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 this word which the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O children of Israel, concerning the whole family which I have brought up from 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.”

Only you have I loved out 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?

Will two walk together, except they had 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, when he hath no prey? will a young lion send forth his voice out of his den, unless he have caught 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?

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, when there is no gin for him? is ever a snare taken up from the ground, when it hath caught 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]?

Shall a cornet be blown in a city, and the people not become afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord have not done it?

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

For the Lord Eternal will do nothing, unless he have revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets.

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

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord Eternal hath 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.

Publish at the palaces in Ashdod, and at the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great confusions in her midst, and the oppressions [that are] within her.

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 know not how to act rightly, saith the Lord, who treasure up violence and robbery in their palaces.

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 hath said the Lord Eternal, The adversary [is there] and surroundeth the land: and he shall bring down from thee thy strength, and thy palaces shall be plundered.

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 hath said the Lord, As the shepherd snatcheth out of the mouth of the lion [at most] two leg-bones, or a tip of the ear: so shall be delivered the children of Israel that sit in Samaria on the corner of a bed, and on Damascus couches.

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

Hear ye, and give warning in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Eternal, 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.

For on the day when I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, will I also inflict punishment on the altars of Beth-el: and then shall be hewn off the horns of the altar, and they 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 smite the winter-house together with the summer-house: and the houses of ivory shall disappear, and the great houses shall be no more, saith the Lord.