Amos 3:4

Amos 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
• New International Version (NIV)Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey? Does it growl in its den when it has caught nothing?
• English Standard Version (ESV)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?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

Context of Amos 3:4

2“I have known [chosen, cared for, and loved] only you of all the families of the earth; Therefore I shall punish you for all your wickedness.” 3Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment? Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl from his den if he has not captured something? 5Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has caught nothing at all? [Of course not! So it is that Israel has earned her impending judgment.] 6If a trumpet is blown in a city [warning of danger] will not the people tremble? If a disaster or misfortune occurs in a city has not the Lord caused it?

Amos 3:4 word by word

הֲיִשְׁאַ֤ג אַרְיֵה֙ בַּיַּ֔עַר וְטֶ֖רֶף אֵ֣ין ל֑וֹ הֲיִתֵּ֨ן כְּפִ֤יר קוֹלוֹ֙ מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ בִּלְתִּ֖י אִם־לָכָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Will a lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• roarשָׁאַגshâ'ag · to roarH7580
• in the forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• when he hath no preyטֶ֫רֶףţereph · preyH2964
• will a young lionכְּפִירkephîyr · lionH3715
• cry outקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• cry outנָתַןnâthan · to give: cry outH5414
• of his denמְעֹנָהme‛ônâh me‛ônâh · habitationH4585
• if he have takenלָכַדlâkad · to captureH3920
• nothingבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115

Cross-references for Amos 3:4

• Amos 3:8The lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?
• Amos 1:2And he said, “The Lord thunders and roars from Zion [in judgment] And utters His voice from Jerusalem; Then the pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the summit of [Mount] Carmel dries up [because of God’s judgment].”
• Psalms 104:21The young lions roar after their prey And seek their food from God.
• Hosea 11:10They will walk after the Lord [in obedience and worship], Who will roar like a lion; He will roar [summoning them] And His sons will come trembling from the west.

Commentaries on Amos 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Will a lion roar - Should I threaten such a judgment without cause?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? - Then, further, each question by itself suggests its own thought. Amos had already, in repeating Joel‘s words, spoken of God‘s Voice, under the image of a lion roaring (Amos 1:2; Hosea 11:10 (add Hosea 5:14; Hosea 6:1; Hosea 13:7); Jeremiah 25:30). Hosea had likened Israel to “a silly dove without heat Hosea 7:11; on the other hand, he had likened God‘s loud call to repentance to the roaring of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Amos delivers messages from God. What he predicts will happen to Israel. God is like a roaring lion, and he has already chosen his target—the people of Israel who are ready for judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken conviction in the people. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?--Can God's prophets be so unanimous in prophesying against you, if God's Spirit were not joined with them, or if their prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations of coming ruin to the nation (Am 6:1, 3; compare 1Ki 22:18, 24, 27; Jr 43:2)…Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 3:4

• Lion

In the dictionaries

• Agreed
• Lions
• Amos (1)
• God
• Nothing

Commentaries on Amos 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings