AMOS
CHAPTER 3
The Lord revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets—Because of Israel’s rejection of prophets, and espousal of evil, the nation is overwhelmed by an adversary.
1 HEAR this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
5 Can 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?
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret [ in Hebrew the word is, sôd. Strong's Exhausive Concordance definition:
assembly, counsel, inward, secret counsel
From yacad definition; a session, i.e. Company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secret -- assembly, consel, inward, secret (counsel). So he is talking here about a secret council or in this case a heavenly council. See Abraham 2:23. Amos provides here a summary principle paralleling the explicit examples of Michaiah, Isaiah and Jeremiah given above. God reveals the sôd (secret plan) of his sôd (divine council) to his prophets. ] unto his servants the prophets.
9 ¶ Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
12 Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh 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 couch.
14 That in the day that I shall visit [ = פְקַד = visit with appointed damage. ] the transgressions [ = פֶשַׁע = rebellion ] of Israel [ = יִשְׂרָאֵל” Jacobs people , us (since we’ve been adopted into the house of Israel). ] upon him I will also visit the altars [ = מִזְבְּח֣וֹת = mountain / alters in the temple. ] of Beth-el: [ = בֵּית־אֵל= house of GOD. ] and the horns [ = קַרְנ֣וֹת = wind instrument used from animals. ] of the altar shall be cut off, [ = גָּדַע = break off. ] and fall [ = נָפַל = fall, by an accident. ] to the ground. [ = לָאָֽרֶץ׃ = to the ground / to the nations on earth. And remember the temple is a symbol of gods kingdom on EARTH.
] .