Israel's Certain Judgment

Amos 3

The Lord reminds Israel that being uniquely known by him makes its punishment certain, uses a series of cause-and-effect images to show that his warnings through the prophets are never without reason, and announces judgment on Israel's sins, the altars of Bethel, and its great houses.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

Thomson(p) HEAR this word which the Lord hath spoken against you, O house of Israel! (J) Yes, against every tribe which I brought out of the land of Egypt, saying,

BrentonHear ye this word, O house of Israel, which the Lord has spoken concerning you, and against the whole family whom I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

GreekἈκούσατε τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, ὃν ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς, οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ κατὰ πάσης φυλῆς, ἧς ἀνήγαγον ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, λέγων,

KJVHear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

JPSHear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:

ThomsonOf all the tribes of the earth, I acknowledge none but you. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.

BrentonYou especially have I known out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I take vengeance upon you for all your sins.

Greekπλὴν ὑμᾶς ἔγνων ἐκ πασῶν τῶν φυλῶν τῆς γῆς, διατοῦτο ἐκδικήσω ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὑμῶν.

KJVYou only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

JPSYou only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

Thomson(p) Will two walk together continually unless they agree?

BrentonShall two walk together at all, if they do not know one another?

GreekΕἰ πορεύσονται δύο ἐπιτοαυτὸ καθόλου, ἐὰν μὴ γνωρίσωσιν ἑαυτούς;

KJVCan two walk together, except they be agreed?

JPSWill two walk together, Except they have agreed?

Thomson—

BrentonWill a lion roar out of his thicket if he has no prey? will a lion's whelp utter his voice at all out of his lair, if he have taken nothing?

GreekΕἰ ἐρεύξεται λέων ἐκ τοῦ δρυμοῦ αὐτοῦ θήραν οὐκ ἔχων; εἰ δώσει σκύμνος φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς μάνδρας αὐτοῦ καθόλου, ἐὰν μὴ ἁρπάσῃ τί;

KJVWill 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?

JPSWill a lion roar in the forest, When he hath no prey? Will a young lion give forth his voice out of his den, If he have taken nothing?

Thomson—

BrentonWill a bird fall on the earth without a fowler? will a snare be taken up from the earth without having taken anything?

GreekΕἰ πεσεῖται ὄρνεον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνευ ἰξευτοῦ; εἰ σχασθήσεται παγὶς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνευ τοῦ συλλαβεῖν τί;

KJVCan 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?

JPSWill a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, Where there is no lure for it? Will a snare spring up from the ground, And have taken nothing at all?

ThomsonShall a trumpet sound in a city and the people not be alarmed? Can there be in a city a calamity which the Lord hath not inflicted?

BrentonShall the trumpet sound in the city, and the people not be alarmed? shall there be evil in a city which the Lord has not wrought?

GreekΕἰ φωνήσει σάλπιγξ ἐν πόλει, καὶ λαὸς οὐ πτοηθήσεται; εἰ ἔσται κακία ἐν πόλει ἣν Κύριος οὐκ ἐποίησε;

KJVShall 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?

JPSShall the horn be blown in a city, And the people not tremble? Shall evil befall a city, And the LORD hath not done it?

ThomsonSeeing the Lord will not do anything without giving warning to His servants,

BrentonFor the Lord God will do nothing, without revealing instruction to his servants the prophets.

GreekΔιότι οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς πρᾶγμα ἐὰν μὴ ἀποκαλύψῃ παιδείαν πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ τοὺς προφήτας.

KJVSurely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

JPSFor the Lord GOD will do nothing, But He revealeth His counsel unto His servants the prophets.

Thomsonshall a lion roar and none be struck with dread? Hath the Lord spoken and will none prophesy?

BrentonA lion shall roar, and who will not be alarmed? the Lord God has spoken, and who will not prophesy?

GreekΛέων ἐρεύξεται, καὶ τίς οὐ φοβηθήσεται; Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐλάλησε, καὶ τίς οὐ προφητεύσει;

KJVThe lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

JPSThe lion hath roared, Who will not fear? The Lord GOD hath spoken, Who can but prophesy?

ThomsonMake proclamation in the provinces of Assyria, and in the regions of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see many wonderful things in the midst thereof, and the cruel oppression which is in it.

BrentonProclaim it to the regions among the Assyrians, and to the regions of Egypt, and say, Gather yourselves to the mountain of Samaria, and behold many wonderful things in the midst of it, and the oppression that is in it.

GreekἈναγγείλατε χώραις ἐν Ἀσσυρίοις, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς χώρας τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἴπατε, συνάχθητε ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Σαμαρείας, καὶ ἴδετε θαυμαστὰ πολλὰ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ καταδυναστείαν τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ.

KJVPublish 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 the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

JPSProclaim it upon the palaces at Ashdod, And upon the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say: ‘Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, And behold the great confusions therein, And the oppressions in the midst thereof.’

ThomsonNow did she not know things which will be before her? saith the Lord. They are treasuring up injustice and misery in their countries.

BrentonAnd she knew not what things would come against her, saith the Lord, even those that store up wrong and misery in their countries.

GreekΚαὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ἃ ἔσται ἐναντίον αὐτῆς, λέγει Κύριος, οἱ θησαυρίζοντες ἀδικίαν καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν ἐν ταῖς χώραις αὐτῶν.

KJVFor they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

JPSFor they know not to do right, saith the LORD, Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

ThomsonTherefore, thus saith the Lord God: Tyre is all around. Thy land shall be wasted. He will break thy power and thy regions shall be ravaged.

BrentonTherefore thus saith the Lord God; O Tyre, thy land shall be made desolate round about thee; and he shall bring down thy strength out of thee, and thy countries shall be spoiled.

GreekΔιατοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς, Τύρος κυκλόθεν ἡ γῆ σου ἐρημωθήσεται, καὶ κατάξει ἐκ σοῦ ἰσχύν σου, καὶ διαρπαγήσονται αἱ χῶραί σου.

KJVTherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

JPSTherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: An adversary, even round about the land! And he shall bring down thy strength from thee, And thy palaces shall be spoiled.

ThomsonThus saith the Lord: As when a shepherd snatcheth from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be snatched, who dwell in Samaria over against that tribe, and in Damascus.

BrentonThus saith the Lord; As when a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall be drawn forth the children of Israel who dwell in Samaria in the presence of a foreign tribe, and in Damascus.

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος, ὃν τρόπον ὅταν ἐκσπάσῃ ὁ ποιμὴν ἐκ στόματος τοῦ λέοντος δύο σκέλη ἢ λοβὸν ὠτίου, οὕτως ἐκσπασθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ κατέναντι τῆς φυλῆς, καὶ ἐν Δαμασκῷ.

KJVThus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.

JPSThus saith the LORD: 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 that dwell in Samaria Escape with the corner of a couch, and the leg of a bed.

ThomsonHear, ye priests, and testify to the house of Israel, saith the Lord Almighty:

BrentonHear, O ye priests, and testify to the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God Almighty.

GreekἸερεῖς ἀκούσατε, καὶ ἐπιμαρτύρασθε τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰακὼβ, λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ.

KJVHear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,

JPSHear ye, and testify against the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts.

ThomsonThat on the day when I punish Israel for his impieties, I will execute vengeance also on the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

BrentonFor in the day wherein I shall take vengeance of the sins of Israel upon him, I will also take vengeance on the altars of Bæthel: and the horns of the altar shall be broken down, and they shall fall upon the ground.

GreekΔιότι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὅταν ἐκδικῶ ἀσεβείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκδικήσω ἐπὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια Βαιθήλ· καὶ κατασκαφήσεται τὰ κέρατα τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ πεσοῦνται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν·

KJVThat in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

JPSFor in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also punish the altars of Beth-el, And the horns of the altar shall be cut off, And fall to the ground.

ThomsonI will confound and smite the turretted house over the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish; and many other houses shall perish with them, saith the Lord.

BrentonI will crush and smite the turreted-house upon the summer-house; and the ivory-houses shall be destroyed, and many other houses also, saith the Lord.

GreekΣυγχεῶ καὶ πατάξω τὸν οἶκον τὸν περίπτερον ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τὸν θερινὸν, καὶ ἀπολοῦνται οἶκοι ἐλεφάντινοι, καὶ προστεθήσονται ἕτεροι οἶκοι πολλοὶ, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVAnd 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 the LORD.

JPSAnd 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 the LORD.