Amos 3

1 Hear ye this word, which Yahweh hath spoken, concerning you, ye sons of Israel, —concerning the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt saying: —

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

2 Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

“Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

3 Can two walk together, —except they meet?

Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when, prey, he hath none? Will a young lion utter his voice out of his den, when he hath made no capture?

Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing?

5 Will a bird fall upon a net to the earth, when there is no, snare, for it? Will a net rise from the ground, when it hath, captured nothing?

Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

6 Or a horn be blown in a city, and, a people, not tremble? Or calamity happen in a city, and, Yahweh, not have wrought with effect?

If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

7 Surely My Lord Yahweh, will do, nothing, —except he have disclosed his secret unto his servants, the prophets!

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

8 A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy?

The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken— who will not prophesy?

9 Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, —and say ye—Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye—the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her.

Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdod and to the citadels of Egypt: “Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest in the city and the acts of oppression in her midst.”

10 Therefore do they not know how to do right, Declareth Yahweh, who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.

“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

11 Therefore—Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, An adversary! Yea round about the land, —and he who shall bring down, from thee, thy strength, And spoiled shall be thy palaces.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.”

12 Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.

This is what the LORD says: “As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescued having just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.

13 Hear ye and bear witness, throughout the house of Jacob, —Commandeth My Lord, Yahweh, God of hosts:

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, declares the Lord GOD, the God of Hosts.

14 That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;

On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.

15 And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, —and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.

I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,”