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 the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

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

“Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

3 Will two walk together unless they have agreed?

Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?

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?

Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught 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?

Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

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

If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

7 Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan to his servants the prophets.

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan 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 GOD has spoken— who will not 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.

Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdod and to the citadels of Egypt: “Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest in the city and the acts of oppression in her midst.”

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 know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

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 this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.”

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.”

This is what the LORD says: “As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescued having just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.

13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts:

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, declares the Lord GOD, 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.

On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will 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.”

I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,”