Amos 3
Modern English Version
First Pronouncement of Punishment
3 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:
2 You alone have I known
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
3 Do two people walk together,
if they have not agreed?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest,
if it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den,
if it has not caught something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground,
if there was no snare for it?
Does a trap spring up from the ground,
if it has not caught something?
6 If the trumpet blasts in the city,
are not the people frightened?
If there is disaster against a city,
is it not the Lord who has done it?
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing
without revealing His purpose
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 the fortresses in the land of Egypt, and say:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria,
and see the great disorders within her,
and the oppression in her midst.”
10 They do not know how to do right, says the Lord,
storing up violence and destruction in their fortresses.
11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
An enemy will surround your land;
he will tear down your defenses,
and your fortresses will be plundered.
12 Thus says the Lord:
As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion
a pair of legs or a piece of an ear,
so will the children of Israel be rescued,
those who live in Samaria,
with the corner of a bed
or a piece of a couch.
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of Hosts:
14 Surely on the day I punish the transgressions of Israel,
I will also punish the altars of Bethel;
the horns of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 I will destroy the winter house
as well as the summer house,
and the houses of ivory will perish;
the great houses will come to an end,
says the Lord.
Amos 3
Authorized (King James) Version
3 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you,
O children of Israel,
against the whole family
which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth:
therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?
will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him?
shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?
shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing,
but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear?
the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod,
and in the palaces in the land of Egypt,
and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,
and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,
and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord,
who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God;
An adversary there shall be even round about the land;
and he shall bring down thy strength from thee,
and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
12 Thus saith the Lord;
As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs,
or a piece of an ear;
so shall the children of Israel be taken out
that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed,
and in Damascus in a couch.
13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob,
saith the Lord God, the God of hosts,
14 that in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him
I will also visit the altars of Beth-el:
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off,
and fall to the ground.
15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house;
and the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall have an end,
saith the Lord.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.