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Why Amos Must Prophesy

People of Israel, listen to this word that the Lord has spoken concerning you, concerning the entire family of clans that I brought up from the land of Egypt:

You alone have I chosen[a] from all the clans of the earth.
    Therefore I will inflict punishment on you for all your guilt.
Can two people walk together without agreeing to do so?
Does a lion roar in the forest if it does not have prey?
    Does a young lion growl from its den if it has not caught anything?
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
    Does a trap spring up from the ground when nothing has tripped it?
If a ram’s horn is sounded in a city, the people become alarmed, don’t they?
    If a disaster takes place in a city, is it not the Lord who has done it?
Certainly the Lord God does not do anything
        without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
A lion has roared! Who can avoid being terrified?
    The Lord God has spoken! Who can hold back from prophesying?

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:2 Literally known

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole clan that I brought up from the land of Egypt:[a] “You only have I chosen[b] of all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Do two walk together unless they have met? Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?[c] Does a fierce, young lion cry out from his den unless he has caught something? Does a bird fall into a trapping net on the earth when there is no snare for it? Does a trapping net spring up from the ground unless it has certainly caught something? Or is a horn blown in a city and people are not afraid? Or does a disaster occur in the city and Yahweh has not done it? Surely my Lord does not do anything unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? My Lord Yahweh has spoken, who will not prophesy?

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:1 Hebrew “Egypt, saying”
  2. Amos 3:2 Literally “known”
  3. Amos 3:4 Literally “and there is no prey to him”