1:3 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Damascus has committed three crimes ¹  –

make that four! ²  – I will not revoke my

decree of judgment. ³ 

They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth. ⁴ 

1:4 So I will set Hazael’s house ⁵  on fire;

fire ⁶  will consume Ben Hadad’s ⁷  fortresses.

1:5 I will break the bar ⁸  on the gate of Damascus.

I will remove ⁹  the ruler ¹⁰  from Wicked Valley, ¹¹ 

the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. ¹² 

The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” ¹³ 

The Lord has spoken!

1:6 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Gaza ¹⁴  has committed three crimes ¹⁵  –

make that four! ¹⁶  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ¹⁷ 

They deported a whole community ¹⁸  and sold them ¹⁹  to Edom.

1:7 So I will set Gaza’s city wall ²⁰  on fire;

fire ²¹  will consume her fortresses.

1:8 I will remove ²²  the ruler ²³  from Ashdod, ²⁴ 

the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. ²⁵ 

I will strike Ekron ²⁶  with my hand; ²⁷ 

the rest of the Philistines will also die.” ²⁸ 

The sovereign Lord has spoken!

1:9 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Tyre has committed three crimes ²⁹  –

make that four! ³⁰  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ³¹ 

They sold ³²  a whole community ³³  to Edom;

they failed to observe ³⁴  a treaty of brotherhood. ³⁵ 

1:10 So I will set fire to Tyre’s city wall; ³⁶ 

fire ³⁷  will consume her fortresses.”

1:11 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Edom has committed three crimes ³⁸  –

make that four! ³⁹  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁴⁰ 

He chased his brother ⁴¹  with a sword;

he wiped out his allies. ⁴² 

In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; ⁴³ 

in his fury he relentlessly attacked them. ⁴⁴ 

1:12 So I will set Teman ⁴⁵  on fire;

fire ⁴⁶  will consume Bozrah’s ⁴⁷  fortresses.”

1:13 This is what the Lord says:

“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes ⁴⁸  –

make that four! ⁴⁹  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁵⁰ 

They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women ⁵¹ 

so they could expand their territory.

1:14 So I will set fire to Rabbah’s ⁵²  city wall; ⁵³ 

fire ⁵⁴  will consume her fortresses.

War cries will be heard on the day of battle; ⁵⁵ 

a strong gale will blow on the day of the windstorm. ⁵⁶ 

1:15 Ammon’s ⁵⁷  king will be deported; ⁵⁸ 

he and his officials ⁵⁹  will be carried off ⁶⁰  together.”

The Lord has spoken!

2:1 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Moab has committed three crimes ⁶¹  –

make that four! ⁶²  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁶³ 

They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime. ⁶⁴ 

2:2 So I will set Moab on fire, ⁶⁵ 

and it will consume Kerioth’s ⁶⁶  fortresses.

Moab will perish ⁶⁷  in the heat of battle ⁶⁸ 

amid war cries and the blaring ⁶⁹  of the ram’s horn. ⁷⁰ 

2:3 I will remove ⁷¹  Moab’s leader; ⁷² 

I will kill all Moab’s ⁷³  officials ⁷⁴  with him.”

The Lord has spoken!

2:4 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions ⁷⁵  –

make that four! ⁷⁶  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁷⁷ 

They rejected the Lord’s law; ⁷⁸ 

they did not obey his commands.

Their false gods, ⁷⁹ 

to which their fathers were loyal, ⁸⁰ 

led them astray.

2:5 So I will set Judah on fire,

and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.” ⁸¹