Amos 3

1 Hear ye this word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning you, O sons of Israel, concerning all the family that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:

Listen to the word which the Lord has spoken about you, sons of Israel, concerning the whole family that I led out of the land of Egypt, saying:

2 Only you I have known of all families of the land, Therefore I charge on you all your iniquities.

I have known only you in such a way, out of all the families of the earth. For this reason, I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

Will two walk together, unless they have agreed to do so?

4 Roar doth a lion in a forest and prey he hath none? Give out doth a young lion his voice from his habitation, If he hath not caught?

Will a lion roar in the forest, unless he has prey? Will the lion’s young cry out from his den, unless he has taken something?

5 Doth a bird fall into a snare of the earth, And there is no gin for it? Doth a snare go up from the ground, And prey it captureth not?

Will a bird fall into a snare on the ground, if there is no bird-catcher? Will a snare be taken away from the ground, before it has caught something?

6 Is a trumpet blown in a city, And do people not tremble? Is there affliction in a city, And Jehovah hath not done [it]?

Will the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not become frightened? Will there be disaster in a city, which the Lord has not done?

7 For the Lord Jehovah doth nothing, Except He hath revealed His counsel unto His servants the prophets.

For the Lord God does not fulfill his word, unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets.

8 A lion hath roared — who doth not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken — who doth not prophesy?

The lion will roar, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who will not prophesy?

9 Sound ye unto palaces in Ashdod, And to palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: Be ye gathered on mountains of Samaria, And see many troubles within her, And oppressed ones in her midst.

Let it be heard in the buildings of Ashdod and in the buildings of the land of Egypt, and say: Gather together across the mountains of Samaria, and see the many absurdities in its midst, and those who are suffering false accusations in its inner most places.

10 And they have not known to act straightforwardly, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.

And they do not know how to make it right, says the Lord, storing up iniquity and plunder in their buildings.

11 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: An adversary — and surrounding the land, And he hath brought down from thee thy strength, And spoiled have been thy palaces.

Because of these things, thus says the Lord God: The land will be encircled and squeezed together. And your strength will be drawn away from you, and your buildings will be torn apart.

12 Thus said Jehovah: As the shepherd delivereth from the lion's mouth Two legs, or a piece of an ear, So delivered are the sons of Israel, Who are sitting in Samaria on the corner of a bed, And in Damascus [on that of] a couch.

Thus says the Lord: Just as if a shepherd had rescued two legs from the mouth of a lion, or the tip of an ear, so also will the sons of Israel be rescued, who dwell in the sick bed of Samaria, and in the cot of Damascus.

13 Hear ye and testify to the house of Jacob, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, God of Hosts.

Listen and give testimony in the house of Jacob, says the Lord God of hosts:

14 For in the day of My charging the transgressions of Israel on him, I have laid a charge on the altars of Beth-El, And cut off have been the horns of the altar, And they have fallen to the earth.

that in the day, when I will begin to visit the betrayals of Israel, I will visit upon him and upon the altars of Bethel. And the horns of the altars will be cut off and will fall to the ground.

15 And I have smitten the winter-house with the summer-house, And perished have houses of ivory, And consumed have been many houses, An affirmation of Jehovah!

And I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and many buildings will be torn apart, says the Lord.