Amos 3

¹ Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel — against the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:

² "You only have I known
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities."

³ Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to meet?

⁴ Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from his den
unless he has caught something?

⁵ Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground
when there is no bait for it?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
when it has caught nothing?

⁶ If a trumpet is blown in a city,
do the people not tremble?
If disaster comes to a city,
has not the LORD done it?

⁷ Surely the Lord GOD does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants the prophets.

⁸ The lion has roared —
who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken —
who can but prophesy?

⁹ Proclaim to the fortresses in Ashdod
and to the fortresses in the land of Egypt:
"Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria
and see the great tumult within her
and the oppression in her midst."

¹⁰ "They do not know how to do right,"
declares the LORD,
"those who store up violence and robbery
in their fortresses."

¹¹ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"An adversary will surround the land;
he will strip you of your defenses,
and your fortresses will be plundered."

¹² Thus says the LORD:
"As a shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion
two legs or a piece of an ear,
so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued —
with the corner of a couch
and the edge of a bed."

¹³ "Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,"
declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts.

¹⁴ "On the day I punish Israel for his transgressions,
I will punish the altars of Bethel;
the horns of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.

¹⁵ I will strike the winter house along with the summer house,
and the houses of ivory will perish,
and the great houses will come to an end,"
declares the LORD.