Amos 3

God’s Reasons for Punishing Israel

1Listen to this message that the Lord has spoken against you, Israelites, against the entire clan that I brought from the land of Egypt: # 3:1 Am 2:10

2I have known only you # 3:2 Ex 19:5–6; Dt 4:32–37

out of all the clans of the earth;

therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities. # 3:2 Jr 14:10; Ezk 20:36; Dn 9:12

3Can two walk together # 3:3 Lv 26:23–24

without agreeing to meet?

4Does a lion roar # 3:4 Ps 104:21; Hs 5:14; 11:10 in the forest

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion growl from its lair

unless it has captured something?

5Does 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?

6If a ram’s horn # 3:6 Jr 4:5,19,21; 6:1; Hs 5:8; Zph 1:16 is blown in a city,

aren’t people afraid? # 3:6 Nm 10:9; Jr 4:19; Jl 2:1

If a disaster # 3:6 Is 14:24–27; 45:7 occurs in a city,

hasn’t the Lord done it? # 3:6 Lm 3:37–39

7Indeed, the Lord God does nothing

without revealing his counsel

to his servants the prophets. # 3:7 Gn 18:17; Jr 23:18,22; Jnh 1:2

8A lion has roared; # 3:8 Am 1:2

who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken; # 3:8 Jnh 1:1–3; 3:1–3

who will not prophesy? # 3:8 Jr 6:10–11; 20:9

9Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod # 3:9 1Sm 5:1; Am 1:8

and on the citadels in the land of Egypt:

Assemble on the mountains of Samaria, # 3:9 Am 4:1; 6:1

and see the great turmoil in the city

and the acts of oppression within it. # 3:9 Am 5:11; 6:8

10The people are incapable of doing right # 3:10 Ps 14:4; Jr 4:22; Am 5:7; 6:12 —

this is the Lord’s declaration —

those who store up violence and destruction # 3:10 Hab 2:8–10; Zph 1:9; Zch 5:3–4

in their citadels.

11Therefore, the Lord God says:

An enemy # 3:11 Am 6:14 will surround the land;

he will destroy # 3:11 Am 2:14 your strongholds

and plunder your citadels. # 3:11 2Kg 17:5–6; 18:9–12

12The Lord says:

As the shepherd snatches two legs

or a piece of an ear

from the lion’s mouth, # 3:12 1Sm 17:34–37

so the Israelites who live in Samaria

will be rescued

with only the corner of a bed # 3:12 Ps 132:3

or the # 3:12 Or Israelites will be rescued, those who sit in Samaria on a corner of a bed or a cushion # 3:12 Hb obscure of a couch. # 3:12 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Syr, Tg, Vg read or in Damascus,# 3:12 Est 1:6; 7:8; Am 6:4

13Listen and testify # 3:13 Ezk 2:7 against the house of Jacob —

this is the declaration of the Lord God,

the God of Armies.

14I will punish the altars of Bethel # 3:14 Hs 10:5–8,14–15; Am 4:4; 5:5–6; 7:10,13

on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;

the horns of the altar # 3:14 Lv 8:15; 16:18–19; 1Kg 1:50–51; 2:28; Ps 118:27 will be cut off

and fall to the ground. # 3:14 Hs 10:1–2

15I will demolish the winter house # 3:15 Jr 36:22

and the summer house; # 3:15 Jdg 3:20

the houses inlaid with ivory # 3:15 1Kg 22:39; 2Ch 9:17; Am 6:4 will be destroyed,

and the great houses # 3:15 Am 2:5; 6:11 will come to an end.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Currently Selected:

Amos 3: CSB

Highlight

Copy

Compare

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Learn More About Christian Standard Bible

Amos 3

1Hear this word that Hashem hath spoken against you, O Bnei Yisroel, against the kol hamishpochoh which I brought up from Eretz Mitzrayim, saying:

2You only have I known of all the mishpechot ha'adamah:

therefore I will punish you for kol avonotechem.

3Can shnayim walk together,

except they be agreed?

4Will an aryeh roar in the thicket,

when he hath no prey?

Will a lion roar from his den,

if he has taken nothing?

5Can a bird fall in a pach ha'aretz (trap on the ground),

when his snare is not set?

Can a pach spring up from ha'aretz

without making a capture?

6Shall a shofar be blown in the city,

and the people not be afraid?

Shall there be disaster in a city,

and Hashem hath not caused it?

7Surely Adonoi Hashem will do nothing,

but He revealeth His sod (secret)

unto His avadim hanevi'im.

8The aryeh hath roared,

who will not fear?

Adonoi Hashem hath spoken,

who can but prophesy?

9Publish in the fortresses at Ashdod,

and in the fortresses in Eretz Mitzrayim,

and say: Assemble yourselves upon harei Shomron,

and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof,

and the oppression in the midst thereof.

10For they have no da'as to do right, saith Hashem,

who store up chamas and shod in their fortresses.

11Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem:

An adversary shall surround the land;

and he shall bring down thy strongholds from thee,

and thy fortresses shall be plundered.

12Thus saith Hashem: As the ro'eh taketh out of the mouth of the aryeh two legs, or a piece of an ozen; so shall the Bnei Yisroel be saved that dwell in Shomron — with the corner of a mittah (bed), and the edge of a couch.

13Hear ye, and testify against Bais Ya'akov,

saith Adonoi Hashem, Elohei HaTzva'os,

14On the Yom that I visit her

to punish the peysha'im of Yisroel,

I will also visit to punish the mizbechot of Beit-El;

and the horns of the mizbe'ach shall be cut off,

and fall to ha'aretz.

15And I will strike the bais hachoref with the bais hakayitz;

and the batim (houses) of ivory shall perish,

and the batim rabbim (great houses) shall have an end,

saith Hashem.

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

Learn More About The Orthodox Jewish Bible