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 these words, which Jehovah speaketh against you, ye sons of Israel; Against the whole family which 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.”
You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Will two walk together unless they have agreed?
Can two walk together, Unless they agree together?
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 the lion roar in the forest, When he seeth no prey? Will the young lion cry aloud from his den, If he have seized 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 into a snare upon the earth, Where none is set for him? Will a snare spring up from the ground, When it hath caught nothing?
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 trumpet be blown in the city, And the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil upon a city, And Jehovah not have done it?
7 Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan to his servants the prophets.
Surely the Lord Jehovah doeth nothing, But he revealeth 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?
When the lion roareth, who will not fear? When the Lord Jehovah speaketh, 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 ye, in the palaces in Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria; Behold the great tumults in the midst of her, And the oppressions 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 have no care to do right, saith Jehovah; They treasure up rapine 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 saith the Lord Jehovah: An enemy shall encompass the land. And 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 saith Jehovah: As the shepherd taketh out of the lion's mouth Two legs, or a portion of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out, Who in Samaria sit in the corners of their sofas, And upon their damask 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 testify to the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord, Jehovah, 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.
In the day when I punish the transgressions of Israel, Then will I punish the altars of Bethel; 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 together with the summer-house, And the houses of ivory shall be destroyed, And the great houses shall be brought to the ground, saith Jehovah.
