Amos 3

1 Listen to the word which the Lord has spoken about you, sons of Israel, concerning the whole family that I led out of the land of Egypt, saying:

Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

2 I have known only you in such a way, out of all the families of the earth. For this reason, I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

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

3 Will two walk together, unless they have agreed to do so?

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, unless he has prey? Will the lion’s young cry out from his den, unless he has taken something?

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 Will a bird fall into a snare on the ground, if there is no bird-catcher? Will a snare be taken away from the ground, before it has caught something?

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

6 Will the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not become frightened? Will there be disaster in a city, which the Lord has not done?

Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]?

7 For the Lord God does not fulfill his word, unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 The lion will roar, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who will not prophesy?

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

9 Let it be heard in the buildings of Ashdod and in the buildings of the land of Egypt, and say: Gather together across the mountains of Samaria, and see the many absurdities in its midst, and those who are suffering false accusations in its inner most places.

Publish 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 the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

10 And they do not know how to make it right, says the Lord, storing up iniquity and plunder in their buildings.

For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

11 Because of these things, thus says the Lord God: The land will be encircled and squeezed together. And your strength will be drawn away from you, and your buildings will be torn apart.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary [there shall be] even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

12 Thus says the Lord: Just as if a shepherd had rescued two legs from the mouth of a lion, or the tip of an ear, so also will the sons of Israel be rescued, who dwell in the sick bed of Samaria, and in the cot of Damascus.

Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus [in] a couch.

13 Listen and give testimony in the house of Jacob, says the Lord God of hosts:

Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,

14 that in the day, when I will begin to visit the betrayals of Israel, I will visit upon him and upon the altars of Bethel. And the horns of the altars will be cut off and will fall to the ground.

That 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 strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and many buildings will be torn apart, says the Lord.

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 the LORD.