III. aHear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, bO children of Israel,

Against the whole family cwhich I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

2  dYou only ehave I known of all the families of the earth:

fTherefore I will * punish you for all your iniquities.

3  gCan two walk together, except they be agreed?

4  hWill ia lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?

iWill a young lion * cry out of his kden, if he have taken nothing?

5  lCan a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him?

lShall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

6  eeShall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people * not be afraid?

ffShall there be ggevil in a city, * and ffthe Lord hath not done it?

7  Surely the Lord God will do nothing,

hhBut he revealeth jhis secret unto his servants the prophets.

8  iThe lion hath roared, who will not fear?

The Lord God hath spoken, kkwho can but prophesy?

9  Publish in the palaces at llAshdod,

And in the palaces in the land of Egypt,

And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of mSamaria,

And behold the great tumults in the midst thereof.

And the * noppressed in the midst thereof.

10  For othey know not to do right, saith the Lord,

Who store up ooviolence and * robbery in their palaces.

11  Therefore thus saith the Lord God;

pAn adversary there shall be even round about the land;

And he shall bring down thy strength from thee,

And pthy palaces shall be spoiled.

12  Thus saith the Lord;

As the shepherd * taketh out of the mouth of the lion qtwo legs, or qa piece of an ear;

So shall the children of Israel be taken out

That dwell in mSamaria rin the corner of a bed, and * rrin Damascus in a couch.

13  aHear ye, and testify sin the house of Jacob,

Saith the Lord God, ssthe God of hosts,

14  That in the day that I shall * visit the transgressions of Israel upon him

I will also * visit tthe altars of uBeth-el:

And vthe horns of the altar shall be cut off,

And vfall to the ground.

15  And I wwill smite xthe winter house with ythe summer house;

And zthe houses of ivory shall perish,

And the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.