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 the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from 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 punish you for all your iniquities.”

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

Can two walk together, unless they are 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 has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught 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?

Will 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?

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?

If 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?

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 God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to 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

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

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.

“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.

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 do not know to do right,’ Says the Lord, ‘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 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.”

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 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!

13 H ear and speak against the family of Jacob,” says the Lord God, the God of All.

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,” Says the Lord God, 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.

“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.

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.

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.