The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account - and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen!
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Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
2 "Out of all the families on earth, I picked you. Therefore, because of your special calling, I'm holding you responsible for all your sins."
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“You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren't going to the same place?
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“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest if there's no carcass to devour? Does a young lion growl with pleasure if he hasn't caught his supper?
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Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing?
5 Does a bird fall to the ground if it hasn't been hit with a stone? Does a trap spring shut if nothing trips it?
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Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?
6 When the alarm goes off in the city, aren't people alarmed? And when disaster strikes the city, doesn't God stand behind it?
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Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?
7 The fact is, God, the Master, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story.
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“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared - who isn't frightened? God has spoken - what prophet can keep quiet?
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The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy? ”
9 Announce to the forts of Assyria, announce to the forts of Egypt - Tell them, "Gather on the Samaritan mountains, take a good, hard look: what a snake pit of brutality and terror!
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Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst. ”
10 They can't - or won't - do one thing right." God said so. "They stockpile violence and blight.
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“They do not know how to do right, ” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds. ”
11 Therefore" - this is God's Word - "an enemy will surround the country. He'll strip you of your power and plunder your forts."
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Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered. ”
12 God's Message: "In the same way that a shepherd trying to save a lamb from a lion Manages to recover just a pair of legs or the scrap of an ear, So will little be saved of the Israelites who live in Samaria - A couple of old chairs at most, the broken leg of a table.
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Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
13 "Listen and bring witness against Jacob's family" - this is God's Word, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!
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“Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob, ”declares the Lord God, the God of hosts,
14 "Note well! The day I make Israel pay for its sins, pay for the sin-altars of worship at Bethel, The horned altars will all be dehorned and scattered around.
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“that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.
15 I'll tear down the winter palace, smash the summer palace - all your fancy buildings. The luxury homes will be demolished, all those pretentious houses." God's Decree.
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I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end, ”declares the Lord.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025