Amos 5:16 nasb — Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they s…

NASB

"Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation."

— Amos 5:16, NASB

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Amos 5:16 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.”

  • ASV

    “Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing. ”

  • WEB

    “Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Armies, the Lord: "Wailing will be in all the broad ways; and they will say in all the streets, 'Alas! Alas!' and they will call the farmer to mourning, and those who are skillful in lamentation to wailing.”

  • NET

    “Because of Israel’s sins this is what the Lord, the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, says:“In all the squares there will be wailing, in all the streets they will mourn the dead. They will tell the field workers to lament and the professional mourners to wail.”

  • DRB

    “Therefore thus saith the Lord the God of hosts the sovereign Lord: In every street there shall be wailing: and in all places that are without, they shall say: Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to lament.”

  • BBE

    “So these are the words of the Lord, the God of armies, the Lord: There will be weeping in all the open spaces; and in all the streets they will say, Sorrow! sorrow! and they will get in the farmer to the weeping, and the makers of sad songs to give cries of grief.”

  • KJVA

    “Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.”

Amos 5 — Context

13

Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

14

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said!

15

Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

16

Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation.

17

"And in all the vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.

18

Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;

19

As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.

Amos 5:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Amos 5:16 say?
Amos 5:16 in the NASB reads: “Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation.”
Where is Amos 5:16 in the Bible?
Amos 5:16 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Amos, chapter 5, verse 16.
Who wrote Amos?
Amos is traditionally attributed to Amos, a shepherd and fig-farmer from Tekoa. It was written c. 760–750 BC.
What is the book of Amos about?
Amos, a working shepherd from Judah, is sent north to confront Israel's outward prosperity and inward injustice. With searing rhetoric he denounces oppression of the poor and empty religion, calling for justice to roll down like waters.
What are the major themes of Amos?
Amos explores themes including Justice, Social Sin, Empty Religion, Day of the LORD, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of Amos 5:16.
What translation should I read Amos 5:16 in?
Amos 5:16 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Amos 5:16?
Amos 5:16 reads (NASB): “Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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