Amos 3:1–4:13

Authority of the Prophet’s Message

3 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:

2 “You aonly have I known of all the families of the earth;

bTherefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

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

Will a young lion 1cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

5 Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no 2trap for it?

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

6 If a 3trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?

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

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,

Unless dHe reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared!

Who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken!

eWho can but prophesy?

Punishment of Israel’s Sins

9 “Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod,4

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 5oppressed within her.

10 For they fdo not know to do right,’

Says the Lord,

‘Who store up violence and 6robbery in their palaces.’ ”

11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“An adversary shall be all around the land;

He shall sap your strength from you,

And your palaces shall be plundered.”

12 Thus says the Lord:

“As a shepherd 7takes from the mouth of a lion

Two legs or a piece of an ear,

So shall the children of Israel be taken out

Who dwell in Samaria—

In the corner of a bed and 8on the edge of a couch!

13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”

Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,

14 “That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions,

I will also visit destruction on the altars of gBethel;

And the horns of the altar shall be cut off

And fall to the ground.

15 I will 9destroy hthe winter house along with ithe summer house;

The jhouses of ivory shall perish,

And the great houses shall have an end,”

Says the Lord.

4 Hear this word, you acows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria,

Who oppress the bpoor,

Who crush the needy,

Who say to 1your husbands, “Bring wine, let us cdrink!”

2 dThe Lord God has sworn by His holiness:

“Behold, the days shall come upon you

When He will take you away ewith fishhooks,

And your posterity with fishhooks.

3 fYou will go out through broken walls,

Each one straight ahead of her,

And you will 2be cast into Harmon,”

Says the Lord.

4 “Come gto Bethel and transgress,

At hGilgal multiply transgression;

iBring your sacrifices every morning,

jYour tithes every three 3days.

5 kOffer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,

Proclaim and announce lthe freewill offerings;

For this you love,

You children of Israel!”

Says the Lord God.

Israel Did Not Accept Correction

6 “Also I gave you 4cleanness of teeth in all your cities.

And lack of bread in all your places;

mYet you have not returned to Me,”

Says the Lord.

7 “I also withheld rain from you,

When there were still three months to the harvest.

I made it rain on one city,

I withheld rain from another city.

One part was rained upon,

And where it did not rain the part withered.

8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,

But they were not satisfied;

Yet you have not returned to Me,”

Says the Lord.

9 “I nblasted you with blight and mildew.

When your gardens increased,

Your vineyards,

Your fig trees,

And your olive trees,

oThe locust devoured them;

Yet you have not returned to Me,”

Says the Lord.

10 “I sent among you a plague pafter the manner of Egypt;

Your young men I killed with a sword,

Along with your captive horses;

I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils;

Yet you have not returned to Me,”

Says the Lord.

11 “I overthrew some of you,

As God overthrew qSodom and Gomorrah,

And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;

Yet you have not returned to Me,”

Says the Lord.

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

Because I will do this to you,

rPrepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

13 For behold,

He who forms mountains,

And creates the 5wind,

sWho declares to man what 6his thought is,

And makes the morning darkness,

tWho treads the high places of the earth—

uThe Lord God of hosts is His name.