Amos 3

1 Hear the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O ye children of Israel: concerning the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:

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

2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon 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 Shall two walk together except they be agreed?

Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, if he have no prey? will the lion’s whelp cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

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 Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat?

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 Shall the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?

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

7 For the Lord God doth nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Surely YHWH will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?

The lion has roared. Who will not fear? YHWH has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

9 Publish it in the houses of Azotus, and in the houses of the land of Egypt, and say: Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in the midst thereof, and them that suffer oppression in the inner rooms thereof.

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 do the right thing, saith the Lord, storing up iniquity, and robberies in their houses.

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

11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: The land shall be in tribulation, and shall be compassed about: and thy strength shall be taken away from thee, and thy houses shall be spoiled.

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

12 Thus saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a piece of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.

Thus says YHWH: "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 in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord the God of hosts:

"Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob," says YHWH, the God of hosts.

14 That in the day when I shall begin to visit the transgressions of Israel, I will visit upon him, and upon the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altars shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground.

"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 will strike the winter house with the summer house: and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.

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 YHWH.