Amos 3–4

CHAPTER 3

Yahweh Speaks Against Israel

¹Hear this word which Yahweh has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire ^1afamily which ²He brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

²“^aYou only have I known among all the families of the earth;

Therefore I will ^1bpunish you for all your iniquities.”

³Do two men walk together unless they have made an ¹appointment?

⁴Does a ^alion roar in the forest when it has no prey?

Does a young lion give forth its voice from its den unless it has captured something?

⁵Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no ¹bait in it?

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

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

If a ^bcalamity happens in a city has not Yahweh done it?

⁷¹Surely Lord Yahweh does nothing

Unless He ^areveals His secret counsel

To His slaves the prophets.

⁸A ^alion has roared! Who will not fear?

^bLord Yahweh has spoken! ^cWho can but prophesy?

⁹Make it heard on the citadels in ^aAshdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Gather yourselves on the ^bmountains of Samaria and see the great confusions within her and the ^coppressions in her midst.

¹⁰“But they ^ado not know how to do what is right,” declares Yahweh, “these who ^bhoard up ¹violence and devastation in their citadels.”

¹¹Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh,

“An ^aadversary, even one surrounding the land,

Will pull down your ¹strength from you,

And your ^bcitadels will be plundered.”

¹²Thus says Yahweh,

“Just as the shepherd ^adelivers from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,

So will the sons of Israel inhabiting Samaria be delivered—

With the ^bcorner of a bed and the ^1ccover of a couch!

¹³“Hear and ^atestify against the house of Jacob,”

Declares Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts.

¹⁴“For on the day that I punish Israel’s transgressions,

I will also punish the altars of ^aBethel;

The horns of the altar will be cut in pieces,

And they will fall to the ground.

¹⁵“I will also strike the ^1awinter house together with the ^bsummer house;

The houses of ^2civory will also perish,

And the ^dgreat houses will come to an end,”

Declares Yahweh.

CHAPTER 4

Yet You Have Not Returned to Me

¹Hear this word, you cows of ^aBashan who are on the ^bmountain of Samaria,

Who ^coppress the poor, who crush the needy,

Who say to their ¹husbands, “Bring now, that we may ^ddrink!”

²Lord Yahweh has ^asworn by His ^bholiness that,

“Behold, the days are coming upon you,

And ¹they will take you away with ^cmeat hooks,

And the last of you with ^dfish hooks.

³“And you will ^ago out through breaches in the walls,

Each one straight before her,

And you ¹will be cast to Harmon,” declares Yahweh.

⁴“Enter Bethel and transgress;

In Gilgal multiply transgression!

^aBring your sacrifices every morning,

Your tithes every three days.

⁵“¹And offer a ^athank offering also from that which is leavened,

And call for ^bfreewill offerings; cause them to be heard about.

For so you ^clove to do, you sons of Israel,”

Declares Lord Yahweh.

⁶“But I gave you also ^acleanness of teeth in all your cities

And lack of bread in all your places,

Yet you have ^bnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.

⁷“And I also ^awithheld the rain from you

While there were still three months until harvest.

Then I would send rain on one city,

And on ^banother city I would not send rain;

One portion would be rained on,

While the portion not rained on would dry up.

⁸“So two or three cities would wander around to another city to drink ^awater,

But would ^bnot be satisfied;

Yet you have ^cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.

⁹“I ^astruck you with scorching wind and mildew;

And the ^bgnawing locust was devouring

Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees;

Yet you have ^cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.

¹⁰“I sent a ^apestilence among you after the manner of Egypt;

I ^bkilled your choice men by the sword along with your ^ccaptured horses,

And I made the ^dstench of your camp rise up even in your nostrils;

Yet you have ^enot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.

¹¹“I overthrew you as ^aGod overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

And you were like a ^bfirebrand ¹delivered from a blaze;

Yet you have ^cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.

¹²“Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;

Because I will do this to you,

Prepare to ^ameet your God, O Israel.”

¹³For behold, He who ^aforms mountains and ^bcreates the wind

And ^cdeclares to man what are His thoughts,

He who ^dmakes dawn into gloom

And ^etreads on the high places of the earth,

^fYahweh God of hosts is His name.