4 The rhetorical questions in vv. 3–5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7–8. Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6). Each of these meetings is disastrous.
5 Heb “without having prey [or “food”].”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Do two walk together,

unless they have agreed to meet?

Does a lion roar in the forest,

when he has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from his den,

if he has taken nothing?

Does a bird fall in 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?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Do two walk together

unless they have agreed to do so?

Does a lion roar in the thicket

when it has no prey?

Does it growl in its den

when it has caught nothing?

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?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Can two walk together

without agreeing to meet?

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?

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?

NLTNew Living Translation

Can two people walk together

without agreeing on the direction?

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?

Does a bird ever get caught in a trap

that has no bait?

Does a trap spring shut

when there’s nothing to catch?

Do two walk together unless they have met? 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? 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?

KJV 1900King James Version

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

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?

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?

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Amos 3:3–5

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Footnotes