Amos 3

1 Hear this word which the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O children of Israel, concerning the whole family which I have brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

Hear you this word, O house of Israel, which the Lord has spoken concerning you, and against the whole family whom I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Only you have I loved out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

You especially have I known out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I take vengeance upon you for all your sins.

3 Will two walk together, except they had agreed [to do so]?

Shall two walk together at all, if they do not know one another?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion send forth his voice out of his den, unless he have caught something?

Will a lion roar out of his thicket if he has no prey? will a [lion's] whelp utter his voice at all out of his lair, if he have taken nothing?

5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, when there is no gin for him? is ever a snare taken up from the ground, when it hath caught nothing at all?

Will a bird fall on the earth without a fowler? will a snare be taken up from the earth without having taken anything?

6 Shall a cornet be blown in a city, and the people not become afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord have not done it?

Shall the trumpet sound in the city, and the people not be alarmed? shall there be evil in a city which the Lord has not wrought?

7 For the Lord Eternal will do nothing, unless he have revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets.

For the Lord God will do nothing, without revealing instruction to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord Eternal hath spoken, who will not prophesy?

A lion shall roar, and who will not be alarmed? the Lord God has spoken, and who will not prophesy?

9 Publish at the palaces in Ashdod, and at the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great confusions in her midst, and the oppressions [that are] within her.

Proclaim it to the regions among the Assyrians, and to the regions of Egypt, and say, Gather yourselves to the mountain of Samaria, and behold many wonderful things in the midst of it, and the oppression that is in it.

10 For they know not how to act rightly, saith the Lord, who treasure up violence and robbery in their palaces.

And she knew not what things would come against her, says the Lord, [even] those that store up wrong and misery in their countries.

11 Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, The adversary [is there] and surroundeth the land: and he shall bring down from thee thy strength, and thy palaces shall be plundered.

Therefore thus says the Lord God; O Tyre, your land shall be made desolate round about [you]; and he shall bring down your strength out of you, and your countries shall be spoiled.

12 Thus hath said the Lord, As the shepherd snatcheth out of the mouth of the lion [at most] two leg-bones, or a tip of the ear: so shall be delivered the children of Israel that sit in Samaria on the corner of a bed, and on Damascus couches.

Thus says the Lord; As when a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall be drawn forth the children of Israel who dwell in Samaria in the presence of [a foreign] tribe, and in Damascus.

13 Hear ye, and give warning in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Eternal, the God of hosts.

Hear, O you priests, and testify to the house of Jacob, says the Lord God Almighty.

14 For on the day when I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, will I also inflict punishment on the altars of Beth-el: and then shall be hewn off the horns of the altar, and they shall fall to the ground.

For in the day wherein I shall take vengeance of the sins of Israel upon him, I will also take vengeance on the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be broken down, and they shall fall upon the ground.

15 And I will smite the winter-house together with the summer-house: and the houses of ivory shall disappear, and the great houses shall be no more, saith the Lord.

I will crush and strike the turreted-house upon the summer-house; and the ivory-houses shall be destroyed, and many other houses also, says the Lord.