Who is speaking? If we take verse 9 alone, it sounds like Amos is speaking—but to whom? The listeners might be imaginary messengers (compare Isa 40.1) or even the leaders of Samaria who are called by Amos to send messengers to Ashdod and Egypt.

In those languages where the primary message of this passage will be clear without precisely indicating who is speaking and to whom, there should be no attempt to add the information. However, many translators cannot avoid making a decision. In that case, it should either be “Amos said to the leaders of Samaria: ‘Send messengers to those who live in the palaces of Ashdod and Egypt and announce to them’ ” or “God said to the prophet:….”

The Hebrew picture is that the announcement will sound out over the palaces, or that the messengers will cry out standing on the flat roofs of the palaces. However, it is clear that the inhabitants themselves are being called, so Good News Translation translates correctly: Announce to those who live in the palaces. These observers from the foreign nations will be independent witnesses of the guilt of Samaria.

In some languages a word like announce or “tell” or proclaim cannot be followed by a quotation. In such cases the literal Hebrew may be followed: “and say to them,” or the quotation may be made indirect: “announce to … that they should gather together….”

Older English versions such as Revised Standard Version, Smith-Goodspeed and Moffatt have “Assyria” instead of Ashdod. Ashdod should be followed since this is the Hebrew (New American Bible, New English Bible, The Translator’s Old Testament, Good News Translation). It may be necessary to say “the town of Ashdod” and in some instances even “the land of Egypt,” as in Hebrew.

Upon the mountains of Samaria/in the hills around Samaria. Mountains of Samaria probably refers to the mountains around Samaria. Samaria itself was located on a hill approximately 460 meters high, and on the east side of the town some of the mountains reached 500-700 meters. The distance between these mountains and Samaria was about four kilometers, too far to see what really happened in town. However, the picture is not to be taken literally, but as a poetic one. The noun in Hebrew, in spite of its plural form, may have a singular meaning, and saying “Gather together on the mountain of Samaria” could mean the same as “Gather together in the town of Samaria.”

On the other hand, vividness and interest is lost if such direct translation is necessary. The picture may well be one of spectators on the mountainside as though in a stadium watching the action below. If it is possible to maintain that kind of picture and not distort the meaning, it would be good to do so. In fact, the picture might possibly be strengthened in some translations: “Gather on the mountains around Samaria and watch how the people terrify each other….”

Tumults/disorder (see also New American Bible, The Translator’s Old Testament, Moffatt) is a translation of a Hebrew word in the plural, which makes the meaning stronger. The opposite of this term in Hebrew would be the well-known word shalom meaning “peace” and “order.” On the other hand, because of the violence in this context the Hebrew word here can be translated by “terror.” In any case, some restructuring may be necessary such as “see how they terrify each other.”

The oppression in her midst/the crimes being committed there. The Revised Standard Version is the usual translation, but the Hebrew word can also mean “oppressed people.” In translation it may be necessary to say “how people are oppressed” or “how one oppresses the other.” It is also possible to take the Hebrew word as “acts of violence,” which is the basis of Good News Translation: the crimes being committed there.

Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan & Smalley, William A. A Handbook on Amos. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1979. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .