Amos 3
1 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:
Hear this word that Jehovah has spoken against you, O sons of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 “I have chosen only you from all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
You only I have known of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.
3 Will two walk together unless they have agreed?
Shall two walk together unless they have agreed?
4 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?
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has taken nothing?
5 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?
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no net is set for him? Shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?
6 If a trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not tremble? If disaster overtakes a city, has Yahweh not sent it?
Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah has not done it?
7 Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan to his servants the prophets.
Surely the lord Jehovah will do nothing unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken; who will not prophesy?
The lion has roared, who will not fear? The lord Jehovah has spoken, who can but prophesy?
9 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.
Publish ye in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold what great tumults are in it, and what oppressions are in the midst of it.
10 For they do not know how to do right —this is Yahweh's declaration— They store up violence and destruction in their fortresses.”
For they do not know to do right, says Jehovah, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “An enemy will surround the land, and pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”
Therefore thus says the lord Jehovah: An adversary shall be, even round about the land, and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be plundered.
12 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.”
Thus says Jehovah: As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the sons of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts:
Hear ye, and testify against the house of Jacob, says the lord Jehovah, the God of hosts.
14 “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.
For in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
15 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.”
And I will smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, says Jehovah.
