Amos 3

1 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:

Give ear to this word which the Lord has said against you, O children of Israel, against all the family which I took up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

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

You only of all the families of the earth have I taken care of: for this reason I will send punishment on you for all your sins.

3 Will two walk together unless they have agreed?

Is it possible for two to go walking together, if not by agreement?

4 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?

Will a lion give his loud cry in the woodland when no food is there? will the voice of the young lion be sounding from his hole if he has taken nothing?

5 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?

Is it possible for a bird to be taken in a net on the earth where no net has been put for him? will the net come up from the earth if it has taken nothing at all?

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

If the horn is sounded in the town will the people not be full of fear? will evil come on a town if the Lord has not done it?

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

Certainly the Lord will do nothing without making clear his secret to his servants, the prophets.

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

The cry of the lion is sounding; who will not have fear? The Lord God has said the word; is it possible for the prophet to keep quiet?

9 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.

Give out the news in the great houses of Assyria and in the land of Egypt, and say, Come together on the mountains of Samaria, and see what great outcries are there, and what cruel acts are done in it.

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

For they have no knowledge of how to do what is right, says the Lord, who are storing up violent acts and destruction in their great houses.

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

For this reason, says the Lord, an attacker will come, shutting in the land on every side; and your strength will come down and your great houses will be made waste.

12 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.”

These are the words of the Lord: As the keeper of sheep takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs or part of an ear; so will the children of Israel be made safe, who are resting in Samaria on seats of honour or on the silk cushions of a bed.

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

Give ear now, and give witness against the family of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of armies;

14 “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.

For in the day when I give Israel punishment for his sins, I will send punishment on the altars of Beth-el, and the horns of the altar will be cut off and come down to the earth.

15 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.”

And I will send destruction on the winter house with the summer house; the ivory houses will be falling down and the great houses will come to an end, says the Lord.