Amos 3

1 Give ear to this word which the Lord has said against you, O children of Israel, against all the family which I took up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

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 You only of all the families of the earth have I taken care of: for this reason I will send punishment on you for all your sins.

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

3 Is it possible for two to go walking together, if not by agreement?

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

4 Will a lion give his loud cry in the woodland when no food is there? will the voice of the young lion be sounding from his hole if he has taken 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 Is it possible for a bird to be taken in a net on the earth where no net has been put for him? will the net come up from the earth if it has taken nothing at all?

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 the horn is sounded in the town will the people not be full of fear? will evil come on a town if the Lord has not done 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 Certainly the Lord will do nothing without making clear his secret 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 cry of the lion is sounding; who will not have fear? The Lord God has said the word; is it possible for the prophet to keep quiet?

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

9 Give out the news in the great houses of Assyria and in the land of Egypt, and say, Come together on the mountains of Samaria, and see what great outcries are there, and what cruel acts are done in it.

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 have no knowledge of how to do what is right, says the Lord, who are storing up violent acts and destruction in their great houses.

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

11 For this reason, says the Lord, an attacker will come, shutting in the land on every side; and your strength will come down and your great houses will be made waste.

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 These are the words of the Lord: As the keeper of sheep takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs or part of an ear; so will the children of Israel be made safe, who are resting in Samaria on seats of honour or on the silk cushions of a bed.

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 Give ear now, and give witness against the family of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of armies;

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

14 For in the day when I give Israel punishment for his sins, I will send punishment on the altars of Beth-el, and the horns of the altar will be cut off and come down to the earth.

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 And I will send destruction on the winter house with the summer house; the ivory houses will be falling down and the great houses will come to an end, says the Lord.

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.