God’s Reasons for Punishing Israel

Listen to this message that the Lord has spoken against you, Israelites, against the entire clan that I brought from the land of Egypt:(A)

I have known only you(B)
out of all the clans of the earth;
therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.(C)
Can two walk together(D)
without agreeing to meet?[a]
Does a lion roar(E) in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from its lair
unless it has captured something?
Does a bird land in a trap on the ground
if there is no bait for it?
Does a trap spring from the ground
when it has caught nothing?
If a ram’s horn(F) is blown in a city,
aren’t people afraid?(G)
If a disaster(H) occurs in a city,
hasn’t the Lord done it?(I)
Indeed, the Lord God does nothing
without revealing His counsel
to His servants the prophets.(J)
A lion has roared;(K)
who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;(L)
who will not prophesy?(M)

Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod(N)
and on the citadels in the land of Egypt:
Assemble on the mountains of Samaria(O)
and see the great turmoil in the city
and the acts of oppression within it.(P)
10 The people are incapable of doing right(Q)
this is the Lord’s declaration—
those who store up violence and destruction(R)
in their citadels.

11 Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemy(S) will surround the land;
he will destroy(T) your strongholds
and plunder your citadels.(U)

12 The Lord says:

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

13 Listen and testify(Y) against the house of Jacob—
this is the declaration of the Lord God,
the God of Hosts.
14 I will punish the altars of Bethel(Z)
on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;
the horns of the altar(AA) will be cut off
and fall to the ground.(AB)
15 I will demolish the winter house(AC)
and the summer house;(AD)
the houses inlaid with ivory(AE) will be destroyed,
and the great houses(AF) will come to an end.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:3 LXX reads without meeting
  2. Amos 3:12 Or Israelites will be rescued, those who sit in Samaria on a corner of a bed or a
  3. Amos 3:12 Hb obscure
  4. Amos 3:12 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Syr, Tg, Vg read or in Damascus

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)

Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod(Q)
    and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;(R)
    see the great unrest within her
    and the oppression among her people.”

10 “They do not know how to do right,(S)” declares the Lord,
    “who store up in their fortresses(T)
    what they have plundered(U) and looted.”

11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

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

12 This is what the Lord says:

“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s(W) 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](X)

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

14 “On the day I punish(Z) Israel for her sins,
    I will destroy the altars of Bethel;(AA)
the horns(AB) of the altar will be cut off
    and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house(AC)
    along with the summer house;(AD)
the houses adorned with ivory(AE) will be destroyed
    and the mansions(AF) will be demolished,(AG)
declares the Lord.(AH)

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.

以色列负恩干罪主加重报

以色列人哪,你们全家是我从埃及地领上来的,当听耶和华攻击你们的话: 在地上万族中我只认识你们,因此,我必追讨你们的一切罪孽。 二人若不同心,岂能同行呢? 狮子若非抓食,岂能在林中咆哮呢?少壮狮子若无所得,岂能从洞中发声呢? 若没有机槛,雀鸟岂能陷在网罗里呢?网罗若无所得,岂能从地上翻起呢? 城中若吹角,百姓岂不惊恐呢?灾祸若临到一城,岂非耶和华所降的吗? 主耶和华若不将奥秘指示他的仆人众先知,就一无所行。 狮子吼叫,谁不惧怕呢?

耶和华降命先知不敢不宣

“主耶和华发命,谁能不说预言呢?

“要在亚实突的宫殿中和埃及地的宫殿里传扬说:‘你们要聚集在撒马利亚的山上,就看见城中有何等大的扰乱与欺压的事!’ 10 那些以强暴抢夺财物,积蓄在自己家中的人,不知道行正直的事。”这是耶和华说的。 11 所以主耶和华如此说:“敌人必来围攻这地,使你的势力衰微,抢掠你的家宅。” 12 耶和华如此说:“牧人怎样从狮子口中抢回两条羊腿或半个耳朵,住撒马利亚以色列人躺卧在床角上或铺绣花毯的榻上,他们得救也不过如此。”

伯特利坛必毁

13 主耶和华万军之神说:“当听这话,警戒雅各家。 14 我讨以色列罪的日子,也要讨伯特利祭坛的罪,坛角必被砍下,坠落于地。 15 我要拆毁过冬和过夏的房屋,象牙的房屋也必毁灭,高大的房屋都归无有。”这是耶和华说的。

Authority of the Prophet’s Message

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:

“You(A) only have I known of all the families of the earth;
(B)Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
Will a young lion [a]cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no [b]trap for it?
Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?
If a [c]trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
(C)If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless (D)He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken!
(E)Who can but prophesy?

Punishment of Israel’s Sins

“Proclaim in the palaces at [d]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 [e]oppressed within her.
10 For they (F)do not know to do right,’
Says the Lord,
‘Who store up violence and [f]robbery in their palaces.’ ”

11 Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“An adversary shall be 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 [g]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 [h]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 (G)Bethel;
And the horns of the altar shall be cut off
And fall to the ground.
15 I will [i]destroy (H)the winter house along with (I)the summer house;
The (J)houses of ivory shall perish,
And the great houses shall have an end,”
Says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:4 Lit. give his voice
  2. Amos 3:5 Or bait or lure
  3. Amos 3:6 ram’s horn
  4. Amos 3:9 So with MT; LXX Assyria
  5. Amos 3:9 Or oppression
  6. Amos 3:10 Or devastation
  7. Amos 3:12 Or snatches
  8. Amos 3:12 Heb. uncertain, possibly on the cover
  9. Amos 3:15 Lit. strike