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 this message, Israelites, which the Lord has spoken against you, against the whole nation that I brought out of Egypt:

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

You alone have I cared for of all the nations of the world, this is why I will punish you for your crimes.

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?

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?

Does a lion roar in the forest when there is no prey for him? Does a young lion cry out in his den unless he has 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?

Does a bird swoop down into a trap if no bait is set for it? Does a trap spring up from the ground if nothing sets it off?

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]?

Can a trumpet be blown in a city and the people not tremble? Can disaster strike a city and the Lord not have caused it?

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

Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.

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

The lion has roared; who does 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.

Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt: Gather upon the mountain of Samaria, and see the violent turmoil, the acts of oppression in her midst.

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 do not know how to do right. They are heaping up violence and oppression in their palaces, says the Lord.

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 the Lord God says: An enemy will surround the land, he will strip your strength from you. and your palaces will be looted.

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.

The Lord says: Just as a shepherd rescues from the jaws of a lion two shinbones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites living in Sameria will be rescued – with the corner of a couch, and the damask of a divan!

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

Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, 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.

On the day when I punish Israel for their crimes, I will also visit in judgment the altars of Bethel, the horns of the altar will be hacked off, and they 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!

I will destroy the winter houses together with the summer houses and the houses of ivory will perish. Many great houses will be swept away, says the Lord.