GOD’S REASONS FOR PUNISHING ISRAEL

3 Listen to this message that the Lord has spoken against you, Israelites, against the entire clan that I brought from the land of Egypt:ak

2 I have known only youal

out of all the clans of the earth;

therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.am

3 Can two walk togetheran

without agreeing to meet?

4 Does a lion roarao in the forest

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion growl from its lair

unless it has captured something?

5 Does a bird land in a trap on the ground

if there is no bait for it?

Does a trap spring from the ground

when it has caught nothing?

6 If a trumpeta is blown in a city,

aren’t people afraid?b

If a disasterc occurs in a city,

hasn’t the Lord done it?d

7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing

without revealing his counsel

to his servants the prophets.e

8 A lion has roared;f

who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken;g

who will not prophesy?h

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdodi

and on the citadels in the land of Egypt:

Assemble on the mountains of Samaria,j

and see the great turmoil in the city

and the acts of oppression within it.k

10 The people are incapable of doing rightl—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

those who store up violence and destructionm

in their citadels.

11 Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemyn will surround the land;

he will destroyo your strongholds

and plunder your citadels.p

12 The Lord says:

As the shepherd snatches two legs

or a piece of an ear

from the lion’s mouth,q

so the Israelites who live in Samaria

will be rescued

with only the corner of a bedr

or theA cushionB of a couch.C,s

13 Listen and testifyt against the house of Jacob—

this is the declaration of the Lord God,

the God of Armies.

14 I will punish the altars of Bethelu

on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;

the horns of the altarv will be cut off

and fall to the ground.w

15 I will demolish the winter housex

and the summer house;y

the houses inlaid with ivoryz will be destroyed,

and the great housesaa will come to an end.

This is the Lord’s declaration.