1 O people of Israel, hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you and against the whole family which He brought up from the land of Egypt.

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 are the only ones I have chosen among all the families of the earth. So I must punish you for all your sins.”

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

3 D o two men walk together unless they have made an agreement?

Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?

4 D oes a lion make noise among the trees when he has no food? Does a young lion cry out from his home if he has not caught anything?

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 D oes a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no food to tempt it? Does a trap jump up from the ground when it does not catch anything?

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 A re not the people afraid when a horn is blown in a city? When trouble comes to a city, has not the Lord caused 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 F or sure the Lord does not do anything without making His plan known to His servants who speak for Him.

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

8 T he lion has made a noise! Who will not be afraid? The Lord God has spoken! Who can keep from speaking His Word? Israel Will Be Punished for Its Sin

The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?

9 S ay to the people who live in the strong cities of Ashdod and Egypt, “Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. See all the trouble within her and how her people suffer.

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 T hey do not know how to do what is right,” says the Lord. “They store up in their strong cities what they have fought for and robbed.”

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

11 S o the Lord God says, “Those who hate you will gather around the land. They will pull down your strong-places and rob your strong cities.”

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 he Lord says, “As the shepherd saves from the lion’s mouth just two legs or a piece of an ear, so will the people of Israel living in Samaria be saved, with the corner of a bed and a part of a cover.

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 speak against the family of Jacob,” says the Lord God, the God of All.

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

14 “ On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will punish the altars of Bethel. The horns of the altar will 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 together with the summer house. The houses of ivory will be destroyed, and the beautiful houses will come to 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.