Amos 3

EasyEnglish Bible

The Lord has decided what he will do

3 You Israelites, listen to this message that the Lord speaks against you. This message is to all you people that he saved from Egypt. ² He says, ‘There are many nations of people on the earth. But I chose you alone to belong to me. So I will punish you when you do wrong things.’

The prophet's work

³ If two people travel together, they have first agreed to meet together. ⁴ If a lion roars in the forest, it means that he has killed an animal to eat. A young lion does not shout unless he has caught something.

⁵ If there is no food in a trap, a bird will not fly into it. If the door of the trap closes, it means that it has caught something. ⁶ Also, if the people in a city hear a trumpet's sound, they become very afraid. If bad trouble comes to a city, it means that the Lord has sent it.

⁷ Before the Lord God decides to send trouble, he first tells his prophets about it. ⁸ So now the lion has roared! Everyone should be afraid! The Lord God has spoken, so his prophets must tell his message.

Samaria

⁹ Tell this message now in Ashdod city. Go to the strong cities in Egypt and speak the message there. Say this: ‘Come to the mountains in Samaria. Look at the cruel things that people are doing in Samaria. Many people are afraid.’ ¹⁰ The Lord says, ‘People have forgotten how to be honest. They rob people and they store valuable things in their big houses. They become rich because they are so cruel.’

¹¹ So the Lord God says, ‘Enemies will come to attack your land. They will destroy your strong buildings. They will take all your good things from you.’

¹² The Lord says, ‘When a lion catches a young sheep, the shepherd will try to save as much as he can. He might save only two legs, or a small part of an ear. It will be the same for the Israelites who live in Samaria. They will escape with only a piece of a bed, or a bit of cloth.’

¹³ The Lord God Almighty said to me, ‘Listen! Go and warn the Israelites that they have done wrong things. ¹⁴ I will punish them because they have not obeyed my Law. I will destroy the altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will break off and they will fall to the ground. ¹⁵ I will destroy all their houses, the homes that they live in during the winter, and the ones that they live in during the summer. I will completely destroy all their big, beautiful houses, with their valuable things made from ivory.’ That is what the Lord says.