Amos 3

Every Effect has its Cause

3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against1 you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up2 from the land of Egypt: 3:2 “I have chosen3 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?4

3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey?5

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 sounds6 in a city, do people not fear?7

If disaster overtakes a8 city, is the Lord not responsible?9

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

3:8 A lion has roared!10 Who is not afraid?

The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?11

Samaria Will Fall

3:9 Make this announcement in12 the fortresses of Ashdod

and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.

Say this:

“Gather on the hills around Samaria!13

Observe the many acts of violence14 taking place within the city,15

the oppressive deeds16 occurring in it.”17

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

“They store up18 the spoils of destructive violence19 in their fortresses.

3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land.20

He will take away your power;21

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.22

They will be left with just a corner of a bed,23

and a part24 of a couch.”

3:13 Listen and warn25 the family26 of Jacob!27

The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies,28 is speaking!

3:14 “Certainly when29 I punish Israel for their30 covenant transgressions,31

I will destroy32 Bethel’s33 altars.

The horns34 of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses.35

The houses filled with ivory36 will be ruined,

the great37 houses will be swept away.”38

The Lord is speaking!

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