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, saying:

Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 “ You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

3 C an two walk together, unless they are agreed?

Shall two walk together, except 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 caught nothing?

Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

5 W ill a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?

6 I f 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?

Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?

7 S urely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy? Punishment of Israel’s Sins

The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath 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.

Publish ye in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold what great tumults are therein, and what oppressions in the midst thereof.

10 F or they do not know to do right,’ Says the Lord, ‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’”

For they know not to do right, saith Jehovah, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

11 T herefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered.”

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An adversary there shall be, even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be plundered.

12 T hus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria— In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!

Thus saith Jehovah: As the shepherd rescueth out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued that sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.

13 H ear and testify against the house of Jacob,” Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,

Hear ye, and testify against the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of hosts.

14 “ That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on 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 shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Beth-el; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

15 I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end,” Says the Lord.

And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith Jehovah.