< 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,
Hear the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O ye children of Israel: concerning the whole family that I brought 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 have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.
3 Do two walk together if they have not met?
Shall two walk together except they be agreed?
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, if he have no prey? will the lion’s whelp cry out of his den, if he have 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?
Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat?
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]?
Shall the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?
7 For Lord YHWH does nothing, Except He has revealed His counsel to His servants the prophets.
For the Lord God doth nothing without revealing 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 shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall 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.
Publish it in the houses of Azotus, and in the houses of the land of Egypt, and say: Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in the midst thereof, and them that suffer oppression in the inner rooms thereof.
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 have not known to do the right thing, saith the Lord, storing up iniquity, and robberies in their 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.”
Therefore thus saith the Lord God: The land shall be in tribulation, and shall be compassed about: and thy strength shall be taken away from thee, and thy houses shall be spoiled.
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 saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a piece of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.
13 Hear and testify to the house of Jacob,” A declaration of Lord YHWH, God of Hosts.
Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord the 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 shall begin to visit the transgressions of Israel, I will visit upon him, and upon the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altars shall be cut off, and shall 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 shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.

< Amos 3 >