Amos 3

New International Reader's Version

² “Out of all the families on earth
    I have chosen only you.
So I will punish you
    because you have committed so many sins.”

³ Do two people walk together
    unless they’ve agreed to do so?
⁴ Does a lion roar in the bushes
    when it doesn’t have any food?
Does it growl in its den
    when it hasn’t caught anything?
⁵ Does a bird fly down to a trap on the ground
    when no bait is there?
Does a net spring up from the ground
    when it has not caught anything?
⁶ When someone blows a trumpet in a city,
    don’t the people tremble with fear?
When trouble comes to a city,
    hasn’t the Lord caused it?

⁷ The Lord and King never does anything
    without telling his servants the prophets about it.

⁸ A lion has roared.
    Who isn’t afraid?
The Lord and King has spoken.
    Who can do anything but prophesy?

⁹ Speak to the people in the forts of Ashdod and Egypt.
    Tell them, “Gather together
    on the mountains of Samaria.
Look at the great trouble in that city.
    Its people are committing many crimes.”

¹⁰ “They do not know how to do what is right,”
    announces the Lord.
    “They store up stolen goods in their forts.”

“Enemies will take over your land.
    They will pull down your places of safety.
    They will rob your forts.”

“Suppose a shepherd saves only two leg bones
    from a lion’s mouth.
Or he might save only a piece of an ear.
    That is how the Israelites living in Samaria will be saved.
They will only have a board
    from a bed
and a piece of cloth
    from a couch.”

¹⁴ “I will punish Israel for their sins.
    When I do, I will destroy their altars at Bethel.
The horns that stick out from the upper corners
    of their main altar will be cut off.
    They will fall to the ground.
¹⁵ I will tear down their winter houses.
    I will also pull down their summer houses.
The houses they have decorated with ivory will be destroyed.
    And their princely houses will be torn down,”
    announces the Lord.