| Christian Standard Bible | Par ▾ |
God’s Reasons for Punishing Israel
1Listen to this message that the Lord has spoken against you, Israelites, against the entire clan that I brought from the land of Egypt:†
2I have known only you†
out of all the clans of the earth;
therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.†
3Can two walk together†
without agreeing to meet?
4Does a lion roar† in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from its lair
unless it has captured something?
5Does a bird land in a trap on the ground
if there is no bait for it?
Does a trap spring from the ground
when it has caught nothing?
6If a ram’s horn† is blown in a city,
aren’t people afraid?†
If a disaster† occurs in a city,
hasn’t the Lord done it?d
7Indeed, the Lord God does nothing
without revealing his counsel
to his servants the prophets.†
8A lion has roared;†
who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;†
who will not prophesy?†
9Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod†
and on the citadels in the land of Egypt:
Assemble on the mountains of Samaria,†
and see the great turmoil in the city
and the acts of oppression within it.†
10The people are incapable of doing right† —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
those who store up violence and destruction†
in their citadels.
11Therefore, the Lord God says:
An enemy† will surround the land;
he will destroy† your strongholds
and plunder your citadels.†
12The Lord says:
As the shepherd snatches two legs
or a piece of an ear
from the lion’s mouth,†
so the Israelites who live in Samaria
will be rescued
with only the corner of a bed†
or the† cushion† of a couch.† †
13Listen and testify† against the house of Jacob —
this is the declaration of the Lord God,
the God of Armies.
14I will punish the altars of Bethel†
on the day I punish Israel for its crimes;
the horns of the altar† will be cut off
and fall to the ground.†
15I will demolish the winter house†
and the summer house;†
the houses inlaid with ivory† will be destroyed,
and the great housesd will come to an end.
This is the Lord’s declaration.