1 Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire afamily which He brought up from the land of Egypt: 2 "aYou only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will bpunish you for all your iniquities." 3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment? 4 Does a alion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something? 5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all? 6 If a atrumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a bcalamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it? 7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He areveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets. 8 A alion has roared! Who will not fear? The bLord GOD has spoken! cWho can but prophesy? 9 Proclaim on the citadels in aAshdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, "Assemble yourselves on the bmountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her and the coppressions in her midst. 10 "But they ado not know how to do what is right," declares the Lord, "these who bhoard up violence and devastation in their citadels." 11 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, "An aenemy, even one surrounding the land, Will pull down your strength from you And your bcitadels will be looted." 12 Thus says the Lord, "Just as the shepherd asnatches from the lion's mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear, So will the sons of Israel dwelling in Samaria be snatched away-- With the bcorner of a bed and the ccover of a couch! 13 "Hear and atestify against the house of Jacob," Declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts. 14 "For on the day that I punish Israel's transgressions, I will also punish the altars of aBethel; The horns of the altar will be cut off And they will fall to the ground. 15 "I will also smite the awinter house together with the bsummer house; The houses of civory will also perish And the dgreat houses will come to an end," Declares the Lord.