Amos 3

1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of 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 "You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all of your sins."

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, unless they have agreed?

Will two walk together, except they had agreed [to do so]?

4 Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

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 Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?

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 Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does disaster happen to a city, unless the LORD has 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 Surely the LORD will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

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

8 The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The LORD has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

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

9 Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, "Assemble yourselves on the mountain of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them."

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 "Indeed they do not know to do right," says the LORD, "Who hoard plunder and loot 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 says the LORD: "An adversary will surround the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered."

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 says the LORD: "As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed."

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 "Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob," says the LORD, the 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 that I visit the transgressions of Israel on him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground.

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 I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end," says the LORD.

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.