The Book of the Prophet Amos 3 The Vices and Wickedness of Israel: The Announcement of Punishment

 The Book of the Prophet Amos 3

The Vices and Wickedness of Israel: The Announcement of Punishment

1 Hear this word that the Lord speaks against you, children of Israel, against the whole generation that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:

2 Of all the families of the earth I have known only you; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den if he has caught nothing?

5 Does a bird fall into a snare on the ground where there is no snare for it? Does a snare spring up on the ground if it has caught nothing?

6 Does a trumpet sound in the city, and the people not tremble? Does evil befall a city, and the Lord has not done it?

7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secret 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 this in the palaces of Ashdod, and in the palaces of the land of Egypt, and say: Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults in the midst of her, and the oppression within her.

10 For they do not know how to do what is right, says the Lord, storing up violence and destruction in their palaces.

11 Therefore, the Lord GOD says this: An enemy will arise and surround your land, he will overthrow your stronghold, and your palaces will be plundered.

12 Thus says the Lord: As a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued, who dwell in Samaria, in the corner of the litter, and on the edge of the bed.

13 Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord Jehovah, the God of Hosts:

14 In the day that I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

15 And I will overthrow the winter house with the summer house; and the ivory houses shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end, says the Lord.