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 that Yahweh has spoken against you, people of Israel, against the whole family that 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.”

“I have chosen only you from all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

Will two walk together unless they have 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 when he has no victim? Will a young lion growl from his den if he has caught 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 in a trap on the ground when no bait is set for him? Will a trap spring up from the ground when it has not caught anything?

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]?

If a trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not tremble? If disaster overtakes a city, has Yahweh not sent it?

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

Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan 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 will not fear? The Lord Yahweh 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 this in the fortresses at Ashdod, and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt; say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see what great confusion is in her, and what oppression is in 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 do not know how to do right —this is Yahweh's declaration— They store up violence and destruction in their fortresses.”

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, this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “An enemy will surround the land, and pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”

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.

This is what Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs only, or a piece of an ear; so will the people of Israel who live in Samaria be rescued; they will be left with only the corner of a couch or a piece of a bed.”

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

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, 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 in the day that I punish the sins of Israel, I will also punish the altars of Bethel. The horns of the altar will 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!

I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the large houses will vanish, —this is Yahweh's declaration.”