Israel's Guilt and Punishment

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

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

“Do two walk together,
    unless they have agreed to meet?
Does a lion roar in the forest,
    when he has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from his den,
    if he has taken nothing?
Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth,
    when there is no trap for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground,
    when it has taken nothing?
(D)Is a trumpet blown in a city,
    and the people are not afraid?
(E)Does disaster come to a city,
    unless the Lord has done it?

“For the Lord God does nothing
    (F)without revealing his secret
    to his servants the prophets.
The lion has roared;
    who will not fear?
(G)The Lord God has spoken;
    who can but prophesy?”

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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)

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 3:3 LXX reads without meeting