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,

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:

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

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.

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

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

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

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?

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?

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]?

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?

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

For the Lord God does not fulfill his word, unless he has revealed 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 lion will roar, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who will not prophesy?

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.

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.

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

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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 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.