11 Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemy(A) will surround the land;
he will destroy(B) your strongholds
and plunder your citadels.(C)

12 The Lord says:

As the shepherd snatches two legs
or a piece of an ear
from the lion’s mouth,(D)
so the Israelites who live in Samaria
will be rescued
with only the corner of a bed(E)
or the[a] cushion[b] of a couch.[c](F)

13 Listen and testify(G) against the house of Jacob—
this is the declaration of the Lord God,
the God of Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:12 Or Israelites will be rescued, those who sit in Samaria on a corner of a bed or a
  2. 3:12 Hb obscure
  3. 3:12 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Syr, Tg, Vg read or in Damascus

11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“An enemy will overrun your land,
    pull down your strongholds
    and plunder your fortresses.(A)

12 This is what the Lord says:

“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s(B) mouth
    only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
    with only the head of a bed
    and a piece of fabric[a] from a couch.[b](C)

13 “Hear this and testify(D) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Amos 3:12 Or Israelites be rescued, / those who sit in Samaria / on the edge of their beds / and in Damascus on their couches.