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 these words, which Jehovah speaketh against you, ye sons of Israel; Against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt!

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 punish you for all your iniquities.

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

Can two walk together, Unless they agree together?

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 the lion roar in the forest, When he seeth no prey? Will the young lion cry aloud from his den, If he have seized 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?

Can a bird fall into a snare upon the earth, Where none is set for him? Will a snare spring up from the ground, When it hath caught nothing?

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 trumpet be blown in the city, And the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil upon a city, And Jehovah not have done it?

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

Surely the Lord Jehovah doeth nothing, But he revealeth his secret To his servants the prophets.

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

When the lion roareth, who will not fear? When the Lord Jehovah speaketh, 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.

Proclaim ye, in the palaces in Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria; Behold the great tumults in the midst of her, And the oppressions 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 have no care to do right, saith Jehovah; They treasure up rapine 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 saith the Lord Jehovah: An enemy shall encompass the land. And shall bring down thy strength from thee, 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 saith Jehovah: As the shepherd taketh out of the lion's mouth Two legs, or a portion of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out, Who in Samaria sit in the corners of their sofas, And upon their damask couches.

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

Hear ye, and testify to the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord, Jehovah, 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.

In the day when I punish the transgressions of Israel, Then will I punish the altars of Bethel; The horns of the altar shall be cut off, And 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 be destroyed, And the great houses shall be brought to the ground, saith Jehovah.