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

11 Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemy(F) will surround the land;
he will destroy(G) your strongholds
and plunder your citadels.(H)

12 The Lord says:

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

13 Listen and testify(L) against the house of Jacob—
this is the declaration of the Lord God,
the God of Armies.
14 I will punish the altars of Bethel(M)
on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;
the horns of the altar(N) will be cut off
and fall to the ground.(O)
15 I will demolish the winter house(P)
and the summer house;(Q)
the houses inlaid with ivory(R) will be destroyed,
and the great houses(S) will come to an end.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

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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

    Proclaim it to the palaces of Ashdod
        and to the palaces in the land of Egypt.
    Say, “Gather yourselves on Mount Samaria,
        and see the great turmoil in the city,
        and what violent deeds are inside it.”
10 They don’t know how to do right,
says the Lord
        those who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore, the Lord my God proclaims:
        An enemy will surround the land;
    he will bring you down from your protected places,
        and your palaces will be robbed.

12 The Lord proclaims:

Just as the shepherd rescues two legs or the piece of an ear from the mouth of the lion, so will the people of Israel be rescued. Those who live in Samaria will escape with the corner of a bed, and those in Damascus with a piece of a couch.[a]

13 Hear this and speak against the house of Jacob,
        says the Lord God, the God of heavenly forces:
14 On the day I punish the crimes of Israel,
    I will also visit the altars of Bethel;
        the horns of the altar will be cut off
        and will fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house as well as the summer house;
        the houses of ivory will perish;
        the great houses will be swept away,
says the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:12 Heb uncertain