Part 586 (1/2)

3:3. Shall two walk together except they be agreed?

3:4. Will a lion roar in the forest, if he have no prey? will the lion's whelp cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

3:5. Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat?

3:6. Shall the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not be afraid?

Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?

Evil in a city... He speaks of the evil of punishments of war, famine, pestilence, desolation, etc., but not of the evil of sin, of which G.o.d is not the author.

3:7. For the Lord G.o.d doth nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

3:8. The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord G.o.d hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?

3:9. Publish it in the houses of Azotus, and in the houses of the land of Egypt, and say: a.s.semble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in the midst thereof, and them that suffer oppression in the inner rooms thereof.

3:10. And they have not known to do the right thing, saith the Lord, storing up iniquity, and robberies in their houses.

3:11. Therefore thus saith the Lord G.o.d: The land shall be in tribulation, and shall be compa.s.sed about: and thy strength shall be taken away from thee, and thy houses shall be spoiled.

3:12. Thus saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion's mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a place of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.

3:13. Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord the G.o.d of hosts:

3:14. That in the day when I shall begin to visit the transgressions of Israel, I will visit upon him, and upon the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altars shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground.

3:15. And I will strike the winter house with the summer house: and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.

Amos Chapter 4

The Israelites are reproved for their oppressing the poor, for their idolatry, and their incorrigibleness.

4:1. Hear this word, ye fat kine that are in the mountains of Samaria: you that oppress the needy, and crush the poor: that say to your masters: Bring, and we will drink.

Fat kine... He means the great ones that lived in plenty and wealth.

4:2. The Lord G.o.d hath sworn by his holiness, that lo, the days shall come upon you, when they shall lift you up on pikes, and what shall remain of you in boiling pots.

4:3. And you shall go out at the breaches one over against the other, and you shall be cast forth into Armon, saith the Lord.

Armon... A foreign country; some understand it of Armenia.

4:4. Come ye to Bethel, and do wickedly: to Galgal, and multiply transgressions: and bring in the morning your victims, your t.i.thes in three days.

4:5. And offer a sacrifice of praise with leaven: and call free offerings, and proclaim it: for so you would do, O children of Israel, saith the Lord G.o.d.

4:6. Whereupon I also have given you dulness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet you have not returned to me, saith the Lord.

4:7. I also have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon on city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon: and the piece whereupon I rained not, withered.