Amós 3

Authority of the Prophet’s Message

1 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*(Gen. 18:19; Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 7:6; Ps. 147:19) only have I known of all the families of the earth;

*Jer. 14:10; Ezek. 20:36; Dan. 9:12; Matt. 11:22; (Rom. 2:9)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 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 trap for it?

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

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

*Is. 45:7If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,

Unless *Gen. 6:13; 18:17; (Jer. 23:22); Dan. 9:22; (John 15:15)He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared!

Who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken!

*Jer. 20:9; (Mic. 3:8); Acts 4:20; 1 Cor. 9:16Who can but prophesy?

Punishment of Israel’s Sins

9 "Proclaim in the palaces at 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 oppressed within her.

10 For they *Ps. 14:4; Jer. 4:22; Amos 5:7; 6:12do not know to do right,’

Says the Lord,

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

11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:

"An adversary shallbe 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 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 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 *2 Kin. 23:15; Hos. 10:5–8, 14, 15; Amos 4:4Bethel;

And the horns of the altar shall be cut off

And fall to the ground.

15 I will destroy *Jer. 36:22the winter house along with *Judg. 3:20the summer house;

The *1 Kin. 22:39; Ps. 45:8houses of ivory shall perish,

And the great houses shall have an end,"

Says the Lord.