Amos 3:4–9

4 Does a lion roar in the thicket

when it has no prey?

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 is there?

Does a trap spring up from the ground

if it has not caught anything?

6 When a trumpet sounds in a city,

do not the people tremble?

When disaster comes to a city,

has not the Lord caused it?

7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing

without revealing his plan

to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared—

who will not fear?

The Sovereign Lord has spoken—

who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod

and to the fortresses of Egypt:

“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;

see the great unrest within her

and the oppression among her people.”

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?

Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him?

Shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?

Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing,

But he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear?

The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod,

And in the palaces in the land of Egypt,

And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,

And behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,

And the oppressed in the midst thereof.

4 Does a lion ever roar in a thicket

without first finding a victim?

Does a young lion growl in its den

without first catching its prey?

5 Does a bird ever get caught in a trap

that has no bait?

Does a trap spring shut

when there’s nothing to catch?

6 When the ram’s horn blows a warning,

shouldn’t the people be alarmed?

Does disaster come to a city

unless the Lord has planned it?

7 Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything

until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared—

so who isn’t frightened?

The Sovereign Lord has spoken—

so who can refuse to proclaim his message?

9 Announce this to the leaders of Philistia

and to the great ones of Egypt:

“Take your seats now on the hills around Samaria,

and witness the chaos and oppression in Israel.”

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?

Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

5 Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it?

Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?

6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?

If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,

Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared!

Who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken!

Who can but prophesy?

9 “Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod,

And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say:

‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria;

See great tumults in her midst,

And the oppressed within her.

4 A lion in the forest does not roar

unless it has caught an animal;

it does not growl in its den

when it has caught nothing.

5 A bird will not fall into a trap

where there is no bait;

the trap will not spring shut

if there is nothing to catch.

6 When a trumpet blows a warning in a city,

the people tremble.

When trouble comes to a city,

the Lord has caused it.

7 Before the Lord God does anything,

he tells his plans to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared!

Who wouldn’t be afraid?

The Lord God has spoken.

Who will not prophesy?

9 Announce this to the strong buildings of Ashdod

and to the strong buildings of Egypt:

“Come to the mountains of Samaria,

where you will see great confusion

and people hurting others.”

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? 5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all? 6 Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it? 7 Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?

9 Publish ye in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold what great tumults are therein, and what oppressions in the midst thereof.

4 Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den if he have taken nothing? 5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth when no gin is laid for him? Will the snare spring up from the earth when nothing at all hath been taken? 6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and Jehovah not have done it? 7 But the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared, —who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken, —who can but prophesy?

9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great uproar in the midst thereof, and the oppressions that are within her:

4 Does a lion roar in the forest if it has no prey? 

Does a young lion growl in its den unless it has caught something? 

5 Does a bird land in a trap on the ground if there’s no bait in it? 

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

6 If a ram’s horn sounds an alarm in a city, won’t the people be alarmed? 

If there is a disaster in a city, hasn’t the Lord done it? 

7 Certainly, the Almighty Lord doesn’t do anything 

unless he ⸤first⸥ reveals his secret to his servants the prophets. 

8 The lion has roared. Who isn’t afraid? 

The Almighty Lord has spoken. Who can keep from prophesying? 

9 Announce in the palaces of Ashdod and in the palaces of Egypt, 

“Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. 

See the widespread confusion and oppression in Samaria.” 

4 Does a lion roar 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 ram’s horn is blown in a city,

aren’t people afraid?

If a disaster occurs in a city,

hasn’t the Lord done it?

7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing

without revealing His counsel

to His servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared;

who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken;

who will not prophesy?

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod

and on the citadels in the land of Egypt:

Assemble on the mountains of Samaria

and see the great turmoil in the city

and the acts of oppression within it.

4 Does a lion roar in the forest

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from its den

if it has caught nothing?

5 Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth

when there is no trap for it?

Does a snare spring up from the ground

when it has taken nothing?

6 Is a trumpet blown in a city,

and the people are not afraid?

Does disaster befall a city

unless the Lord has done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing

without revealing 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 to the strongholds in Ashdod

and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,

and say, “Assemble yourselves on Mount Samaria,

and see what great tumults are within it

and what oppressions are in its midst.”

4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a fierce, young lion cry out from his den unless he has caught something? 5 Does a bird fall into a trapping net on the earth when there is no snare for it? Does a trapping net spring up from the ground unless it has certainly caught something? 6 Or is a horn blown in a city and people are not afraid? Or does a disaster occur in the city and Yahweh has not done it? 7 Surely my Lord does not do anything unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets. 8 A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? My Lord Yahweh has spoken, who will not prophesy? 9 Proclaim to the citadel fortresses in Ashdod and the citadel fortresses in the land of Egypt and say: “Gather on the mountains of Samaria and see the great panic in her midst and the oppression in her midst!”

4 Does a lion roar in the bushes

when it doesn’t have any food?

Does it growl in its den

when it hasn’t caught anything?

5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground

where no one has set a trap for it?

Does a net spring up from the earth

when there isn’t anything for it to catch?

6 When someone blows a trumpet in a city,

don’t the people tremble with fear?

When trouble comes to a city,

hasn’t the Lord caused it?

7 The Lord and King never does anything

without telling his servants the prophets about it.

8 A lion has roared.

Who isn’t afraid?

The Lord and King has spoken.

Who can do anything but prophesy?

9 Speak to the people in the forts of Ashdod and Egypt.

Tell them, “Gather together

on the mountains of Samaria.

Look at the great trouble in that city.

Its people are committing many crimes.”

4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?

Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something?

5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?

Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

6 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?

If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing

Unless He reveals His secret counsel

To His servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her and the oppressions in her midst.