Amos 3:3-8

3:3 Do two walk together without having met? ¹ 

3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey? ² 

Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?

3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?

Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?

3:6 If an alarm sounds ³  in a city, do people not fear? ⁴ 

If disaster overtakes a ⁵  city, is the Lord not responsible? ⁶ 

3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

3:8 A lion has roared! ⁷  Who is not afraid?

The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy? ⁸ 

[3:3]  ¹ sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 3-5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7-8. Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6). Each of these meetings is disastrous.

[3:4]  ² tn Heb “without having prey [or “food”].”

[3:6]  ³ tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”

[3:6]  ⁴ tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”

[3:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “is in”; NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”

[3:6]  ⁶ tn Heb “has the Lord not acted?”

[3:8]  ⁷ sn The roar of the lion is here a metaphor for impending judgment (see 1:2; cf. 3:4, 12). Verses 7-8 justify Amos’ prophetic ministry and message of warning and judgment. The people should expect a prophetic message prior to divine action.

[3:8]  ⁸ sn Who can refuse to prophesy? When a message is revealed, the prophet must speak, and the news of impending judgment should cause people to fear.