to Amaziah, Not a prophet am I, and not the child of a prophet am I, for of the herds am I, a tender of sycamore.	3e	4C	26 11
וַיִּקָּחֵ֣נִי יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַחֲרֵ֖י הַצֹּ֑אן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלַי֙ יְהוָ֔ה לֵ֥ךְ הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	15		And Yahweh took me as I followed the flocks, and Yahweh said to me, Go prophesy to my people Israel.	3e	4C	13 17
וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר יְהוָ֑ה אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֗ר לֹ֤א תִנָּבֵא֙ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תַטִּ֖יף עַל בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂחָֽק	16		So now hear the word of Yahweh: You say, do not prophesy over Israel and do not drop over the house of Isaac.	3e	4C	9 20
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֞ בָּעִ֤יר תִּזְנֶה֙ וּבָנֶ֤יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וְאַדְמָתְךָ֖ בַּחֶ֣בֶל תְּחֻלָּ֑ק וְאַתָּ֗ה עַל אֲדָמָ֤ה טְמֵאָה֙ תָּמ֔וּת וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל גָּלֹ֥ה יִגְלֶ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ	17		Therefore thus says Yahweh, Your wife in the city will prostitute herself and your sons and your daughters by the sword will fall and your ground in pledge will be divided, and you on unclean ground will die, and Israel will go into exile away from their own ground.	3e	4C	38 25

Amos 6

I keep on going. I have to stop on a dime and go shopping or tend the garden, but my bookmarks are kept and I sit down and am taken captive by the text, even if I have had to leave it for several days. It's a very big, nay gigantic puzzle.

Verse 3, the word segregate is used for the action taken by women in their period.

As I walked to the store I was meditating on verse 10. Lots of possible variation. The rhetoric of the old translations like KJV is lost on me. Eventually I left numerous for bones (same letters) and people for with (same letters). And what's not to remember? I made nothing up concerning pierced (v 1). It is niqab, the pierced or bored female in Genesis 1.  Horns could be rendered intense brightness.

Does Yahweh abhor pride or is it that longing for the pride of Jacob is considered to not make sense? Makes perfect sense to me, whether taken directly or sarcastically.

The shape of verse 14 is remarkable. The grammar delays nation to the bitter end of the half-verse. There is a long conditional from verse 3 to verse 6 with the consequence in verse 7. The music does not particularly highlight this structure. Verses 8 and 14 have some similarity that distinguishes them from the remaining verses. Each of these phrases as a whole is unique in Scripture. That by itself is not very revealing because most musical phrases this long are unique. Of the 23,151 verses in the Bible, only 7,944 occur more than once. So roughly two thirds of the verses have unique music (or sequences of accents if you prefer).
8   e tal,pas,ger,rev,qad,B z-q,C e qad,B e z-q,g# ^A g# f e

14 paz,tal,pas,ger,B rev,d f g# ^A f d f g# f e

Take me to task if you wish.

Amos 6		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
ה֚וֹי הַשַּׁאֲנַנִּ֣ים בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וְהַבֹּטְחִ֖ים בְּהַ֣ר שֹׁמְר֑וֹן נְקֻבֵי֙ רֵאשִׁ֣ית הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וּבָ֥אוּ לָהֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	1	C	Ho! those without a care in Zion and those trusting in the hill of Samaria, pierced as heads of the nations. And to them came the house of Israel?	3e	4C	18 17
עִבְר֤וּ כַֽלְנֵה֙ וּרְא֔וּ וּלְכ֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם חֲמַ֣ת רַבָּ֑ה וּרְד֣וּ גַת פְּלִשְׁתּ֗ים הֲטוֹבִים֙ מִן הַמַּמְלָכ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה אִם רַ֥ב גְּבוּלָ֖ם מִגְּבֻלְכֶֽם	2		Pass through Kalneh and see, and go from there to vast Hamath, then descend to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than the kingdoms? Are these, though vast their borders, more than your borders?	3e	4C	14 25
הַֽמְנַדִּ֖ים לְי֣וֹם רָ֑ע וַתַּגִּישׁ֖וּן שֶׁ֥בֶת חָמָֽס	3		You who segregate the evil day, and bring close the seat of violence,	3e	4B	6 8
הַשֹּֽׁכְבִים֙ עַל מִטּ֣וֹת שֵׁ֔ן וּסְרֻחִ֖ים עַל עַרְשׂוֹתָ֑ם וְאֹכְלִ֤ים כָּרִים֙ מִצֹּ֔אן וַעֲגָלִ֖ים מִתּ֥וֹךְ מַרְבֵּֽק	4		You who lie down on ivory couches and sprawl on their beds, and eat of the meadows from the flock and the calves from the midst of a stall,	3e	4C	14 15
הַפֹּרְטִ֖ים עַל פִּ֣י הַנָּ֑בֶל כְּדָוִ֕יד חָשְׁב֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם כְּלֵי שִֽׁיר	5		And intone to the melody of the lute like David, and devise for themselves instruments of song,	3e	4B	8 10
הַשֹּׁתִ֤ים בְּמִזְרְקֵי֙ יַ֔יִן וְרֵאשִׁ֥ית שְׁמָנִ֖ים יִמְשָׁ֑חוּ וְלֹ֥א נֶחְל֖וּ עַל שֵׁ֥בֶר יוֹסֵֽף	6		Who imbibe wine in bowls and with first-quality oils anoint themselves, and not they are aghast over the shattering of Joseph,	3e	4C	17 9
לָכֵ֛ן עַתָּ֥ה יִגְל֖וּ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ גֹּלִ֑ים וְסָ֖ר מִרְזַ֥ח סְרוּחִֽים	7		Therefore now they will go into exile at the head of the exiles, and put aside is carousing and their sprawling.	3d	4B	10 7
נִשְׁבַּע֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה בְּנַפְשׁ֗וֹ נְאֻם יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֔וֹת מְתָאֵ֤ב אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶת גְּא֣וֹן יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְאַרְמְנֹתָ֖יו שָׂנֵ֑אתִי וְהִסְגַּרְתִּ֖י עִ֥יר וּמְלֹאָֽהּ	8		My lord Yahweh has sworn by his integrity, an oracle of Yahweh God of hosts: I am longing for the pride of Jacob and his citadels I hate, and I will imprison city and its fullness.	3e	4C	40 8
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם יִוָּ֨תְר֜וּ עֲשָׂרָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים בְּבַ֥יִת אֶחָ֖ד וָמֵֽתוּ	9		And it will be that if ten adults remain in one house then they will die.	3c	3g	21
וּנְשָׂא֞וֹ דּוֹד֣וֹ וּמְסָרְפ֗וֹ לְהוֹצִ֣יא עֲצָמִים֮ מִן הַבַּיִת֒ וְאָמַ֞ר לַאֲשֶׁ֨ר בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת הַע֥וֹד עִמָּ֖ךְ וְאָמַ֣ר אָ֑פֶס וְאָמַ֣ר הָ֔ס כִּ֛י לֹ֥א לְהַזְכִּ֖יר בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה	10		And his uncle will bear him, and from his incineration to bring forth numerous things from the house. And one says to whomever is by the flanks of the house, Are there yet your people? And he says, No. And he says, Be hushed, for it is not to be remembered in the name of Yahweh.	3d	4B	40 13
כִּֽי הִנֵּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ מְצַוֶּ֔ה וְהִכָּ֛ה הַבַּ֥יִת הַגָּד֖וֹל רְסִיסִ֑ים וְהַבַּ֥יִת הַקָּטֹ֖ן בְּקִעִֽים	11		For behold, Yahweh is commanding and will strike the great house to shards, and the lesser house will split in two.	3d	4C	20 10
הַיְרֻצ֤וּן בַּסֶּ֙לַע֙ סוּסִ֔ים אִֽם יַחֲר֖וֹשׁ בַּבְּקָרִ֑ים כִּֽי הֲפַכְתֶּ֤ם לְרֹאשׁ֙ מִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּפְרִ֥י צְדָקָ֖ה לְלַעֲנָֽה	12		Do horses race on the cliff? If one ploughs with oxen. For you have changed to gall, judgment, and the fruit of righteousness to wormwood.	3e	4C	15 17
הַשְּׂמֵחִ֖ים לְלֹ֣א דָבָ֑ר הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים הֲל֣וֹא בְחָזְקֵ֔נוּ לָקַ֥חְנוּ לָ֖נוּ קַרְנָֽיִם	13		You who are glad for nothing, you who say, In our courage have we not taken horns for ourselves.	3e	4B	7 17
כִּ֡י הִנְנִי֩ מֵקִ֨ים עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נְאֻם יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַצְּבָא֖וֹת גּ֑וֹי וְלָחֲצ֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִלְּב֥וֹא חֲמָ֖ת עַד נַ֥חַל הָעֲרָבָֽה	14	~	For note me well raising up against you, the house of Israel, an oracle of Yahweh the God of hosts, a nation. And they will grip you from the entrance of Hamath to the wadi of the steppe.	3d	4B	24 17

Amos 5

I hope to push the limits in the next couple of weeks to see how far I can get. We'll see. I am also preparing a presentation on the music for SBL regional meeting so there are other thought demands. The music always helps to hear the result of my reading, but I don't always look at everything.

Amos 5 seems as if it might be a central chapter (of 9 it is). It is also the chapter that supports the awful unaccompanied singing of the closed table assemblies that don't allow instruments. Well, hey, if I were God, I would close my ears at lots of the music in the churches and outside them and say so too.

There is no rest in the first verse and the 22nd. Now - can Amos, the not-prophet, write poetry? My Jerusalem Bible has all of Amos laid out as if it were poetry. It's still moot to me. The lines are longer than Job and the Psalms. (I could make the lines shorter by observing more accents as unambiguous carriage returns, but that is cheating I think.) There are a few verses that conform to typical poetic lengths (7-11 syllables roughly), a few that are shorter, and many that are much longer.

My use of the word conclave has naught to do with Rome. It is a handy term for an enclosed meeting.

The dirge that begins in verse 2 seems to carry on to the end of the chapter. There is a frame of lift up/borne (this root repeats in verse 11 for load) and the house of Israel. There is a repeated line containing search out and live. Gate repeats three times (10, 12, 15 as if hopeful of good government) and wailing (16,17). The segments or stanzas of this chapter as poetry are not obvious to me at the moment. There are no other significant recurrence patterns that I have uncovered by experiment.

Certain verses are encouraging like 14. But the promise of the God of hosts with you is muted by the afterthought, as you say. It is somewhat of a contrast with the threat of verse 17.

Amos 5		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
שִׁמְע֞וּ אֶת הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֜י נֹשֵׂ֧א עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם קִינָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	1		Hear this word that I lift up about you, a dirge for the house of Israel.	3c	4B	24
נָֽפְלָה֙ לֹֽא תוֹסִ֣יף ק֔וּם בְּתוּלַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִטְּשָׁ֥ה עַל אַדְמָתָ֖הּ אֵ֥ין מְקִימָֽהּ	2		Fallen not again to arise is virgin Israel. Abandoned on her ground, there is none to raise her up.	3e	4B	12 10
כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הָעִ֛יר הַיֹּצֵ֥את אֶ֖לֶף תַּשְׁאִ֣יר מֵאָ֑ה וְהַיּוֹצֵ֥את מֵאָ֛ה תַּשְׁאִ֥יר עֲשָׂרָ֖ה לְבֵ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	3	B	For thus says my Lord Yahweh, The city, a thousand going out, will have a residue of a hundred, and a hundred going out, will have a residue of ten for the house of Israel.	3d	4C	20 16
כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי וִֽחְיֽוּ	4	B	Because thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel, Search me out and live.	3d	4B	11 5
וְאַֽל תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּֽית אֵ֔ל וְהַגִּלְגָּל֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔אוּ וּבְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע לֹ֣א תַעֲבֹ֑רוּ כִּ֤י הַגִּלְגָּל֙ גָּלֹ֣ה יִגְלֶ֔ה וּבֵֽית אֵ֖ל יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאָֽוֶן	5		And do not search out Bethel, and the Gilgal do not enter, and to Beer-Sheva do not cross over, for the Gilgal is gone into exile and Bethel will be for mischief.	3e	4C	23 16
דִּרְשׁ֥וּ אֶת יְהוָ֖ה וִֽחְי֑וּ פֶּן יִצְלַ֤ח כָּאֵשׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף וְאָכְלָ֥ה וְאֵין מְכַבֶּ֖ה לְבֵֽית אֵֽל	6		Search out Yahweh and live, lest he thrive as the fire of the house of Joseph and devour, and there is none to quench for Bethel.	3e	4C	7 19
הַהֹפְכִ֥ים לְלַעֲנָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה לָאָ֥רֶץ הִנִּֽיחוּ	7		You who change judgment to wormwood, and righteousness for the earth leave off,	3e	4A	9 9
עֹשֵׂ֨ה כִימָ֜ה וּכְסִ֗יל וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ לַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ צַלְמָ֔וֶת וְי֖וֹם לַ֣יְלָה הֶחְשִׁ֑יךְ הַקּוֹרֵ֣א לְמֵֽי הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֽוֹ	8		the one making the Pleiades and Orion and changing to morning the shadow of death, and darkening day to night, the one calling to the waters of the sea and pouring them out upon the face of the earth, Yahweh is his name.	3d	4C	21 21
הַמַּבְלִ֥יג שֹׁ֖ד עַל עָ֑ז וְשֹׁ֖ד עַל מִבְצָ֥ר יָבֽוֹא	9		Who smiles at devastation against strength, and devastation against the enclosures will come.	3e	4A	6 7
שָׂנְא֥וּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מוֹכִ֑יחַ וְדֹבֵ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יְתָעֵֽבוּ	10		They hate at the gate a referee. And speaking what is complete, they abhor.	3e	4A	8 9
לָ֠כֵן יַ֣עַן בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞ם עַל־דָּ֗ל וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר֙ תִּקְח֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ בָּתֵּ֥י גָזִ֛ית בְּנִיתֶ֖ם וְלֹא־תֵ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑ם כַּרְמֵי־חֶ֣מֶד נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם	11	~	Therefore because you encroach on the weak, and a load of corn you take from them, houses of cut-stones you will build, and not settle in them. Attractive vineyards you will plant, and not imbibe their wine.	3d	4B	30 13
כִּ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ רַבִּ֣ים פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים חַטֹּֽאתֵיכֶ֑ם צֹרְרֵ֤י צַדִּיק֙ לֹ֣קְחֵי כֹ֔פֶר וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים בַּשַּׁ֥עַר הִטּֽוּ	12	C	For I know your many transgressions and numerous are your sins. They trouble a righteous one, taking a cover-price, and the needy at the gate they bend.	3e	4C	17 17
לָכֵ֗ן הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא יִדֹּ֑ם כִּ֛י עֵ֥ת רָעָ֖ה הִֽיא	13		Therefore the insightful at that time will be mute, for a time of evil it is.	3d	4A	11 5
דִּרְשׁוּ ט֥וֹב וְאַל רָ֖ע לְמַ֣עַן תִּֽחְי֑וּ וִיהִי כֵ֞ן יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵֽי צְבָא֛וֹת אִתְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּֽם	14		Search out goodness and do not be dejected so that you may live, and it will be so that Yahweh the God of hosts is with you as you say.	3c	4B	11 19
שִׂנְאוּ רָע֙ וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ ט֔וֹב וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אוּלַ֗י יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יוֹסֵֽף	15		Hate evil and love goodness and exhibit at the gate judgment. Maybe Yahweh, God of hosts will be gracious to the residue of Joseph.	3d	4B	17 18
לָ֠כֵן כֹּֽה אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י צְבָאוֹת֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י בְּכָל רְחֹב֣וֹת מִסְפֵּ֔ד וּבְכָל חוּצ֖וֹת יֹאמְר֣וּ הוֹ ה֑וֹ וְקָרְא֤וּ אִכָּר֙ אֶל אֵ֔בֶל וּמִסְפֵּ֖ד אֶל י֥וֹדְעֵי נֶֽהִי	16	~	Therefore thus says Yahweh God of hosts my Lord, In all the piazzas wailing, and in all the streets, it will be said, Aye yai yai. And they will call the farmer to lament, and wailing to those who know how to moan.	3e	4C	31 16
וּבְכָל כְּרָמִ֖ים מִסְפֵּ֑ד כִּֽי אֶעֱבֹ֥ר בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖ אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה	17		And in all vineyards wailing, for I pass through near you, says Yahweh.	3e	4A	7 12
ה֥וֹי הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים אֶת י֣וֹם יְהוָ֑ה לָמָּה זֶּ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם י֥וֹם יְהוָ֖ה הוּא חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא אֽוֹר	18	f	Alas, those who desire the day of Yahweh. Why this for you? The day of Yahweh, it is darkness and not light.	3d	4B	10 14
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֥וּס אִישׁ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָאֲרִ֔י וּפְגָע֖וֹ הַדֹּ֑ב וּבָ֣א הַבַּ֔יִת וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדוֹ֙ עַל הַקִּ֔יר וּנְשָׁכ֖וֹ הַנָּחָֽשׁ	19		As if someone withdraws from the presence of the lion and the bear comes across him, or he enters the house and supports his hand on the house wall and the snake takes interest in him.	3e	4C	16 19
הֲלֹא חֹ֛שֶׁךְ י֥וֹם יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹא א֑וֹר וְאָפֵ֖ל וְלֹא נֹ֥גַֽהּ לֽוֹ	20		Is it not darkness, the day of Yahweh and not light? And gloom and no illumination for it?	3d	4A	10 8
שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם	21		I hate, I refuse your festivities, and I will not smell in your conclaves.	3e	4A	9 10
כִּ֣י אִם תַּעֲלוּ לִ֥י עֹל֛וֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט	22	B	For if you offer up to me burnt offerings and your gifts, I will not accept, and peace offerings of fatlings I will not take note of.	3d	4B	16 10
הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמ֣וֹן שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע	23		Put aside from me the tumult of your songs, and the psalm of your lutes I will not hear.	3e	4B	10 10
וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן	24		Let judgment roll like water, and righteousness like a perennial torrent.	3e	4A	7 8
הַזְּבָחִ֨ים וּמִנְחָ֜ה הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם לִ֧י בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	25		Offerings and gift have you brought close to me in the wilderness a forty year span, O house of Israel?	3c	3g	22
וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת סִכּ֣וּת מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת כִּיּ֣וּן צַלְמֵיכֶ֑ם כּוֹכַב֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם לָכֶֽם	26		But you have borne the booth of your Moloch and Kyon, your images, the star of your God that you have constructed for yourselves.	3e	4C	16 13
וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵהָ֣לְאָה לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ	27		So I will exile you, removed far beyond Damascus, says Yahweh. The God of hosts is his name.	3d	4B	13 12

Amos 4

Inasmuch as we try to be understandable, yet we fail. A friend really tried to 'get into' my book on the Psalms, and he said to me, Bob, I have great capacity with numbers, but these words are too difficult for me. Really, I did not know this. I do not intend to be incomprehensible. Another very well educated famous specialist and scientist once said to me, Bob, your grammar is clear, but I haven't a clue what you are saying.

I am not alone in this problem. What is Amos saying here? That God will somehow win our hearts by pommeling us to death? By calling us names? And is it even possible to say that the grammar is clear for it certainly isn't to me sometimes!

But perhaps there is enough sarcasm in this section to show the reversal of meaning that is intended. Who 'really' causes trouble? Sure there are natural disasters, but human damage to the needy, to the created order, is also a disaster. Our capacity is abused by ourselves.

Of course I could put a poster board on for this prophet - Moab is my washpot was one side of the board, and His underparts are like sharp potsherds the other side some 40 years ago on one Halloween costume I wore. My wife wanted me to know what people thought of my preaching. (Me preach? never, well, maybe once.)

The repetition is very clear - 7 oracles, 5 times, and you do not turn to me. I use the simple word turn to be difficult to understand of course. I could have said repent and return as an incendiary speaker might have done. But I didn't say repent to show how easy it is to start. Rather than an inner twisting of the spirit, it is an untwisting. Much easier to do. Impossible to understand.

And I used the present tense. (I have come to the conclusion that translating 'tenses' is a bit of a free for all.)

Does the music (see below) give us additional information on the tone of voice? I have underlined the horned accents. Have I included enough alliteration to suggest that Yahweh is not destroying the people for fun? But for longing for what is right out of love for them. Does the prophet blame God for the disaster? Really, is this how it is to be read? I think it is to be read as an encouragement for the political class in Samaria to stop their oppression of the weak and their damaging of the needy. Is it any different today? I wonder - was Amos contemporary with Amaziah? I haven't read the rest of the book yet. There is a priest of that name, but not the king. Jeroboam appears to be king. Good grief I might even learn some of the history with this reading exercise. I certainly was not effective at this the way I used to read. (But then, I forget everything these days, so it may not make much difference to me, whether I forgot it instantly in my youthful speed reading, or forget it gradually from my aged slowness in Hebrew.)

Amos 4		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
שִׁמְע֞וּ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה פָּר֤וֹת הַבָּשָׁן֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּהַ֣ר שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן הָעֹשְׁק֣וֹת דַּלִּ֔ים הָרֹצְצ֖וֹת אֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים הָאֹמְרֹ֥ת לַאֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֖ם הָבִ֥יאָה וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה	1		Hear this word, young bulls of Bashan who are in the hill of Samaria, the oppressors of the weak, who damage the needy, who say to their masters, Come let's party.	3e	4C	29 14
נִשְׁבַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ בְּקָדְשׁ֔וֹ כִּ֛י הִנֵּ֥ה יָמִ֖ים בָּאִ֣ים עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְנִשָּׂ֤א אֶתְכֶם֙ בְּצִנּ֔וֹת וְאַחֲרִיתְכֶ֖ן בְּסִיר֥וֹת דּוּגָֽה	2		My lord Yahweh has sworn in his holiness that behold, days are coming upon you, and he will lift you up with grappling hooks, and those who follow after you with fish-pots.	3d	4C	20 18
וּפְרָצִ֥ים תֵּצֶ֖אנָה אִשָּׁ֣ה נֶגְדָּ֑הּ וְהִשְׁלַכְתֶּ֥נָה הַהַרְמ֖וֹנָה נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	3		And the breaches, you will go forth, each woman announced, and you will cast them down towards the Harmon. An oracle of Yahweh.	3e	4B	10 13
בֹּ֤אוּ בֵֽית אֵל֙ וּפִשְׁע֔וּ הַגִּלְגָּ֖ל הַרְבּ֣וּ לִפְשֹׁ֑עַ וְהָבִ֤יאוּ לַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ זִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם לִשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם	4	C	Enter Bethel and transgress. At the Gilgal increase transgression, and come to the morning of your offerings for the three days of your tithes.	3e	4C	14 20
וְקַטֵּ֤ר מֵֽחָמֵץ֙ תּוֹדָ֔ה וְקִרְא֥וּ נְדָב֖וֹת הַשְׁמִ֑יעוּ כִּ֣י כֵ֤ן אֲהַבְתֶּם֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה	5		And burn incense. With leaven, give thanks. And proclaim freewill offerings. Broadcast, for such you love, O children of Israel, an oracle of my Lord Yahweh.	3e	4C	17 17
וְגַם אֲנִי֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם נִקְי֤וֹן שִׁנַּ֙יִם֙ בְּכָל עָ֣רֵיכֶ֔ם וְחֹ֣סֶר לֶ֔חֶם בְּכֹ֖ל מְקוֹמֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	6		And moreover, I myself have made for you pristine teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, and you do not turn to me. An oracle of Yahweh.	3e	4C	30 10
וְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִי֩ מָנַ֨עְתִּי מִכֶּ֜ם אֶת הַגֶּ֗שֶׁם בְּע֨וֹד שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ לַקָּצִ֔יר וְהִמְטַרְתִּי֙ עַל עִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת וְעַל עִ֥יר אַחַ֖ת לֹ֣א אַמְטִ֑יר חֶלְקָ֤ה אַחַת֙ תִּמָּטֵ֔ר וְחֶלְקָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר לֹֽא תַמְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ תִּיבָֽשׁ	7		And moreover, I myself withheld from you the showers three months before harvest, and I made it rain over one city and over another city I made it not rain. One share it rained on, and the share that it rained on did not dry out.	3d	4C	41 20
וְנָע֡וּ שְׁתַּיִם֩ שָׁלֹ֨שׁ עָרִ֜ים אֶל עִ֥יר אַחַ֛ת לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֑עוּ וְלֹֽא שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	8		And two, three cities tottered to one city to party with water but they were not satisfied, and you do not turn to me. An oracle of Yahweh.	3d	4B	21 10
הִכֵּ֣יתִי אֶתְכֶם֮ בַּשִּׁדָּפ֣וֹן וּבַיֵּרָקוֹן֒ הַרְבּ֨וֹת גַּנּוֹתֵיכֶ֧ם וְכַרְמֵיכֶ֛ם וּתְאֵנֵיכֶ֥ם וְזֵיתֵיכֶ֖ם יֹאכַ֣ל הַגָּזָ֑ם וְלֹֽא שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	9		I struck you with blight and with mildew. Increased were your gardens and your vineyards, your fig tree and your olive, to be devoured by the nymph, and you do not turn to me. An oracle of Yahweh.	3c	4B	37 10
שִׁלַּ֨חְתִּי בָכֶ֥ם דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם הָרַ֤גְתִּי בַחֶ֙רֶב֙ בַּח֣וּרֵיכֶ֔ם עִ֖ם שְׁבִ֣י סֽוּסֵיכֶ֑ם וָאַעֲלֶ֞ה בְּאֹ֤שׁ מַחֲנֵיכֶם֙ וּֽבְאַפְּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	10		I sent among you pestilence in the way of Egypt. I have slain by the sword your chosen along with capturing your horses. And I have made the stink of your camps ascend and into your noses, and you do not turn to me. An oracle of Yahweh.	3e	4C	28 23
הָפַ֣כְתִּי בָכֶ֗ם כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֤ת אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת סְדֹ֣ם וְאֶת עֲמֹרָ֔ה וַתִּהְי֕וּ כְּא֖וּד מֻצָּ֣ל מִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וְלֹֽא שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	11		I have changed in you as God changed Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as an incendiary emancipated from the incinerator, and you do not turn to me. An oracle of Yahweh.	3e	4C	30 10
לָכֵ֕ן כֹּ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְּךָ֖ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֵ֚קֶב כִּֽי זֹ֣את אֶֽעֱשֶׂה לָּ֔ךְ הִכּ֥וֹן לִקְרַאת אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	12		Therefore thus I will undertake for you, O Israel. Inasmuch as I will undertake this for you, prepare for the encounter with your God, O Israel.	3e	4C	11 19
כִּ֡י הִנֵּה֩ יוֹצֵ֨ר הָרִ֜ים וּבֹרֵ֣א ר֗וּחַ וּמַגִּ֤יד לְאָדָם֙ מַה שֵּׂח֔וֹ עֹשֵׂ֥ה שַׁ֙חַר֙ עֵיפָ֔ה וְדֹרֵ֖ךְ עַל בָּ֣מֳתֵי אָ֑רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ	13	~	For behold, he who fashions hills and creates wind and makes clear to the earthling what is his pondering, who makes dawn exhausted, and treads over the high places of the land, Yahweh God of hosts is his name.	3e	4C	36 10