1Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:2“Only you have I knownfrom all the families of the earth;therefore I will punish youfor all your iniquities.”3Can two walk togetherwithout agreeing where to go?4Does a lion roar in the forestwhen he has no prey?Does a young lion growl in his denif he has caught nothing?5Does a bird land in a snarewhere no bait has been set?Does a trap spring from the groundwhen it has nothing to catch?6If a ram’s horn sounds in a city,do the people not tremble?If calamity comes to a city,has not the LORD caused it?7Surely the Lord GOD does nothingwithout revealing His planto His servants the prophets.8The lion has roared—who will not fear?The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?9Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdodand to the citadels of Egypt:“Assemble on the mountains of Samaria;see the great unrest in the cityand the acts of oppression in her midst.”10“For they know not how to do right,”declares the LORD.“They store up violence and destructionin their citadels.”11Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:

“An enemy will surround the land;he will pull down your strongholdsand plunder your citadels.”12This is what the LORD says:

“As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the liontwo legs or a piece of an ear,so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescuedhaving just the corner of a bedor the cushion of a couch.13Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,declares the Lord GOD, the God of Hosts.14On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions,I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel;the horns of the altar will be cut off,and they will fall to the ground.15I will tear down the winter housealong with the summer house;the houses of ivory will also perish,and the great houses will come to an end,”declares the LORD.