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: u

2 I have known only you v

out of all the clans of the earth;

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

3 Can two walk together x

without agreeing to meet? y

4 Does a lion roar z 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 a is blown in a city,

aren’t people afraid? b

If a disaster c 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 Ashdod i

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 right l—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

those who store up violence and destruction m

in their citadels.

11 Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemy n will surround the land;

he will destroy o 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 bed r

or the s cushion t of a couch. u v

13 Listen and testify w against the house of Jacob—

this is the declaration of the Lord God,

the God of * Hosts.

14 I will punish the altars of Bethel x

on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;

the horns of the altar y will be cut off

and fall to the ground. z

15 I will demolish the winter house a

and the summer house; b

the houses inlaid with ivory c will be destroyed,

and the great houses d will come to an end.

This is the Lord’s declaration.