Amos 3

1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:

Give ear to this word which the Lord has said against you, O children of Israel, against all the family which I took up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

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

You only of all the families of the earth have I taken care of: for this reason I will send punishment on you for all your sins.

3 Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

Is it possible for two to go walking together, if not by agreement?

4 Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

Will a lion give his loud cry in the woodland when no food is there? will the voice of the young lion be sounding from his hole if he has taken nothing?

5 Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?

Is it possible for a bird to be taken in a net on the earth where no net has been put for him? will the net come up from the earth if it has taken nothing at all?

6 Does the shofar alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does evil happen to a city, and the LORD hasn’t done it?

If the horn is sounded in the town will the people not be full of fear? will evil come on a town if the Lord has not done it?

7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

Certainly the Lord will do nothing without making clear his secret to his servants, the prophets.

8 The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

The cry of the lion is sounding; who will not have fear? The Lord God has said the word; is it possible for the prophet to keep quiet?

9 Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is amongst them.”

Give out the news in the great houses of Assyria and in the land of Egypt, and say, Come together on the mountains of Samaria, and see what great outcries are there, and what cruel acts are done in it.

10 “Indeed they don’t know to do right,” says the LORD, “Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces.”

For they have no knowledge of how to do what is right, says the Lord, who are storing up violent acts and destruction in their great houses.

11 Therefore the Lord GOD says: “An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered.”

For this reason, says the Lord, an attacker will come, shutting in the land on every side; and your strength will come down and your great houses will be made waste.

12 The LORD says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”

These are the words of the Lord: As the keeper of sheep takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs or part of an ear; so will the children of Israel be made safe, who are resting in Samaria on seats of honour or on the silk cushions of a bed.

13 “Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob,” says the Lord GOD, the God of Hosts.

Give ear now, and give witness against the family of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of armies;

14 “For in the day that I visit the transgressions of Israel on him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground.

For in the day when I give Israel punishment for his sins, I will send punishment on the altars of Beth-el, and the horns of the altar will be cut off and come down to the earth.

15 I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end,” says the LORD.

And I will send destruction on the winter house with the summer house; the ivory houses will be falling down and the great houses will come to an end, says the Lord.