Amos 3

1 Hear ye this word, which Yahweh hath spoken, concerning you, ye sons of Israel, —concerning the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt saying: —

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:

2 Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

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

3 Can two walk together, —except they meet?

Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when, prey, he hath none? Will a young lion utter his voice out of his den, when he hath made no capture?

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?

5 Will a bird fall upon a net to the earth, when there is no, snare, for it? Will a net rise from the ground, when it hath, captured nothing?

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?

6 Or a horn be blown in a city, and, a people, not tremble? Or calamity happen in a city, and, Yahweh, not have wrought with effect?

Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does evil happen to a city, and the LORD has not done it?

7 Surely My Lord Yahweh, will do, nothing, —except he have disclosed his secret unto his servants, the prophets!

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

8 A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy?

The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

9 Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, —and say ye—Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye—the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her.

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

10 Therefore do they not know how to do right, Declareth Yahweh, who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.

“Indeed they do not know to do right,” says the LORD, “Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces.”

11 Therefore—Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, An adversary! Yea round about the land, —and he who shall bring down, from thee, thy strength, And spoiled shall be thy palaces.

Therefore the Lord GOD says: “An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered.”

12 Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.

The LORD says: “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.”

13 Hear ye and bear witness, throughout the house of Jacob, —Commandeth My Lord, Yahweh, God of hosts:

“Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob,” says the Lord GOD, the God of Armies.

14 That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;

“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.

15 And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, —and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.

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.