Chapter 3

The Lord reveals His secrets unto His servants the prophets—Because Israel rejects the prophets and follows evil, the nation is overwhelmed by an adversary.

 1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I abrought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

 2 You aonly have I bknown of all the families of the earth: therefore I will cpunish you for all your iniquities.

 3 Can two walk together, except they be aagreed?

 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 agin 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 aevil in a city, and the Lord hath not bdone it?

 7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, abut he brevealeth his csecret unto his servants the dprophets.

 8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but aprophesy?

 9 ¶Publish in the palaces at aAshdod, 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.

 10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up aviolence and robbery in their palaces.

 11 Therefore 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.

 12 Thus 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.

 13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God, the God of hosts,

 14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of aBeth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and bfall to the ground.

 15 And I will smite the awinter house with the summer house; and the houses of bivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.