From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians
A mid-8th Century BCE prophecy that was given to the Prophet Amos while he was living
in the ten-tribe Kingdom of IsraEl, concerning the future destruction of many nations
that lived around and/or had dealings with his nation, as well as
what would happen to both Judah and IsraEl.

Chapter 1

¹ These are the words of Amos [which tell] of things that took place [while he was at] Kiriath JaIrim in Tekoa, and of the things he saw concerning JeruSalem in the days of UzziAh the king of Judah, and in the days of JeroBoam (son of JoAsh) the king of IsraEl, two years before the earthquake.

² [The Lord] said: 'Jehovah spoke out of Zion, and from JeruSalem sent out His voice. For, over the pastures of the shepherds He mourned, and for the drought on [Mount] Carmel.'

³ And the Lord said: 'Because of three godless deeds of Damascus (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, they used iron saws to saw open, those in GileAd with [babies] in their wombs. ⁴ So, I will send fire to the house of HazaEl, and the foundations of the sons of Hadad they'll consume. ⁵ I'll break the bars [of the gates] of Damascus, and those in On's plains I'll destroy. The tribe of the men of Edem, I will now cut to pieces, and the best Assyrian men will be captured, says Jehovah.'

⁶ And the Lord said: 'For three godless deeds of Gaza (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, they captured Solomon's descendants, and in Edom locked them away. ⁷ So, to the walls of Gaza I will send fire, and her foundations it will devour. ⁸ I'll also destroy those living in AshDod, and from AshKelon I'll remove a whole tribe. I will bring My hand against EkRon, and destroy the remaining Philistines, says Jehovah.'

⁹ And the Lord said: 'Because of three godless deeds of Tyre (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. Because of their capturing [the descendants] of Solomon, and locking them away in Edom; for, they forgot their treaty with their brothers. ¹⁰ So, to the walls of Tyre I'll send fire, and it will devour her foundations.'

¹¹ And the Lord said: 'Because of three godless deeds of Edom (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, they pursued their brothers with swords, and [cut down] the mothers in the land. They seized [the mothers] by force, to prove the awesome terror they brought, and were moved to do this until they had won. ¹² So, I will send fire against Teman, and it will consume her foundations.'

¹³ And the Lord said: 'Because of AmMon's sons three godless deeds (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, in GileAd they ripped open, [women] with [babies] in their wombs, just to widen their borders. ¹⁴ Thus, on the walls of RabBah I'll light a fire, and it will devour all her foundations, with a cry in the day of their war; they will shake in the day she's consumed. ¹⁵ And into captivity I'll send her king, along with her rulers and priests, says Jehovah.'

Chapter 2

¹ And the Lord said: 'Because of three godless deeds of Moab (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, the king of Edom's bones they burned into dust. ² So, I'll send fire upon Moab, and it will devour their cities' foundations. Then Moab will be left without strength, in the time of cries and the blowing of trumpets. ³ I'll destroy her judges and all of her rulers… yes, I'll kill them, says Jehovah.'

⁴ And the Lord said: 'Because of the three godless deeds, of [the descendants] of Judah (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, they pushed [aside] the Law of Jehovah, and His orders they didn't follow. So, I will cause them to wander, after the vain idols that they've made… those which they've followed [since the time of] their fathers. ⁵ Then I will send fire upon Judah, and JeruSalem's foundations I'll destroy.'

⁶ And the Lord said: 'Because of IsraEl's three godless deeds (and even four), I won't turn [My] attention from them. For, to buy sandals they asked for silver, from the righteous and needy… ⁷ things [that they need] to walk on the dust of the ground. They slapped the heads of the poor, and [twisted] the ways of the humble. Why, with the same slaves, fathers and sons both had sex, so they could profane the Name of their God. ⁸ Then they used their clothes and rough cords, to set their canopies next to My Altar, where they drank the wine they'd extorted… within the [Temple] of their God!

⁹ 'For, I lifted the Amorites from before them, as high as the cedars are tall, because they'd became as strong as an oak… but I removed all his fruit from his boughs, as well as his roots underneath him. ¹⁰ Then, from the land of Egypt I took you… for forty years I led you through the desert, so you could inherit the Amorite's land. ¹¹ Then I took your sons as [My] Prophets, and your young men as My Holy Ones. O sons of IsraEl; Aren't these things so, asks Jehovah?

¹² 'But you offered wine to the holy to drink, and told the Prophets not to foretell! ¹³ So, because of this, I'll roll over you, just like a wagon filled with stubble. ¹⁴ Then all hope of flight into exile, by those who can run will be lost; the strong will not keep their strength; and there's no way that soldiers will save their own lives. ¹⁵ The bowmen will not be able to stand, and those fleet of foot won't get away. Horseman won't save their own lives, ¹⁶ and the strong won't find their hearts mighty… they'll be chased away naked in that day, says Jehovah.'

Chapter 3

¹ O house of IsraEl; Listen to these words that Jehovah said to you, and against every tribe that He led out of Egypt! For [He] said: ² 'Only you have I known among all tribes of earth, and because of this (because of your sins), I'll take vengeance upon you.

³ 'Can two walk together unless they've agreed? No!
⁴ Will a lion roar from the woods, if he hasn't [caught] any game? No!
Will a cub call out from his lair, if he hasn't caught any prey? No!
⁵ Will a bird fall to earth, without [being shot by] a hunter? No!
Will a snare close without catching? No!
⁶ Will the sound of the trumpet be heard in the city, without bringing terror to the people? No!
Will harm come to a city, if it's not done by Jehovah? No!

⁷ 'There's nothing that God Jehovah will do, unless it's revealed to His servants the Prophets. ⁸ So, as a lion roars and all who hear fear it; when Jehovah God speaks who'll fail to prophesy?

⁹ 'Announce it among the Assyrians, and to places down in Egypt! Tell them to gather on Samaria's hills, and see the many wonders within her, as well as the tyranny in her midst! ¹⁰ Yet, they don't [see] what will befall her, says Jehovah; for injustice and misery are treasured in that place.

¹¹ 'It's because of this, says God Jehovah, that Tyre and all that's around it, will soon become desolation. For, I'll remove all their strength, and then tear their regions to pieces!

¹² 'Jehovah says: As a shepherd will pull from the mouth of a lion, two legs or part of an ear, so the sons of IsraEl will be ripped (those dwelling in Samaria and Damascus), before a tribe that they do not know.

¹³ 'Hear this, O priests, then to the house of Jacob proclaim it, says Jehovah God the Almighty! ¹⁴ For, in the day of My vengeance upon IsraEl, for all their irreverent deeds, I'll also bring vengeance on the altar at BethEl… the horns of the altar will be razed, and it will fall to the ground!

¹⁵ 'I will confuse them and then, I'll strike the turrets on their barns, where their harvests are stored, and destroy all their ivory houses, as well as the homes [that surround them], says Jehovah.'

Chapter 4

¹ 'Hear these words, O heifers of BaShan; those in Samaria's mountains; those who tyrannize the needy, and trample upon all the poor… those in need who must ask of their masters, Please give us something to drink! ² For, by all that He deems to be holy, God has sworn [against them] this oath: Look… the days will soon come, when they'll grab hold of your family and you, and throw you into hot cauldrons. ³ You'll be led away naked in lines, and they'll throw [your bones] on Mount Hermon, says Jehovah.

⁴ 'For, whenever you went up to BethEl, you did so in irreverent ways. And at GilGal you showed even greater irreverence, for you brought your sacrifices in the morning, and on the third day brought your tithes. ⁵ Then they read outside of the Law, and called for an offering of confession. So, you must now announce this to them: Because sons of IsraEl have loved such things, says Jehovah, ⁶ to your cities I will send toothaches; I'll send shortages of bread to all of your places, for you left Me and did not return, says Jehovah.

⁷ 'I'll hold back the rain on your crops for three months, then I will [send] rain to one town; but there'll be no rain on another. I will send rain on one portion, but no rain on another and it will be dry. ⁸ So, the residents of two or three cities, will come to one city to drink their water, but there's no way that they will be filled. For, to Me you did not return, says Jehovah.

⁹ 'So, I struck you with jaundice and fire, and though you multiplied gardens and vineyards, as well as groves of olives and figs, by worms they were devoured. Yet, to Me you did not return, says Jehovah.

¹⁰ 'From Egypt I sent you a plague; your young men I killed by the sword, and I took away all of your horses. Because of your rage I sent fire to your camps. Yet, to Me you did not return, says Jehovah.

¹¹ 'Like Sodom and GomorRah I wiped you away, and you became as coals that are pulled from the flames. Yet, to Me you did not return, says Jehovah.

¹² 'Because of such things, O IsraEl; both this and that I'll do to you, until you prepare to call on your God!

¹³ '{Look!} I brought the thunder and I made the wind, and I report to men of His caring. For, He produces the dawn and the fog, and is mounted on the heights of the earth… His Name is Jehovah God the Almighty!'

Chapter 5

¹ Hear the word of Jehovah, for He has this lamentation against you:

'The house of IsraEl fell,
And never again will it rise.
² IsraEl (the virgin) tripped in her land,
And no one is able to raise her.

³ 'For, thus says Jehovah [her] God:

'From the city that a thousand had left,
Only a hundred [will return];
And the town from which left a hundred,
Ten from IsraEl's house will return.

⁴ 'For, thus says Jehovah to the house of IsraEl:

⁵ 'Inquire of Me and you'll live!
Do not seek after BethEl;
Into GilGal don't enter;
And do not [walk to] the Well of the Oath!
For, those in GilGal will be captured,
And BethEl will no longer be.

⁶ 'So, inquire of Jehovah and live, as the house of JoSeph has done, so you will not have to be burned! For, it will come and consume him, and there'll be no one to douse IsraEl's fire.

⁷ 'It is He who determines what's right in the heights, and He who sets earth's righteous [standards]. ⁸ He's the One who made it all, and it's He who made everything different. It's He who turns shadows into morning, and the day into darkness of night; It is He who calls the water of the seas, and pours them upon the face of the ground… Jehovah God the Almighty is His Name.

⁹ 'It is He who divides the conflicts and strengths, and He who brings misery to their forts.

¹⁰ 'But, there are those who scolded at their city gates, in hatred of those who speak sacred words… ¹¹ as they struck the poor with their fists, and stole from them their choicest of gifts. I see the paneled houses that you've built, but there's no way you'll be able to live there. I see the desirable vineyards you've planted, but there's no way that you'll drink their wine. ¹² For, I know of all your irreverent deeds, and the mighty ways that you've trampled the righteous… how you've inflated your prices, and turned the needy away from your gates. ¹³ And during that time, He perceived and stayed silent, for, an evil time it has proved to be.

¹⁴ 'So now; Ask for the good not the bad, that you will be able to live… for Jehovah the Almighty to be with you! Then, He'll provide the things you request, when you are willing to say: ¹⁵ We detest what is bad and love what is good!

'Just return justice to your [city] gates, so Jehovah God the Almighty, may show mercy on the remnants of Joseph.

¹⁶ 'It's because of this, says Jehovah God the Almighty; In all your squares you'll be beating your chests, and say in your streets, Woe [is me]! The farmers will be called to do mourning… they'll beat on their chests and they'll wail. ¹⁷ They'll know all the ways to beat on their chests, because I will go through your midst, says Jehovah.

¹⁸ 'Woe to those who want the Day of Jehovah; for they'll ask: What does this mean… the Day of the Lord? Why, it brought to us darkness not light!

¹⁹ '[It'll come in the same way as this]: As when a man flees the face of a lion, or when he's attacked by a bear… as when he should rush inside his house, and then grab hold of its walls, just to be bitten by snakes. ²⁰ So the Day of Jehovah brings darkness not light… it will bring dimness not light!

²¹ 'I have detested and I've pushed away, all of your holiday feasts; and in your festivals I [find no delight]. ²² For, if to Me you should bring whole burnt-offerings, as well as other sacrifices, I'll not favorably receive them, or look at the grandeur of your offerings for salvation.

²³ 'Remove from Me the sounds of your hymns, for, I don't care to hear the tunes of your psalms! ²⁴ Because, the waters of judgment will pour down upon you, and the river of righteousness you'll never cross.

²⁵ 'O house of IsraEl; You brought Me victims for sacrifice and slaughter, during the forty years in the desert. ²⁶ But then you chose Molech's tent, and the star of Raiphan as your gods… idols of them you made for yourselves! ²⁷ So, beyond Damascus I'll displace you, says God… Jehovah the Almighty is His Name.'

Chapter 6

¹ 'Woe to those treating Zion with contempt, and those who put trust in Samaria's hills. For they harvested the heads of the nations, and then entered the house of IsraEl. ² Now, pass through them all and take a good look; go from there to Hamath RabBah, and from there go to Gath of Philistia. Is yours the best of those kingdoms? Are your borders greater than theirs are?

³ 'An evil day is approaching, those who hang onto false Sabbaths. ⁴ On ivory beds they lie down, and waste their lives upon their divans. They eat the kids of the flocks, and the suckling young calves from the midst of the herds. ⁵ They clap along as [music] is played, and think themselves well established (not as fleeting). ⁶ They drink [the best] filtered wine, wear the best of colognes, and the destruction of JoSeph doesn't concern them. ⁷ So, you will go into exile, and your feasting and lounging will end.

⁸ 'Jehovah swore an oath by Himself. He said, Because I abhor all the insults of Jacob, and I have detested his fortified cities, I will lift them away, along with all who are in them. ⁹ And if ten should survive in a house, they will also [soon] die. ¹⁰ They will leave their own families, and not retrieve their bones from their homes. They will ask those in charge of their homes, Is anyone left there among them? And they will answer, No longer. And then another will say, Be quiet… don't mention the Name of the Lord. ¹¹ For, {Look!) it was Jehovah who gave the order, and He struck their mansions with fractures, as the small houses were torn into shreds.

¹² 'Will horses run in the rocks? No! Will stallions stay silent near mares? No! Yet, justice you've turned into rage, and righteousness fruit into what's bitter. ¹³ For, you were glad [when you heard] bad reports, and said: Because of our strength we've grown horns!

¹⁴ 'So now; Watch out, O house of IsraEl, for I will arouse a nation against you, who'll squeeze you and keep you from fleeing to HamAth, or from running to the river in the west.'

Chapter 7

¹ Then the Lord [came and] showed me {Look!} a breed of locusts as they were coming early in the morning, led by Gog the grasshopper king. ² And after they had completed devouring all the grass in the land, I said, 'O Lord, please be kind! Who will raise Jacob again? For, now there are so few who are left! ³ O Lord; Please change Your mind about doing this!'

But the Lord replied, 'That won't happen.'

⁴ Then the Lord took me and showed me, and {Look!} he called for their punishment by fire, and it devoured the great abyss, as well as a portion [of the land]. ⁵ And I said, 'O Lord God; Please stop! Who will raise Jacob again? For, now there are so few who are left! O Lord; Change your mind about doing this!

⁶ But the Lord replied, 'That won't happen.'

⁷ Then the Lord [took me] and showed me; and {Look!} there was Jehovah standing upon a straight wall holding a plumb line in His hand. ⁸ And the Lord asked me, 'What do you see, Amos?'

And I replied, 'A plumb line.'

Then the Lord said to me, '{Look!} In the midst of IsraEl my people, I will now set a plumb line, and then I'll no longer go there. ⁹ Their shrines to laughter will be wiped away; their sites of mystic rites will lie ruined; and against the house of JeroBoam, I will arise with a broadsword.'

¹⁰ Thereafter, AmaziAh (the priest of BethEl) sent [a message] to JeroBoam (the king of IsraEl) saying, 'Amos is plotting against you in the midst of the house of IsraEl, and there's no way that the land will be able to endure his words. ¹¹ For, Amos is saying, JeroBoam will come to an end by the broadsword, and IsraEl will be led from his land as captives.'

¹² Then AmaziAh said to Amos, there in front of everyone, 'Get out of here! Go to the land of Judah! Spend the rest of your life there and prophecy there! ¹³ You may not prophecy in BethEl any longer, for this is the sanctuary of the king and the place of his royal palace.'

¹⁴ But Amos told AmaziAh, 'I was neither a Prophet or the son of a Prophet; I was just a herder of sheep and someone who picked the fruit of mulberry trees. ¹⁵ Then the Lord took me away from the sheep and said to me, Go and prophesy over My people IsraEl!

¹⁶ 'So now, listen to the words of Jehovah! You've warned me not to prophecy over IsraEl, and you've said, There's no way that armies will be led against the house of Jacob. ¹⁷ It's because of this that Jehovah said this: Your wife will become a city whore, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Then your land will be measured with a plumb line, and you'll come to your end in an unclean land, as IsraEl will be led from this land as captives.'

Chapter 8

¹ Then {Look!} the Lord came and showed me the cage of a bird hunter, ² and He asked, 'What do you see, Amos?'

And I replied, 'A bird cage.'

Then the Lord said to me: 'My people IsraEl have come to their end, for no longer will I overlook them. ³ So, there will be screaming in the stock pens, in their temple in that day, says Jehovah. There many will fall, and then everywhere I'll bring silence.

⁴ 'Hear these things, O you who're destroying the needy, and you who tyrannize the poor… ⁵ yes, all of you who are asking, When will the [New Moon] be over, so we can resume all our trading? When will the Sabbaths be done, so we can open our [cash drawers], then measure out small and [unfairly], by adding to the weights of our scales, and using balance scales that aren't fair; ⁶ so we can take silver from the needy and poor, in return for sandals and things that we sell?'

⁷ 'Jehovah swore this oath about Jacob's pride: Will all of this be forgotten? Will all that they've done be victorious? No! ⁸ And [He said] concerning these things: Won't the land be disturbed, and won't those who live there all mourn? Their consumption will rise like a stream, and they'll sink as they would in [the Nile].

⁹ 'And it will be in that day, says Jehovah, that the sun will set at midday, and the land will be darkened in daylight. ¹⁰ Then your holiday feasts I'll turn into mourning, and all your songs into wailing. Upon every loin I'll bring sackcloth, and baldness upon every head. I'll appoint them as those who mourn loved ones, and days of grief for [mourning their friends].

¹¹ '{Look!} The days are coming, says Jehovah, when upon this land I'll send famine. But it won't be a famine of bread loaves, nor a famine of water, but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord. ¹² Then, from sea to sea the waters will shake. And from north to east they will run, seeking the word of Jehovah. But, in no way will it then be found.

¹³ 'In that day; The pretty virgins and the young men, will be wilting [and dying] from thirst… ¹⁴ and those who swear oaths by Samaria's Redeemer (those who say, O Dan, as your god lives, or, As your god lives, O BeerSheba), will fall and not rise again.'

Chapter 9

¹ I saw the Lord standing at the Altar, and he said, 'Strike the Propitiatory and shake all the gates. Cut off all of the heads, and kill with the broadsword those who are left! There's no way you can evade them by fleeing, and no way that you will be saved!

² 'If they should [hide] in their graves, from there My hand will [reach down and] pull them. And if they should [soar] into the sky, from there I will lead them back down. ³ If they should hide on [Mount] Carmel, there I will search and I'll take them. If they should hide from My eyes, within the depths of the seas, I'll tell the beasts there to bite them. ⁴ And if their enemies should take them, I'll instruct their broadswords to kill them… yes, for bad things not good, I have set My eyes on them.

⁵ 'The Lord God, Jehovah the Almighty, has grabbed the land in order to shake it. Then all who dwell there will mourn, for it will rise and fall like the Nile.

⁶ 'Says He who built His ascent in the skies, and gave a promise when founding the earth… He who calls to the waters of the seas, and then pours them out on the land once again (Jehovah [the Almighty] is His Name): ⁷ To Me are you like sons of Cush, O the sons of IsraEl, asks Jehovah? Was it not I who led you from Egypt, or the Philistines out of Cappadocia, and the Syrians from out of the pit?

⁸ '{Look!} My eyes watch the kingdoms of sinners, so I'll remove them from the face of the earth. But the ones that I won't completely remove, is the house of Jacob, says Jehovah.

⁹ 'But {Look!} I will [soon] issue My orders, and the house of IsraEl will be threshed, [along with] all of the nations, the same as you'd winnow with a shovel… and no broken piece will [be overlooked]. ¹⁰ Then, it will be by the broadsword, that the sinners among My people will meet their end… those who say, Evil will not approach us… no, it won't come upon us!

¹¹ 'And in that day; I'll resurrect the tent of David that has fallen; I'll rebuild all of its fallen things. The things I cut down I will raise, and build it back as was [long ago], ¹² so those who remain of the nations, may inquire of those who have called on My Name, says Jehovah… He who will do all these things.

¹³ '{Look!} The days are coming, says Jehovah, when the harvest will overtake the threshing, and the grapes will [ripen] during planting. Sweetness will trickle from the mountains, and all the hills will be planted.

¹⁴ 'Then I'll return My captured people (those of IsraEl who were captured), and they'll rebuild their cities and live there again… they will plant vineyards and they'll drink their wine; they will plant gardens and eat their fruit!

¹⁵ 'In their own ground I will plant them, and no more be plucked from the land that I gave them, says Jehovah [our] God.'

Notes

The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?

In both the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT) and the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), we find all the realm of non-living creation divided into just three entities; the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (or the waters) and rivers.

Now, in contemporary English, we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can't be found. So, Genesis 1:1 is literally translated herein as, 'In the beginning, The God created the skies and the lands.' This is very accurate, because it was man's view of creation from the earth. There was just the land that he stood on, the sky above him, and the waters or seas over there. He had no technical understanding of the earth as a planet, because men had never seen the earth as a globe in space, as most of us have done today. However, because of these distinctions that we are aware of, translators must choose the proper words to provide the right nuances in English, in order for readers to grasp the proper meaning of each text. And as you will see, something as simple as selecting another synonym can give us a quite different view of the meanings of some common verses.

The Greek word ourano(n), for example, can be correctly translated as heaven, heavens, sky, and skies, depending on the context and tense. But if the translator should choose the wrong word, people will reach very different (and often wrong) conclusions, because of the nuances implied in English.

Likewise, the Greek words ge, ges, and gen can be translated as earth, earths, ground, grounds, land, or lands, depending on the context and tense. So, the symbolic words at 2 Peter 3:5, 6, for example, are translated herein as, 'The thing that they don't want to understand is this: That the ancient skies and land were out of the water, but (in obedience to God's instructions) they stood together between the waters.' (For an example of the problems created by the wrong use of the words ge, ges, and gen, see the linked document Isaiah 24 - Is It Speaking of Armageddon?).

Notice that the 'skies and land' were located 'between the water.' So, although other Bibles translated this verse as speaking of the 'heavens and earth,' the reference is to the portion of the heavens that are close to the earth… to the skies.

The same is true of the famous words of Jesus at Matthew 5:5, which read in Greek: 'Makarioi oi praeis hoti outoi kleronomesousin ten gen,' or, Blest the gentle for they will/inherit the (earth, ground, or land).' Notice that in some Bibles Jesus is recorded as saying, 'The meek will inherit the earth;' while in others he said, 'The meek will inherit the land.' Do you see the difference in nuances implied here? Yet, both word choices are equally correct.

And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. tas thalassan), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassan and rivers are called potamos (or 'flowing'). However, notice (in Revelation 20: 13) how the resurrection of the dead is divided between those who died on land and those who were lost in the water; 'The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

We again find all three of these realms of creation brought together symbolically at Revelation 21:1, whIch we have translated as saying, 'Then I saw new skies and new lands, because the previous sky and land had disappeared, as did the sea.' So, did John see 'a new heavens and a new earth,' as some translate his words, or did he see 'new skies and new lands,' as we have quoted him? The Greek words that are used in the beginning of this verse are both in the plural tense, but in the singular tense in the latter half of the verse. So, what John says that he saw was 'new skies and new lands' which took the place of the old 'sky, land, and sea' that had just disappeared before him (he didn't see the globe and the realm of God disappear).

Also, in the case of where EliJah was taken away in a celestial chariot; most people think he was taken (as their Bibles put it) 'to heaven,' where he went to live with God. This isn't true, because King JehoRam later received a letter from Elijah (see 2 Chronicles 21:12). So, God had apparently used the celestial chariot to take him into 'the sky' (the proper translation here), where he was then sent to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, The Hereafter.

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Hades: Hell or the Grave?

The Greek word Hades (the Greeks pronounced it hah-dess) has been translated both as Hell (which many today think of as a place of torture) and as the Grave in other Bible versions (such as the King James). Since one word can't mean two very different things, which translation is correct?

Hades (like the English word Hell) actually means the place of the dead. However, as pagan Greek philosophy started to develop and creep into Christianity, the later-day Greek view of Hades (a place of torture) was applied to it. Was this a correct application?

An insight into how the ancient Hebrews and the early Christians understood the word can be gained from looking at how it was applied in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (the 'Old Testament' Bible of Jesus' day). There, the Hebrew word Sheol is translated into Greek as Hades in every instance; yet in each case, these are obvious references to the grave (the place of the dead), not to a place of conscious torture (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).

Another revealing application of the word Hades is found at Revelation the 20:13. It says there, 'The sea (gr. he thalassa) gave up its dead, death and the grave (gr. thanatos kai ho hades) gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

So, notice that those who die at sea are differentiated from those who are buried in graves (Hades) and in other places (thanatos). Therefore, Hades is better translated as grave, and even better translated as the place of the dead.

In the book of Job, another word that is used once in the Christian-era Scriptures and often translated as Hell, is found twice. That Greek word is Tartarus, which refers to the place where evil gods or angels are sent. For more information on this and other words that are translated as Hell, see the linked document, Is There a Burning Hell?

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Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost, as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

In the Bible, the most common use of the word pneuma is to convey the idea of a force that can't be seen, such as breath or wind. And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost, is that those words have been given religious meanings that aren't implied by the Greek texts.

Therefore, to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as 'spirits.' Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as spirit in several places, when referring to God's Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God's] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, 'Breath of Life.' This phrase appears to mean more than just breathing, for it seems to refer to the entire mechanics of life itself. It's the unseen force of life for all creatures… it's what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the 'pneuma' as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) 'return to God' at death,' because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God's Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, 'Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?' As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God's Breath, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and which caused him (Job) to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3, God said concerning the wicked people on earth before the Downpour: 'I won't allow My Breath to stay with these men through the age, for they are fleshly.' In Greek that reads, 'Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,' or, 'Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.'

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God's Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that He gave to Adam. So it appears as though what God was saying here, is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as 'My Breath,' there may be a link implied between God's Holy Breath and the breath of life.
For more information, see the linked document, 'The Powers of God's Holy Spirit.'

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), 'he hung his head and gave up the breath' (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to 'the breath of life,' or that force which gave him life as a human.

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Why the Name Changes?

You have likely noticed that we are putting some of the letters in Bible names in capital letters. For example, we've started spelling such names as Jonathan as JoNathan, Isaiah as IsaiAh, and Eliezer as EliEzer. Why? Well, partly to help with the correct pronunciations of the names, and partly to show some translating consistency.

Of course, the common English pronunciation of Jonathan (for example) is Jon-uh-thun. But did you know that the first part of the name (Io in Greek, Ieho in Hebrew) refers to the name Jehovah, and the second part of the Name (Nathan) means Gift? So, the name was originally pronounced closer to Ye-hoh-nuh-thahn.

In the case of names that end with an iah, as in Isaiah, the last part of the name often includes the name of God. Isaiah, for example, means Salvation [of] JehovAH, and it was originally pronounced Ee-sai-Yah. Yet, there are other names (such as EliJah), where the IEs have been changed to Js.

So, why have translators substituted a capital 'J' for the letters 'Ie' in both of the above cases? Well, there is an inconsistency here, because there was no letter 'J' in Hebrew or Greek alphabets. However, the letters were changed to coincide with the common English pronunciations of these names. Unfortunately though, this process wasn't followed consistently by ancient translators; so while some names are spelled with a J, many others are still spelled with an Ie or Iah.

Another important word in names that we usually capitalize is 'El' (from the Hebrew Elohe, or God). So EliEzer (which people commonly pronounce Eelai-eezer and means God [has] Helped), should actually be pronounced Elee-ehzer. The same is true for the letters Ai, especially in the names of cities, because Ai in Hebrew refers to the word city. So, AiLam (for example) probably meant the City of Lam.

Similar words, such as Bel (as in BelShazzar), Baal, and Beel, refer to 'the Lord' or 'the God.' Also, the prefixes 'Ben' and 'Bar' mean 'the son of.' 'Beth' means 'the house of,' 'Beer' refers to a 'well,' 'Is' or 'Ish' means 'Man,' etc.

Does this mean that we have put all the capitals in the right places? No, for we make no claim to Hebrew scholarship (all our translating here has been from Greek). So, what we are trying to do is provide a better understanding to how these names were pronounced by First-Century Christians.

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Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

Two words imply infinite states in the Bible; one is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians 15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus alone as having it. The other Greek word is aidios, which is used at Romans 1:20 to describe God's Power and Might as eternal, and at Jude 6 when speaking of the perpetual state of gloomy darkness that rebellious angels have been confined to.

However, the Greek word aionos, which is used throughout the Bible in various conjugated forms and is often translated as eternal and forever, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age or era.

Where the singular form (aionos) is used, this appears to mean a period such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the plural form of the word (aiōnōn) is used, it refers to a longer time… at least multiple generations. Also, where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can't mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus' Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3: 'Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?' Notice that aionos is also translated as world here in many Bibles, such as the KJ, and as system of things in other Bibles, such as the NWT. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those things, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or arrangement), not aionos.

You can see that aionos obviously doesn't mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age, or, the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when God's Temple in JeruSalem would be destroyed, because that's what Jesus was explaining to them.

Yet, there are instances when some forms of the word could imply forever, such as when we find it in the form aiōniŏn. This is an adjective in the singular case, which, when combined with the Greek word zoe (in its various forms) is usually translated in other Bibles as everlasting life. However, that isn't a totally-accurate description.

In the past, we had tried to reconcile the words zoe aiōniŏn as meaning, life in the age. However, the word age in this instance would not be an adjective, so we have recently chosen, in most cases where we find this word combination, to translate them more accurately as age-long life, which we will agree could mean everlasting life.

For more information, see the linked Scriptural Commentary, Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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The Star of David or the Star of Raiphan?

We have often wondered about the origin of the star of David that holds such a prominent place in the nation of IsraEl, for it seems unusual that a nation that was to have no images would select a star as its symbol. But when we came across the words of Amos 5:26 while translating that book from the Septuagint, something became very clear.

Now, the origination of the star of David is said to have come from the prophecy found at Numbers 24:17, which says, 'A star must rise from Jacob, and a man must spring from IsraEl. He will crush the leaders of Moab and plunder all the sons of Seth.' And since it was thought that this prophecy was fulfilled in King David, the star of David was apparently born.

However, notice the mention of another star that was worshiped by IsraEl at Amos 5:26, where we read, 'But then you chose the tent of Molech, and the star of Raiphan as your god, and images of them you made for yourselves.'

So, there seems to have been a star of a false god that was worshiped and worn as a sign (possibly around the neck) by apostate IsraElites.

Yet, it could be argued that the Bible never mentioned anything like the star of Raiphan, for the Hebrew texts actually reads (NW), 'And will actually carry Sukkuth your king, and Kaiwan, your images, the star of your god, whom you made for yourselves.'

So, the meaning of this text is quite unclear. Which rendering is right?

Notice that it was the Greek text of Amos, which Stephen quoted just before he was killed. For he said at Acts 7:43: 'Rather, you took the images that you made for worship to the tent of Moloch and to the star of the god Rephan.'

So, although the spelling is a bit different, Stephen obviously spoke of the star of Rephan (or Raiphan).

What was this star? According to A Student's Guide to New Testament Textual Variants, 'Other spellings found in manuscripts (of Acts) are Repha, Rempha, and Rephphan. The Greek Old Testament spells the name Raiphan. All of these are variations of the Egyptian name Repa for the god Saturn.'

So, a conclusion might be reached that the star of David actually came from a worship of the star god Saturn, since there is no Bible record of the star being used as a symbol of either David or IsraEl… and since God specifically banned the use of such images in His Law.

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Propitiatory

We have searched hard for a modern English synonym for this difficult and obscure word, and have found none. Sure, it was just a cover for the sacred Chest, but cover wouldn't properly reflect the full meaning.

The Greek word that we are struggling with is ilasterion. Other Bibles have translated it as Propitiatory, Expiation, and Mercy Seat. Yet, the first two words are unfamiliar, and Mercy Seat doesn't accurately describe what it was, because nobody was to sit on it. It was actually an Altar where the Priests sprinkled the blood of Propitiation on the Day of Atonement. And what does Propitiation mean? It refers to something that is done to sooth God's feelings and to improve relations with Him.

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Dragon

That the Bible speaks about what is translated as dragons several times, raises some interesting questions. The dragon (although supposedly a mythical animal) is one of the world's most widely recognized creatures. It is highly regarded in the Buddhist religion and is seen in ancient religious carvings from around the world. This testifies that people have believed in the existence of dragons for as far back as human records go. Why?

Note that dragons are thought of as animals with the bodies of snakes (gr. orphis), but they also have feet and legs. However, other Bible references seem to imply that the ancient use of the term dragon (gr. drakonta) and its apparent Hebrew counterparts, leviathan or behemoth, described any sort of fearsome wild beast.

What was the dragon? Revelation 12:9 tells us, when it says, 'So, the huge dragon was thrown out. He is the first snake, the one who is called the Slanderer and Opposer, who is misleading the whole earth.'

So from the above, we see that this vision in Revelation identifies the dragon as 'the Opposer' and 'the Slanderer,' and it says that he was the first snake, the one who seduced Eve in the 'Paradise of Delights' (see Genesis 3:2).

The fact that the dragon is viewed as a snake with legs in religious legends throughout the world, testifies to the fact that people everywhere once believed in the Bible account in Genesis, and they also believed that when God cursed the snake to 'travel on its chest and belly,' it lost its legs.

It is interesting that dragons are also part of the folklore of Europe, for who hasn't heard the story of St. George and the dragon. Yet, if you read that story, you'll see that it is actually an allegory about man's fight against sin and the Slanderer. So in that case, it refers to the original dragon, or the first creature of terror.

Notice that faithful Job asked God (at Job 7:12), 'Am I the sea or the dragon that guards it?' This view that a dragon guarded the edges of the seas was common throughout Europe until after the Sixteenth Century, for dragons were usually drawn at the edges of maps of seas during that time. Yet, the actual original reference may have been to animals and fish that men feared and didn't understand (fearsome beasts), not to snakes with legs.

However, notice how vividly Job described the Slanderer as the dragon at Job 26:12, 13, where we read, 'By His strength He has settled the sea in its bed, and in His wisdom He's filled it with whales. The bolts from the skies stand in awe, and He's ordered the death of the dragon that rebelled.'

We find a whole Chapter in Job (Chapter 41) that is obviously a description of the evil one, but has gone mistranslated for centuries, simply because its meaning has been misunderstood. Other Bibles speak of a leviathan or a behemoth here, and some of a crocodile. However, in the Septuagint, we find no name at all or any explanation, leaving us to guess what is being described.

It is unusual that some translators have thought that this creature was a crocodile, for crocodile is a Greek word that is easily recognized, since it is spelled almost the same as in English. There is one place where that word is found in the Law of Moses, at Leviticus 11:25, when listing animals that shouldn't be eaten, and in that place, most Bibles also translate the word crocodile wrong.

Yet, if you read the text of Job 41, you'll see an obvious reference to a fire-breathing dragon. For notice how verses 18-21 describe it: 'His sneezing brings about brightness, and his eyes are like the morning star. From out of his mouth comes burning lamps, like the scattered grates of a fire. From out of his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace, burning with the fire from coals. His life is much like live coals, and flames shoot from his mouth.'

At this point, critics could say the Bible was talking about a mythical dragon, and others would say that God is describing a wild ox. Yet, notice the further description in verses 31, 32: 'He breaks from the abyss as though a brass cauldron; he thinks of the sea as his own ointment jar, and the abyss of Tartarus as his captive. For, to him the abyss just a promenade.'

If you examine these verses, you'll see that God is using cryptic text to explain to Job just who is to blame for his problems. Yet, the word Tartarus (the place where evil gods are sent) isn't found again in the Bible until the reference at 2 Peter 2:4, and the only mention of his coming out of his prison (pit or abyss) is found at Revelation 20:7.

Clearly, this second-to-the-last Chapter in Job, as in any good writing, brings back into play all the characters that the book started with.

Then, why did Jewish scribes and translators have so much trouble understanding this Chapter, so that there are obvious deletions? There are four likely reasons:

· They didn't believe in fire-breathing dragons

· They didn't know that the Slanderer was the dragon

· They didn't know of the Slanderer's position in Tartarus or the pit

· A correct understanding would have linked the Book of Job to the Scriptures of the Christian era.

It is interesting that we again find mention of a dragon at Isaiah 27:1, where we read: 'In that day, God will bring His great, holy, and strong sword against the dragon – the crooked and fleeing snake – and He will do away with the dragon, the one in the sea.' This is an obvious reference to the destruction of the same dragon mentioned at Revelation 12:9 above, but it goes unnoticed in Hebrew texts, where the word leviathan is once more misunderstood. Of course, the word dragon is of Greek origin, so its use came after the Hebrew text was written; and regardless of popular (mis)conceptions, leviathan is probably its Hebrew equivalent.

What is particularly interesting about this scripture, is that it speaks of the dragon from the sea in the same words as found at EzekiEl 32:2, where the reference is obviously to the land of Egypt and to its destruction. And you will also find references to the land of Egypt in this song (Isaiah Chapters 26 and 27). However, notice that the song seems to speak of some future time when God's people (IsraEl) are released from a symbolic Egypt at Armageddon, for notice the words of the prophecy (Isaiah 26:19-21), which say:

'We will not fall, though others will fall,
But the dead will be raised from their tombs.
Then all on the earth will be joyful,
For, as dew You'll send them a cure,
While the lands of the godless will fall.

'Proceed, O my people, to enter your bedrooms…
Go inside and lock your doors,
Then hide in there for a while!
Because this will happen, then that;
And the rage of Jehovah will pass.

'{Look!} From His Holy Place Jehovah sends rage,
Upon those who live in the land.
Then the ground won't cover all of the blood,
Nor [the bodies] of those He destroys.'

So, Egypt seems to be used here as a symbol of the godless nations that are destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and the dragon that represents them, appears to be the Opposer.

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Gog the Grasshopper King

At Amos 7:1 in the Septuagint, we read about Gog the Grasshopper King, which is mentioned apparently in reference to the king of Assyria (who would attack the northern 10-tribe kingdom of IsraEl), or possibly in reference to the unseen force behind that great world power. For it says there, 'Then the Lord [came and] showed me {Look!} a breed of locusts that were coming early in the morning, led by Gog the grasshopper king.'

In Greek he is described as βρουχος εις γωγ ο βασιλευς or, grasshoppers they/are of Gog the king.

This term isn't found in modern Hebrew texts, which read, 'This is what the Almighty LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts when the second crop was being harvested. It was the harvest that followed the harvest for the king' (GW).

Which is correct? We simply don't know.

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Edem

Was there such as thing as the Garden of Eden, and if so, where was it located?

Actually, the Septuagint says, at Genesis 2:8, 'God planted a Paradise on the east side of Edem, where He put the man whom he had formed.' Then in verses 10-14 we read, 'A river flowed from Edem to water the Paradise, and from there [came the] head [waters] of four [rivers]. The name of the [first river] is Phison. It circles the entire land of Evilat, where there is gold (and the gold from that land is good). There is also coal and ornamental stone. The name of the second river is Geon. It runs around the land of Cush. The third river is the Tigris, which flows over toward the Assyrians; and the fourth river is the EuPhrates.'

As you can see; according to the Septuagint, the Garden was not named Eden, it was just called 'the Paradise,' or 'the Walled Garden' (from the word's old Iranian roots). And it was also called 'the Paradise of Delights,' at Genesis 2:15. So, where did Eden come in? Well, the Septuagint tells us that the Garden ran along the east side of 'the land of Edem.' Therefore, the garden wasn't named Eden (or Edem), but rather, it was located next to a land of that name.

But, which spelling is correct? We don't know. However, we frequently find the letters M and N interchanged in Bible names; and as you will see below, similar names are spelled with an M in both the Septuagint and Masoretic texts.

Don't confuse this name (Ed-em) with Edom (Ed-om), although they both have similar meanings, referring to something that is red. For, Edom is the name of the land that belonged to IsaAc's son Esau, and Edem is the name of a land in the east where the Garden of God was located, and from which we get the name Eden.

And where is Edem? Notice that when Moses wrote this portion of Genesis, he used places and countries that existed in his day to describe its location. For, at Genesis 2:14 he tells us that the Tigris river 'flows over toward the Assyrians.' Therefore, we must assume that the land of Edem existed during the time of the Assyrians and of Moses.

A people called the Sons of Edem are mentioned in other scriptures, such as 2 Kings 19:12 (4 Kings 19:12 Sept.), where the Assyrians were taunting the people of JeruSalem by bragging about the cities they had conquered. In the Septuagint, it says the Sons of Edem were conquered at 'ThaEsthen' ('Tel Assar' in Hebrew), which almost all references cite as being a country annexed to Assyria.' But where?

Recent research indicates that the land of Edem (or Eden) may well have been north of where most people think of it as being (in southern Iraq). For, its location is likely where you'll find the headwaters of the Tigris, EuPhrates, and two other rivers, the Geon (likely the Gihon or the Gaihun-Aras) and the Phison (likely the Pishon, which is now known as the Sephid-Rud, or, Long Red River), since they have similar names today. They are all located near Mt. Ararat, SW of Tabriz in Azerbaijan, a place that was inhabited by the Medes in the 7th Century B.C.E.

Notice that the Bible account does speak of these rivers all coming together in Edem (or Eden, which most people think of as being the Garden). And if this was near Babylon, a geographical map shows that this has never happened. However, the Hebrew words that are usually translated as saying that the rivers come together in four heads, may also be translated as saying that the headwaters of these four rivers are found in the land. And this aptly describes the area which is still called Edin, near Mt. Ararat.

Was there a man named Edem, from whom the land at the foot of Mt. Ararat derives its name? That could be, but since Edem appears to mean red earth, the term sons of Edem could also mean sons of the red earth, after the bright red ochre soil which is found near Tabriz. It is interesting that the name Adam also seems to imply Red Earth, so the Septuagint spelling of the land (Edem) appears to be correct, and soil from that area (SW of Ararat) could also be the dust of the ground from which Adam was made.

Also notice that one of the descendants of Cush was Evilat (according to Genesis 10:7). And this is the name of the land around which the Phison flowed (see Genesis 2:11), where it was said that there was gold and other valuable minerals.

This location appears to be confirmed at Genesis 25:18, where the land of Esau is described as running to the land of Evilat, which it says, is in the country of Assyria. Notice that this location is also confirmed at Amos 1:5.

Then, if the Geon River is located in Azerbaijan, why does the Septuagint say (at Genesis 2:13) that it runs around Ethiopia?

Well, notice that Ethiopia is just the Greek word for the land of the blacks. The Hebrew (Masoretic) text says there that 'it runs around the entire land of Cush,' which means the same thing, since Cush also means Black. But, doesn't this mean that the Geon is located near or in Africa?

Obviously, the present country of Ethiopia is not the original location of the headwaters of the River Geon that flowed into Edem (Eden). For, not only is that impossible geologically, but the Bible's account about the sons of Edem and the location of the land of Evilat, indicates that the descendants of Cush (whom the Ethiopians still claim as their progenitor… but they spell it Kush), at least in part, originally lived in areas north of Iran. The fact that Cush's son Nimrod founded many cities in Iran and Iraq gives credence to the thought that black or dark-skinned people once inhabited that area. Although there are no archaeological records of these people, they could be the same as the Cadusii (although there is no record of skin color), who are mentioned by the ancient Greeks.

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