Amos 3
1 Hear the word this which he has spoken Yahweh on you O people of Israel on all the clan which I brought up from [the] land of Egypt saying.
“You people of Israel, I brought all your ancestors out of Egypt; so listen to what I am saying about you.
2 Only you I have known from all [the] clans of the earth there-fore I will visit on you all iniquities your.
From all the people-groups on the earth, I [chose and] took care of only you. That is the reason that I will punish you for the sins that you have committed.”
3 ¿ Do they walk two [people] together except if they have met by appointment.
Two [people] certainly cannot [RHQ] walk together if they have not [already] agreed [about what place they will start walking from].
4 ¿ Does it roar a lion in the forest and prey not [belongs] to it ¿ does it give forth a young lion voice its from den its except if it has caught [something].
A lion certainly does not [RHQ] roar in the bushes/forest if it has not killed another animal. It does not [RHQ] growl in its den if it is not eating [the flesh of an animal that it has caught].
5 ¿ Does it fall a bird on bird-trap of the earth and [is] a snare there not for it ¿ does it go up a bird-trap from the ground and surely not it catches [something].
No one can [RHQ] catch a bird if [he does] not [set] a trap for it. A trap does not spring shut unless some [animal] has not sprung the trap.
6 Is it blown a trumpet in a city and [the] people not they tremble or? is it calamity in a city and Yahweh not he has done [it].
[Similarly, all] the people in a city certainly [RHQ] become afraid when [they hear someone] blowing a trumpet [to signal that enemies are attacking]. And when a city experiences disaster, Yahweh is the one who has caused it [RHQ].
7 For not he does [the] Lord Yahweh anything that except he has revealed secret counsel his to servants his the prophets.
And whatever Yahweh plans to do, he tells his prophets about it.
8 A lion it has roared who? not will he be afraid [the] Lord Yahweh he has spoken who? not will he prophesy.
Everyone certainly becomes terrified [RHQ] when they hear a lion roar, and if Yahweh the Lord has given messages [to prophets like me], we certainly must [RHQ] proclaim those messages, [even if they cause people to become terrified].
9 Proclaim to [the] fortresses in Ashdod and to [the] fortresses in [the] land of Egypt and say gather yourselves on [the] mountains of Samaria and see disturbances great in [the] midst of it and oppression in midst its.
[I said this to the leaders of Samaria] (OR, [Yahweh said this to me]): Send this message to the leaders [MET] in Ashdod [city] and to Egypt: “Come to the hills of Samaria and see [the way that their (leaders/wealthy people)] are causing people in that city to be terrified, and [the way that they] are causing the people to suffer!”
10 And not they know to do straightforwardness [the] utterance of Yahweh those [who] store up violence and devastation in fortresses their.
Yahweh says that the people there do not know how to do things that are right. Their homes are filled with [valuable things] that they have stolen or [taken] violently [from others].
11 Therefore thus he says [the] Lord Yahweh an opponent and around the land and he will bring down from you strength your and they will be plundered fortresses your.
So Yahweh [our] God says that [soon] their enemies will come and tear down their (defenses/high city walls) and take away those valuable things.
12 Thus he says Yahweh just as he delivers the shepherd from [the] mouth of lion two legs or a piece of an ear so they will be delivered [the] people of Israel who dwell in Samaria with a corner of a bed and with silk of a couch.
Yahweh has declared this: “When a lion attacks a sheep, [sometimes] a shepherd will be able to snatch from the lion’s mouth only two legs or an ear of the sheep. Similarly, [only] a few people from Samaria will escape, and [they will be able to rescue only] a part of a couch and a part of a bed.”
13 Hear and warn [the] house of Jacob [the] utterance of [the] Lord Yahweh [the] God of hosts.
The Commander of the armies of angels said this: “Proclaim [this message] about the descendants [MTY] of Jacob:
14 That on [the] day visit I [the] transgressions of Israel on it and I will visit [them] on [the] altars of Beth-el and they will be cut off [the] horns of the altar and they will fall to the ground.
When I, Yahweh, punish [the people of] Israel because of the sins that they have committed, I will cause the altars at Bethel [town] to be destroyed; even the projections at the corners of the altars will be cut off and fall to the ground.
15 And I will strike [the] house of the winter to [the] house of the summer and they will perish [the] houses of ivory and people will snatch away houses great [the] utterance of Yahweh.
I will cause the houses [that they live in during] the (winter/rainy season) and those [in which they live during] the (summer/dry season) to be torn down. [Beautiful] big houses and houses [that are decorated] with ivory will be destroyed. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
