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:

Listen to this message, Israelites, which the Lord has spoken against you, against the whole nation that I brought out of Egypt:

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

You alone have I cared for of all the nations of the world, this is why I will punish you for your crimes.

3 Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?

Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?

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?

Does a lion roar in the forest when there is no prey for him? Does a young lion cry out in his den unless he has 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?

Does a bird swoop down into a trap if no bait is set for it? Does a trap spring up from the ground if nothing sets it off?

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?

Can a trumpet be blown in a city and the people not tremble? Can disaster strike a city and the Lord not have caused it?

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

Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.

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

The lion has roared; who does not fear? The Lord God has 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.”

Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt: Gather upon the mountain of Samaria, and see the violent turmoil, the acts of oppression in her midst.

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

For they do not know how to do right. They are heaping up violence and oppression in their palaces, says the Lord.

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 the Lord God says: An enemy will surround the land, he will strip your strength from you. and your palaces will be looted.

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.

The Lord says: Just as a shepherd rescues from the jaws of a lion two shinbones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites living in Sameria will be rescued – with the corner of a couch, and the damask of a divan!

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

Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, 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.

On the day when I punish Israel for their crimes, I will also visit in judgment the altars of Bethel, the horns of the altar will be hacked off, and they will 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,”

I will destroy the winter houses together with the summer houses and the houses of ivory will perish. Many great houses will be swept away, says the Lord.