¶ Hear¹ this word that the LORD hath spoken against² you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which³ I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

You only⁴ have I known of all⁵ the families of the earth: therefore⁶ I will punish⁷ you for all your iniquities.

⁸Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Will a lion⁹ roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry¹⁰ out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

¹¹Can 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?

Shall a trumpet¹² be blown in the city, and the people¹³ not be afraid¹⁴? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it¹⁵?

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but¹⁶ he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

The lion¹⁷ hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can¹⁸ but prophesy?

¶ Publish¹⁹ in the palaces at Ashdod²⁰, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains²¹ of Samaria, and behold²² the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed²³ in the midst thereof.

¶ For they²⁴ know not to do right, saith the LORD, who²⁵ store up violence and robbery²⁶ in their palaces.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An²⁷ adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy²⁸ palaces shall be spoiled.

Thus saith the LORD; As the²⁹ shepherd taketh³⁰ 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 couch³¹.

Hear ye, and testify³² in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord³³ GOD, the God of hosts,

That in the³⁴ day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him³⁵ I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

And I will smite the winter³⁶ house with the summer³⁷ house; and the houses³⁸ of ivory shall perish, and the great³⁹ houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.