Amos 3
New Catholic Bible
Charges against Israel
Chapter 3
The First Word. 1 O men of Israel, hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
2 Of all the families of the earth,
you alone have I favored.
That is why I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
The Lord Speaks: Who Would Not Prophesy?
3 Do two people travel together
unless they have first agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den
unless it has caught something?
5 Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth
unless a trap has been set for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground
unless something has been caught in it?
6 Are people not alarmed
if a trumpet sounds in the city?
If disaster strikes a city,
can that occur without the approval of the Lord?[a]
7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants, the prophets.
8 The lion roars;
who will not be frightened?
The Lord God has spoken;
who will not prophesy?
Violence and Pillage in Their Palace
9 Proclaim this from the
palaces of Ashdod
and from the palaces of the land of Egypt:
“Assemble on the hills of Samaria
and observe the great disorders there,
as well as the oppression in her midst.”
10 For they do not know how to do what is right,
says the Lord,
as they store up in their palaces
their ill-gotten gains from violence and robbery.
11 Therefore, this is what the Lord God has to say:
An enemy shall surround your land;
he will tear down your strongholds
and pillage your palaces.
12 The Lord says further:
As the shepherd rescues from the jaws of a lion
two legs or the tip of an ear,
so will the Israelites who live in Samaria be rescued
with the corner of a couch or the edge of a cot.
I Will Deal with the Altars of Bethel
13 Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts:
14 On the day when I punish Israel for its crimes,
I will also deal with the altars of Bethel:
the horns of the altar shall be hacked off
and fall to the ground.
15 I shall destroy the winter house
as well as the summer house.
The houses of ivory will perish,
and many mansions will be no more,
says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Amos 3:6 The sufferings experienced by sinners through the permissive will of God are, according to the Old Testament understanding, attributed to the Lord.
Amos 3
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Speaks Against Israel
3 Hear this word which Yahweh has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire [a](A)family which [b]He brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 “(B)You only have I known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will [c](C)punish you for all your iniquities.”
3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an [d]appointment?
4 Does a (D)lion roar in the forest when it has no prey?
Does a young lion give forth its voice from its den unless it has captured something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no [e]bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
6 If a (E)trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a (F)calamity happens in a city has not Yahweh done it?
7 [f]Surely Lord Yahweh does nothing
Unless He (G)reveals His secret counsel
To His slaves the prophets.
8 A (H)lion has roared! Who will not fear?
(I)Lord Yahweh has spoken! (J)Who can but prophesy?
9 Make it heard on the citadels in (K)Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Gather yourselves on the (L)mountains of Samaria and see the great confusions within her and the (M)oppressions in her midst. 10 But they (N)do not know how to do what is right,” declares Yahweh, “these who (O)hoard up [g]violence and devastation in their citadels.”
11 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh,
“An (P)adversary, even one surrounding the land,
Will pull down your [h]strength from you,
And your (Q)citadels will be plundered.”
12 Thus says Yahweh,
“Just as the shepherd (R)delivers from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,
So will the sons of Israel inhabiting Samaria be delivered—
With the (S)corner of a bed and the [i](T)cover of a couch!
13 Hear and (U)testify against the house of Jacob,”
Declares Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts.
14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s transgressions,
I will also punish the altars of (V)Bethel;
The horns of the altar will be cut in pieces,
And they will fall to the ground.
15 I will also strike the [j](W)winter house together with the (X)summer house;
The houses of [k](Y)ivory will also perish,
And the (Z)great houses will come to an end,”
Declares Yahweh.
Amos 3
New King James Version
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(A) only have I known of all the families of the earth;
(B)Therefore 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 [a]cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
5 Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no [b]trap for it?
Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?
6 If a [c]trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
(C)If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless (D)He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken!
(E)Who can but prophesy?
Punishment of Israel’s Sins
9 “Proclaim in the palaces at [d]Ashdod,
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 [e]oppressed within her.
10 For they (F)do not know to do right,’
Says the Lord,
‘Who store up violence and [f]robbery 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 [g]takes 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 [h]on 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 (G)Bethel;
And the horns of the altar shall be cut off
And fall to the ground.
15 I will [i]destroy (H)the winter house along with (I)the summer house;
The (J)houses of ivory shall perish,
And the great houses shall have an end,”
Says the Lord.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
