Amos 3:3-13

3 Two people will not walk together unless they have agreed to do so.

4 A lion in the forest does not roar unless it has caught an animal; it does not growl in its den when it has caught nothing.

5 A bird will not fall into a trap where there is no bait; the trap will not spring shut if there is nothing to catch.

6 When a trumpet blows a warning in a city, the people tremble. When trouble comes to a city, the Lord has caused it.

7 Before the Lord God does anything, he tells his plans to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared! Who wouldn't be afraid? The Lord God has spoken. Who will not prophesy?

9 Announce this to the strong buildings of Ashdod and to the strong buildings of Egypt: "Come to the mountains of Samaria, where you will see great confusion and people hurting others."

10 "The people don't know how to do what is right," says the Lord. "Their strong buildings are filled with treasures they took by force from others."

11 So this is what the Lord God says: "An enemy will take over the land and pull down your strongholds; he will take the treasures out of your strong buildings."

12 This is what the Lord says: "A shepherd might save from a lion's mouth only two leg bones or a scrap of an ear of his sheep. people who now sit on their beds and on their couches."

13 "Listen and be witnesses against the family of Jacob," says the Lord God, the God All-Powerful.

Amos 3:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 3

In this chapter the prophet goes on with his prophecy against Israel, whom God had highly favoured, and yet sinned against him, and therefore must expect to be punished by him; and the rather, since he and they were not agreed; and therefore there could be no communion between them, Am 3:1-3; and by various similes are set forth the cause of divine judgments, the certain design of them, and their continuance, till the end is answered; which should be attended to, since every thing of this kind is of God, who giving his prophets notice of it, they are under an absolute necessity of declaring it; nor should they be blamed for it, Am 3:4-8; and even the Heathen nations are appealed unto as witnesses of the sins of Israel, that caused such a denunciation of wrath; their tumults, oppression, injustice, violence, and robbery, Am 3:9,10; wherefore an adversary is threatened to be sent among them, that should utterly destroy them, so that few should escape, Am 3:11,12; particularly their idolatry and luxury seem to have been reigning sins, which had a great hand in bringing on their rum, and for which the Lord would punish them, Am 3:13-15.