Amos 3:8

Amos 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
• New International Version (NIV)The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— who can but prophesy?
• English Standard Version (ESV)The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

Context of Amos 3:8

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? 7Surely the Lord God does nothing Without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] To His servants the prophets. The lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy? 9Proclaim on the fortresses in Ashdod (Philistia) and on the citadels in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great confusion within her and the oppressions and abuse of authority in her midst. 10For they do not know how to do right,” says the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation [like treasures] in their strongholds.”

Amos 3:8 word by word

אַרְיֵ֥ה שָׁאָ֖ג מִ֣י לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ דִּבֶּ֔ר מִ֖י לֹ֥א יִנָּבֵֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• hath roaredשָׁאַגshâ'ag · to roarH7580
• who will notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• hath spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• who can but prophesyנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012

Cross-references for Amos 3:8

• Amos 3:4Does 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?
• 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].”
• Revelation 5:5Then one of the [twenty-four] elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look closely, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome and conquered! He can open the scroll and [break] its seven seals.”
• Amos 2:12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink [despite their vows] And commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’
• Amos 7:12Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, run for your life [from Israel] to the land of Judah [your own country] and eat bread and live as a prophet there!
• Job 32:18For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.
• Jeremiah 20:9If I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak His name anymore,” Then my heart becomes a burning fire Shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot endure it [nor contain it any longer].
• Acts 4:20for we, on our part, cannot stop telling [people] about what we have seen and heard.”
• Acts 5:20“Go, stand and continue to tell the people in the temple [courtyards] the whole message of this Life [the eternal life revealed by Christ and found through faith in Him].”
• 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]!

Commentaries on Amos 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The lion hath roared - God hath sent forth a terrible alarm, Who will not fear? Can any hear such denunciations of Divine wrath and not tremble? The Lord God hath spoken - And those only who are in communion with him have heard the speech. Who can but prophesy? Who can help proclaiming at large the judgment threatened against the nation? But I think נבא naba, here, is to be taken in its natural and ideal signification, to pray, supplicate, or deprecate…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The Lion hath roared: who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken: who can but prophesy? - that is, there is cause for you to fear, when the Lord “roareth from Zion;” but if ye fear not, God‘s prophets dare not but fear. So Paul saith, “necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation” of the Gospel “is committed unto me” 1 Corinthians…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8God, like a lion, has roared from Mount Zion (Amos 1:2) and urged Amos to prophesy (see 7:14–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. As when "the lion roars" (compare Am 1:2; Am 3:4), none can help but "fear," so when Jehovah communicates His awful message, the prophet cannot but prophesy. Find not fault with me for prophesying; I must obey God. In a wider sense true of all believers (Ac 4:20; 5:29).Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 3:8

• Prophets

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Agreed
• Amos (1)
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Semites, Semitic Religion

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