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 ram’s horn sounds an alarm in a city, won’t the people be alarmed? If there is a disaster in a city, hasn’t the Lord done it? 7Certainly, the Almighty Lord doesn’t do anything unless he ⌞first⌟ reveals his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared. Who isn’t afraid? The Almighty Lord has spoken. Who can keep from prophesying? 9Announce in the palaces of Ashdod and in the palaces of Egypt, “Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. See the widespread confusion and oppression in Samaria.” 10Those who collect profits in their palaces through violent and destructive acts don’t know how to do what is right, declares the Lord.

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 if it has no prey? Does a young lion growl in its den unless it has caught something?
• Amos 1:2He said: The Lord roars from Zion, and his voice thunders from Jerusalem. The pastures of the shepherds are turning brown, and the top of ⌞Mount⌟ Carmel is dried up.
• Revelation 5:5Then one of the leaders said to me, “Stop crying! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and the seven seals on it.”
• Amos 2:12You made the Nazirites drink wine. You commanded the prophets to stop prophesying.
• Amos 7:12Then Amaziah said to Amos, “You seer, run away to Judah! Eat there, and prophesy there!
• Job 32:18I’m full of words. The Spirit within me forces me ⌞to speak⌟.
• Jeremiah 20:9I think to myself, “I can forget the Lord and no longer speak his name.” But ⌞his word⌟ is inside me like a burning fire shut up in my bones. I wear myself out holding it in, but I can’t do it any longer.
• Acts 4:20We cannot stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.”
• Acts 5:20The angel told them, “Stand in the temple courtyard, and tell the people everything about life ⌞in Christ⌟.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:16If I spread the Good News, I have nothing to brag about because I have an obligation to do this. How horrible it will be for me if I don’t spread the Good News!

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