Amos 3
Modern English Version
First Pronouncement of Punishment
3 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:
2 You alone have I known
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
3 Do two people walk together,
if they have not agreed?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest,
if it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den,
if it has not caught something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground,
if there was no snare for it?
Does a trap spring up from the ground,
if it has not caught something?
6 If the trumpet blasts in the city,
are not the people frightened?
If there is disaster against a city,
is it not the Lord who has done it?
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing
without revealing His purpose
to His servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared;
who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;
who can but prophesy?
9 Proclaim to the fortresses in Ashdod,
and the fortresses in the land of Egypt, and say:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria,
and see the great disorders within her,
and the oppression in her midst.”
10 They do not know how to do right, says the Lord,
storing up violence and destruction in their fortresses.
11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
An enemy will surround your land;
he will tear down your defenses,
and your fortresses will be plundered.
12 Thus says the Lord:
As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion
a pair of legs or a piece of an ear,
so will the children of Israel be rescued,
those who live in Samaria,
with the corner of a bed
or a piece of a couch.
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of Hosts:
14 Surely on the day I punish the transgressions 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 I will destroy the winter house
as well as the summer house,
and the houses of ivory will perish;
the great houses will come to an end,
says the Lord.
Amos 3
New International Version
Witnesses Summoned Against Israel
3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you(A)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:(B)
2 “You only have I chosen(C)
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish(D) you
for all your sins.(E)”
3 Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar(F) in the thicket
when it has no prey?(G)
Does it growl in its den
when it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
when no bait(H) is there?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
if it has not caught anything?
6 When a trumpet(I) sounds in a city,
do not the people tremble?
When disaster(J) comes to a city,
has not the Lord caused it?(K)
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan(L)
to his servants the prophets.(M)
8 The lion(N) has roared(O)—
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
who can but prophesy?(P)
9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod(Q)
and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;(R)
see the great unrest within her
and the oppression among her people.”
10 “They do not know how to do right,(S)” declares the Lord,
“who store up in their fortresses(T)
what they have plundered(U) and looted.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“An enemy will overrun your land,
pull down your strongholds
and plunder your fortresses.(V)”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s(W) mouth
only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
with only the head of a bed
and a piece of fabric[a] from a couch.[b](X)”
13 “Hear this and testify(Y) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.
14 “On the day I punish(Z) Israel for her sins,
I will destroy the altars of Bethel;(AA)
the horns(AB) of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house(AC)
along with the summer house;(AD)
the houses adorned with ivory(AE) will be destroyed
and the mansions(AF) will be demolished,(AG)”
declares the Lord.(AH)
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