1 H ear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt:

Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:

2 Y ou only have I known (chosen, sympathized with, and loved) of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your wickedness and punish you for all your iniquities.

“You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all of your sins.”

3 D o two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?

Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

4 W ill a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den if he has taken nothing?

Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?

5 C an a bird fall in a snare upon the earth where there is no trap for him? Does a trap spring up from the ground when nothing at all has sprung it?

Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?

6 S hall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be alarmed and afraid? Shall misfortune or evil occur and the Lord has not caused it?

Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does evil happen to a city, and Yahweh hasn’t done it?

7 S urely the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.

Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

8 T he lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?

The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

9 P ublish to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold what great tumults (confusion and disorder) are in her and what oppressions are in the midst of her.

Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them.”

10 F or they know not how to do right, says the Lord, they who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.

“Indeed they don’t know to do right,” says Yahweh, “Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces.”

11 T herefore thus says the Lord God: An adversary shall surround the land, and he shall bring down your defenses from you and your strongholds shall be plundered.

Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: “An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered.”

12 T hus says the Lord: As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued with the corner of a couch and the damask covering of a bed.

Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”

13 H ear and bear witness in the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts,

“Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob,” says the Lord Yahweh, the God of Armies.

14 T hat in the day when I visit Israel’s transgressions upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

“For in the day that I visit the transgressions of Israel on him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground.

15 A nd I will smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish and the many and great houses shall come to an end, says the Lord.

I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end,” says Yahweh.