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 these words, which Jehovah speaketh against you, ye sons of Israel; Against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt!

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.

You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities.

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

Can two walk together, Unless they agree together?

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 the lion roar in the forest, When he seeth no prey? Will the young lion cry aloud from his den, If he have seized nothing?

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 into a snare upon the earth, Where none is set for him? Will a snare spring up from the ground, When it hath caught nothing?

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 trumpet be blown in the city, And the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil upon a city, And Jehovah not have done it?

7 Certainly the Lord will do nothing without making clear his secret to his servants, the prophets.

Surely the Lord Jehovah doeth nothing, But he revealeth his secret To 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?

When the lion roareth, who will not fear? When the Lord Jehovah speaketh, 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.

Proclaim ye, in the palaces in Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria; Behold the great tumults in the midst of her, And the oppressions 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 have no care to do right, saith Jehovah; They treasure up rapine 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 saith the Lord Jehovah: An enemy shall encompass the land. And shall bring down thy strength from thee, 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 saith Jehovah: As the shepherd taketh out of the lion's mouth Two legs, or a portion of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out, Who in Samaria sit in the corners of their sofas, And upon their damask couches.

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

Hear ye, and testify to the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord, Jehovah, 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.

In the day when I punish the transgressions of Israel, Then will I punish the altars of Bethel; The horns of the altar shall be cut off, And 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 be destroyed, And the great houses shall be brought to the ground, saith Jehovah.