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 Living Translation (NLT)The lion has roared— so who isn’t frightened? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— so who can refuse to proclaim his message?

Context of Amos 3:8

6If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it? 7Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy? 9“Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: ‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. 10For they do not know to do right,’ Says the Lord, ‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’ ”

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 3:4Will 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?
• Amos 1:2And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion, And utters His voice from Jerusalem; The pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the top of Carmel withers.”
• Revelation 5:5But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
• Amos 2:12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, And commanded the prophets saying, ‘Do not prophesy!’
• Amos 7:12Then Amaziah said to Amos: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy.
• Job 32:18For I am full of words; The spirit within me compels me.
• Jeremiah 20:9Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
• Acts 4:20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
• Acts 5:20“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

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
• 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