New American Standard Bible 1995

Amos 3

All the Tribes Are Guilty

1Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire 1 2family which 3He brought up from the land of Egypt:2“4You only have I 5chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will 6 7punish you for all your iniquities.”3Do two men walk together unless they have made an 8appointment?4Does a 9lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion 10growl from his den unless he has captured something?5Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no 11bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?6If a 12trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a 13calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?7 14Surely the Lord 15God does nothing Unless He 16reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.8A 17lion has roared! Who will not fear? The 18Lord 19God has spoken! 20Who can but prophesy?

9Proclaim on the citadels in 21Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the 22mountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her and the 23oppressions in her midst. 10But they 24do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who 25hoard up 26violence and devastation in their citadels.”

11Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “An 27enemy, even one surrounding the land, Will pull down your 28strength from you And your 29citadels will be looted.” 12Thus says the Lord, “Just as the shepherd 30 31snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear, So will the sons of Israel dwelling in Samaria be 32snatched away-- With the 33corner of a bed and the 34 35cover of a couch!13Hear and 36testify against the house of Jacob,” Declares the Lord God, the God of hosts.14“For on the day that I punish Israel’s transgressions, I will also punish the altars of 37Bethel; The horns of the altar will be cut off And they will fall to the ground.15I will also smite the 38 39winter house together with the 40summer house; The houses of 41 42ivory will also perish And the 43great houses will come to an end,” Declares the Lord.

Notes

1. Amos 3:1 I.e. nation ↩
2. Amos 3:1 Jer 8:3; 13:11 ↩
3. Amos 3:1 Lit I ↩
4. Amos 3:2 Gen 18:19; Ex 19:5, 6; Deut 4:32-37; 7:6 ↩
5. Amos 3:2 Lit known ↩
6. Amos 3:2 Lit visit ↩
7. Amos 3:2 Jer 14:10; Ezek 20:36; Dan 9:12; Rom 2:9 ↩
8. Amos 3:3 Or agreement ↩
9. Amos 3:4 Ps 104:21; Hos 5:14; 11:10 ↩
10. Amos 3:4 Lit give his voice ↩
11. Amos 3:5 Or striker-bar set ↩
12. Amos 3:6 Jer 4:5, 19, 21; 6:1; Hos 5:8; Zeph 1:16 ↩
13. Amos 3:6 Is 14:24-27; 45:7 ↩
14. Amos 3:7 Or For ↩
15. Amos 3:7 Heb YHWH ↩
16. Amos 3:7 Gen 6:13; 18:17; Jer 23:22; Dan 9:22; John 15:15 ↩
17. Amos 3:8 Amos 1:2 ↩
18. Amos 3:8 Jon 1:1-3; 3:1-3 ↩
19. Amos 3:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch ↩
20. Amos 3:8 Jer 20:9; Acts 4:20 ↩
21. Amos 3:9 1 Sam 5:1 ↩
22. Amos 3:9 Amos 4:1; 6:1 ↩
23. Amos 3:9 Amos 5:11; 8:6 ↩
24. Amos 3:10 Ps 14:4; Jer 4:22; Amos 5:7; 6:12 ↩
25. Amos 3:10 Hab 2:8-10; Zeph 1:9; Zech 5:3, 4 ↩
26. Amos 3:10 I.e. the booty from violence ↩
27. Amos 3:11 Amos 6:14 ↩
28. Amos 3:11 Or stronghold ↩
29. Amos 3:11 Amos 2:5 ↩
30. Amos 3:12 Or delivers ↩
31. Amos 3:12 1 Sam 17:34-37 ↩
32. Amos 3:12 Or delivered ↩
33. Amos 3:12 Ps 132:3 ↩
34. Amos 3:12 Lit damask ↩
35. Amos 3:12 Esth 1:6; 7:8; Amos 6:4 ↩
36. Amos 3:13 Ezek 2:7 ↩
37. Amos 3:14 2 Kin 23:15; Hos 10:5-8, 14, 15; Amos 4:4; 5:5, 6; 7:10, 13 ↩
38. Amos 3:15 Or autumn ↩
39. Amos 3:15 Jer 36:22 ↩
40. Amos 3:15 Judg 3:20 ↩
41. Amos 3:15 I.e. ivory inlay ↩
42. Amos 3:15 1 Kin 22:39; Ps 45:8 ↩
43. Amos 3:15 Amos 2:5; 6:11 ↩

All the Tribes Are Guilty

Notes

Commentaries on Amos 3