CHAPTER 3
1 Sons of Israel, hear ye the word which the Lord spake on you, and on all the kindred, which I led out of the land of Egypt, and said, (Israelites, hear ye the word which the Lord spoke about you, yea, about all the tribes, whom he led out of the land of Egypt, and he said,)
2 Only I knew you of all the kindreds of earth; therefore I shall visit on you all your wickednesses. (It was only you I knew, and cared for, out of all the families, or all the nations, of the earth; and so I shall punish you for all your wickednesses.)
3 Whether twain shall go together, no but it accord to them? (Shall two walk together, unless both of them agree?)
4 Whether a lion shall roar in a forest, no but he have prey? Whether the whelp of a lion shall give voice from his den, no but he take anything? (Shall a lion roar in a forest, unless he first have some prey? Shall a lion’s cub give voice from his cave, unless he first catch something?)
5 Whether a bird shall fall into a snare of (the) earth, without a fowler? Whether a snare shall be taken away from (the) earth, before that it take something? (Shall a bird fall into a snare on the ground, without a fowler having first set it there? Shall a snare spring from the ground, before that it catch something?)
6 Whether a trump shall sound in a city, and the people shall not dread? Whether evil shall be in a city, which evil the Lord shall not make? (Shall a trumpet sound in a city, and the people have no fear? Shall evil be in a city, which evil the Lord did not send? or which evil the Lord shall not come to fight against?)
7 For the Lord God shall not make a word, no but he show his private to his servants (the) prophets. (For the Lord God shall not do anything, unless first he tell his secret, or his private, plans to his servants, the prophets.)
8 A lion shall roar, who shall not dread? the Lord God spake, who shall not prophesy? (A lion shall roar, who shall not be afraid? the Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?)
9 Make ye heard in the houses of Ashdod, and in the houses of the land of Egypt; and say ye, Be ye gathered together on the hills of Samaria, and see ye many strong vengeances in the midst thereof, and them that suffer false challenge in the privy places thereof. (Make ye heard in the great houses, or the palaces, of Ashdod, and in the palaces of the land of Egypt; and say ye, Be ye gathered together on the hills of Samaria, and see ye many strong vengeances in their midst, and those who suffer oppression there.)
10 And they could not do rightful thing or And they knew not (to) do rightful thing, saith the Lord, and they treasured wickedness and raven in their houses. (And they did not know how to do what is right or And they do not know how to be honest, saith the Lord, and they treasured wickedness and spoils in their palaces.)
11 Therefore the Lord God saith these things, The land shall be troubled, and be (en)compassed; and thy strength shall be drawn down of thee, and thine houses shall be ravished [or and thine houses shall be robbed]. (And so the Lord God saith these things, The land shall be troubled, and surrounded; and thy strength shall be drawn out of thee or and thy fortress shall be pulled down, and thy palaces shall be robbed.)
12 The Lord saith these things, As if a shepherd ravisheth from the mouth of a lion twain hips, either the last thing of the ear, so the children of Israel shall be ravished, that dwell in Samaria, in the country of (a) bed, and in the bed of Damascus. (The Lord saith these things, Like a shepherd taketh out of the mouth of a lion only two legs, or the last part of an ear, so only a few Israelites, who live in Samaria, shall be rescued, from the corner of a bed there, and from their beds in Damascus.)
13 Hear ye, and witness ye in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God of hosts.
14 For in the day, when I shall begin to visit the trespassings of Israel on him, I shall visit also on the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar shall be cut away, and shall fall down into the earth. (For on the day, when I shall begin to punish Israel for their trespasses, I shall destroy the altars of Bethel; and the corners of the altars shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground.)
15 And I shall smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord. (And I shall strike down both the winter house and the summer house, and the ivory houses, or the palaces, shall perish, yea, every great house shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.)