Amos 3

1 Hear this word that YHWH has spoken concerning you, O sons of Israel, concerning all the family that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

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,

2 “Only you have I known of all families of the earth, Therefore I charge on you all your iniquities.”

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.

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

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

4 Does a lion roar in a forest and he has no prey? Does a young lion give out his voice from his habitation, If he has not caught?

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?

5 Does a bird fall into a snare of the earth, And there is no trap for it? Does a snare go up from the ground, And it does not capture prey?

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?

6 Is a horn blown in a city, And do people not tremble? Is there affliction in a city, And YHWH has not done [it]?

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?

7 For Lord YHWH does nothing, Except He has revealed His counsel to His servants the prophets.

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

8 A lion has roared—who does not fear? Lord YHWH has spoken—who does not prophesy?

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?

9 “Sound to palaces in Ashdod, And to palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: Be gathered on mountains of Samaria, And see many troubles within her, And oppressed ones in her midst.

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.

10 And they have not known to act straightforwardly,” A declaration of YHWH, “Who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.”

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.

11 Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH: “An adversary—and surrounding the land, And he has brought down your strength from you, And your palaces have been spoiled.”

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.

12 Thus said YHWH: “As the shepherd delivers from the lion’s mouth Two legs, or a piece of an ear, So the sons of Israel are delivered, Who are sitting in Samaria on the corner of a bed, And in Damascus [on that of] a couch.

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.

13 Hear and testify to the house of Jacob,” A declaration of Lord YHWH, God of Hosts.

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

14 “For in the day of My charging the transgressions of Israel on him, I have laid a charge on the altars of Beth-El, And the horns of the altar have been cut off, And they have fallen to the earth.

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.

15 And I have struck the winter-house with the summer-house, And houses of ivory have perished, And many houses have been consumed,” A declaration of YHWH!

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.