Amos 3:4

4 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?

Amos 3:4 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 3:4

Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey?
&c.] He will not, unless he has it in his sight, or in his paws; he roars when he first sees it, whereby he terrifies the creature, that it cannot move till he comes up to it; and when he has got it in his paws, he roars over it, to invite others to partake with him. Now prophecy from the Lord is compared to the roaring of a lion, ( Amos 1:2 ) ; and this is never in a way of judgment without a cause; the sin of men, or of a nation, which makes them a prey to the wrath and fury of God; will a young lion cry,
or "give forth his voice"; out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
that is, if the old lion has taken nothing, and brought nothing unto him; which signifies the same as before; unless by the young lion is meant the prophets of the Lord, who never prophesy but when they have a commission from him, and a people are pointed out to them as the just prey of his wrath and vengeance. All the images here used are very natural; the lion is for the most part in woods and forests, hence called the "lion out of the forest", ( Jeremiah 5:6 ) ; as he is by Theocritus F4; where his voice is heard, but not unless he is in sight of his prey, or has got it, even though ever so hungry; but when he has it in view, he roars so terribly, that, as Basil F5 observes, many animals that could escape him through their swiftness, yet are so frightened at his roaring, that they have no power to move; and they have their dens either in caves or in thickets, where are the she lioness and the young lions, to whom the prey is brought; see ( Nahum 2:11 Nahum 2:12 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (ek drumoio lewn) , Theocrit. Idyll. 1.
F5 In Hexaemeron, Homil. 9.

Amos 3:4 In-Context

2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
4 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 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
The King James Version is in the public domain.