Amos 3

1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

Hear this word which the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O children of Israel, concerning the whole family which I have brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

2 “Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

Only you have I loved out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

3 Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?

Will two walk together, except they had agreed [to do so]?

4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing?

Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion send forth his voice out of his den, unless he have caught something?

5 Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, when there is no gin for him? is ever a snare taken up from the ground, when it hath caught nothing at all?

6 If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

Shall a cornet be blown in a city, and the people not become afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord have not done it?

7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

For the Lord Eternal will do nothing, unless he have revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken— who will not prophesy?

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord Eternal hath spoken, who will not prophesy?

9 Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdod and to the citadels of Egypt: “Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest in the city and the acts of oppression in her midst.”

Publish at the palaces in Ashdod, and at the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great confusions in her midst, and the oppressions [that are] within her.

10 “For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

For they know not how to act rightly, saith the Lord, who treasure up violence and robbery in their palaces.

11 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.”

Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, The adversary [is there] and surroundeth the land: and he shall bring down from thee thy strength, and thy palaces shall be plundered.

12 This is what the LORD says: “As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescued having just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.

Thus hath said the Lord, As the shepherd snatcheth out of the mouth of the lion [at most] two leg-bones, or a tip of the ear: so shall be delivered the children of Israel that sit in Samaria on the corner of a bed, and on Damascus couches.

13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, declares the Lord GOD, the God of Hosts.

Hear ye, and give warning in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Eternal, the God of hosts.

14 On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.

For on the day when I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, will I also inflict punishment on the altars of Beth-el: and then shall be hewn off the horns of the altar, and they shall fall to the ground.

15 I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,”

And I will smite the winter-house together with the summer-house: and the houses of ivory shall disappear, and the great houses shall be no more, saith the Lord.