Amos 3

1 Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.3 Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?6 Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?7 Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets.8 The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?9 Publish ye in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold what great tumults are therein, and what oppressions in the midst thereof.10 For they know not to do right, saith Jehovah, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.11 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An adversary there shall be, even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be plundered.12 Thus saith Jehovah: As the shepherd rescueth out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued that sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.13 Hear ye, and testify against the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of hosts.14 For in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Beth-el; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.15 And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith Jehovah.

Amos 3

Every Effect has its Cause

1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming againstt you! This message is for the entire clan I brought upt from the land of Egypt:

2 “I have chosent you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

3 Do two walk together without having met?s

4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey?t
Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?

5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?

6 If an alarm soundst in a city, do people not fear?t
If disaster overtakes at city, is the Lord not responsible?t

7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared!s Who is not afraid?
The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?s

Samaria Will Fall

9 Make this announcement int the fortresses of Ashdod
and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.
Say this:
“Gather on the hills around Samaria!ss
Observe the many acts of violencet taking place within the city,t
the oppressive deedst occurring in it.”t

10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)
“They store upt the spoils of destructive violencet in their fortresses.

11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land.s
He will take away your power;t
your fortresses will be looted.”

12 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged.s
They will be left with just a corner of a bed,t
and a partt of a couch.”

13 Listen and warnt the familyt of Jacob!t
The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies,t is speaking!

14 “Certainly whent I punish Israel for theirt covenant transgressions,t
I will destroyt Bethel’ss altars.
The hornss of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses.ts
The houses filled with ivoryt will be ruined,
the greatt houses will be swept away.”t
The Lord is speaking!