Amos 3

1 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:

Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

2 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.

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

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

Will two walk together unless they have agreed?

4 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?

Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no victim? Will a young lion growl from his den if he has caught nothing?

5 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?

Can a bird fall in a trap on the ground when no bait is set for him? Will a trap spring up from the ground when it has not caught anything?

6 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?

If a trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not tremble? If disaster overtakes a city, has Yahweh not sent it?

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

Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan to his servants the prophets.

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

The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken; who will not prophesy?

9 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.

Proclaim this in the fortresses at Ashdod, and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt; say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see what great confusion is in her, and what oppression is in her.

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

For they do not know how to do right —this is Yahweh's declaration— They store up violence and destruction in their fortresses.”

11 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.

Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “An enemy will surround the land, and pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”

12 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.

This is what Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs only, or a piece of an ear; so will the people of Israel who live in Samaria be rescued; they will be left with only the corner of a couch or a piece of a bed.”

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

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts:

14 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.

“For in the day that I punish the sins of Israel, I will also punish the altars of Bethel. 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 will perish, and many buildings will be torn apart, says the Lord.

I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the large houses will vanish, —this is Yahweh's declaration.”