All the Tribes Are Guilty

Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire [a](A)family which [b]He brought up from the land of Egypt:

(B)You only have I [c]known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will [d](C)punish you for all your wrongdoing.”
Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?
Does a (D)lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion [e]growl from his den unless he has captured something?
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no [f]device in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
If a (E)trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?
If a (F)disaster occurs in a city, has the Lord not brought it about?
[g]Certainly the Lord [h]God does nothing
Unless He (G)reveals His secret plan
To His servants the prophets.
A (H)lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The (I)Lord God has spoken! (J)Who can do anything but prophesy?

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:1 I.e., nation
  2. Amos 3:1 Lit I
  3. Amos 3:2 Or chosen
  4. Amos 3:2 Lit visit
  5. Amos 3:4 Lit give his voice
  6. Amos 3:5 Lit snare
  7. Amos 3:7 Or For
  8. Amos 3:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch

Words of doom for Israel

Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought out of the land of Egypt:

You only have I loved so deeply
        of all the families of the earth.
    Therefore, I will punish you
        for all your wrongdoing.
    Will two people walk together
        unless they have agreed to do so?[a]
    Does a lion roar in the forest
        when it has no prey?
    Does a young lion cry out from its den
        if it has caught nothing?
    Will a bird fall into a trap on the ground
        when there is no bait for it?
    Will a trap spring up from the ground
        when it has taken nothing?
    If a ram’s horn is blown in a city,
        won’t people tremble?
    If disaster falls on a city,
        is it the Lord who has done it?
    Surely the Lord God does nothing
        without revealing his secret
        to his servants the prophets.

    A lion has roared;
        who will not fear?
    The Lord God has spoken;
        who can but prophesy?

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:3 Or Will two walk together unless they have agreed?

Witnesses Summoned Against Israel

Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you(A)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:(B)

“You only have I chosen(C)
    of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish(D) you
    for all your sins.(E)

Do two walk together
    unless they have agreed to do so?
Does a lion roar(F) in the thicket
    when it has no prey?(G)
Does it growl in its den
    when it has caught nothing?
Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
    when no bait(H) is there?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
    if it has not caught anything?
When a trumpet(I) sounds in a city,
    do not the people tremble?
When disaster(J) comes to a city,
    has not the Lord caused it?(K)

Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
    without revealing his plan(L)
    to his servants the prophets.(M)

The lion(N) has roared(O)
    who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
    who can but prophesy?(P)

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