Amos 3

3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up from the land of Egypt: 3:2 “I have chosen you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

3:3 Do two walk together without having met?

3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey?

Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?

3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?

Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?

3:6 If an alarm sounds in a city, do people not fear?

If disaster overtakes a city, is the Lord not responsible?

3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

3:8 A lion has roared! Who is not afraid?

The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?

3:9 Make this announcement in the fortresses of Ashdod

and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.

Say this:

“Gather on the hills around Samaria!

Observe the many acts of violence taking place within the city,

the oppressive deeds occurring in it.”

3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)

“They store up the spoils of destructive violence in their fortresses.

3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land.

He will take away your power;

your fortresses will be looted.”

3:12 This is what the Lord says:

“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear,

so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged.

They will be left with just a corner of a bed,

and a part of a couch.”

3:13 Listen and warn the family of Jacob!

The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking!

3:14 “Certainly when I punish Israel for their covenant transgressions,

I will destroy Bethel’s altars.

The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses.

The houses filled with ivory will be ruined,

the great houses will be swept away.”

The Lord is speaking!