3:1 Hear this word which the LORD has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire ①family which ②He brought up from the land of Egypt:
▷ ①I.e., nation ②Lit I
3:2 “You only have I ①known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will ②punish you for all your wrongdoing.”
▷ ①Or chosen ②Lit visit
3:3 Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?
3:4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion ①growl from his den unless he has captured something?
▷ ①Lit give his voice
3:5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no ①device in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
▷ ①Lit snare
3:6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?
If a disaster occurs in a city, has the LORD not brought it about?
3:7 ①Certainly the Lord ②GOD does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret plan
To His servants the prophets.
▷ ①Or For ②Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
3:8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?
3:9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great panic within her and the oppressions in her midst.
3:10 But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the LORD, “these who store up ①violence and devastation in their citadels.”
▷ ①I.e., the plunder from violence
3:11 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says:
“An enemy, one surrounding the land,
Will take down your fortifications from you,
And your citadels will be looted.”
3:12 This is what the LORD says:
“Just as the shepherd ①snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,
So will the sons of Israel living in Samaria be ②snatched away—
With the corner of a bed and the ③cover of a couch!
▷ ①Or rescues ②Or rescued ③Or headrest; lit damask
3:13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”
Declares the Lord GOD, the God of armies.
3:14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s offenses,
I will also punish the altars of Bethel;
The horns of the altar will be cut off,
And will fall to the ground.
3:15 I will also strike the winter house together with the summer house;
The houses of ①ivory will also perish,
And the great houses will come to an end,”
Declares the LORD.
▷ ①I.e., ivory inlay