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 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 “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 loved out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

3 Will 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 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 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 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, when there is no gin for him? is ever a snare taken up from the ground, when it hath caught 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 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 Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan 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 Yahweh has spoken; who will not prophesy?

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

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 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 act rightly, saith the Lord, who treasure 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 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 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 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 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, 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 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 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 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 together with the summer-house: and the houses of ivory shall disappear, and the great houses shall be no more, saith the Lord.