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:

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:

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

"You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all of your sins."

3 Do two walk together if they have not met?

Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

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

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?

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?

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]?

Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does disaster happen to a city, unless the LORD has done it?

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

Surely the LORD will do nothing, unless he reveals 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 has roared. Who will not fear? The LORD has spoken. Who can but 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.

Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, "Assemble yourselves on the mountain of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them."

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

"Indeed they do not know to do right," says the LORD, "Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces."

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.

Therefore thus says the LORD: "An adversary will surround the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered."

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: "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."

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

"Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob," says the LORD, the 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.

"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.

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!

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.