Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

3 Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole clan that I brought up from the land of Egypt:a 2 “You only have I ⌊chosen⌋b of all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. 3 Do two walk together unless they have met? 4 Does a lion roar in the forest ⌊when he has no prey⌋?c 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!” 10 “They do not know how to do right,” ⌊declares Yahweh⌋,d “those who store up violence and destruction in their citadel fortresses.” 11 Therefore, thus says my Lord Yahweh, “A foe shall surround the land and bring down your strongholds, and your citadel fortresses shall be plundered.” 12 Thus says Yahweh, “Just as the shepherd rescues two legs or a piece of an ear from the mouth of the lion, so shall the ⌊people⌋e of Israel who dwell in Samaria, with the corner of a couch and the damask of a bed.” 13 “Listen and testify against the house of Jacob,” ⌊declares⌋f my Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts. 14 “For on the day I punish Israel for ⌊its transgression⌋,g I will also punish the altars of Bethel and the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. 15 I will ruin the winter house as well as the summer house, and the houses of ivory will perish and the great houses shall come to an end,” ⌊declares⌋h Yahweh.