3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up from the land of Egypt:
In verses 1-10, Amos gave Israel the reasons for her judgments. God had a special relationship with Israel, because He brought them out of the slavery of Egypt.
3:2 “I have chosen you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
Out of all of the nations in the world, God chose only Israel. Therefore, the Jews will suffer more because of their special relationship with God. They will receive double punishment for their sins. To much is given, much is required.
3:3 Do two walk together without having met?
In verses 3-6, Amos taught Israel about cause and effect. Two do not walk together unless they have met.
3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey? Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?
When a lion corners his prey, then the cause effect is for the lion to roar and scare his prey before devouring him. A young lion will not bellow unless he has captured something to eat.
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?
The bird will not swoop down into a trap unless there is bait which causes him to do so. The trap will not spring unless an animal steps on the trap.
3:6 If an alarm sounds in a city, do people not fear? If disaster overtakes a city, is the Lord not responsible?
When the trumpet alarm sounds in the city, then the people fear the charge of an invasion force. If a city is destroyed, then Jehovah is responsible for its destruction.
3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
Jehovah will not judge Israel unless He first sends a prophet to warn them. This is not true with Gentile nations.
3:8 A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?
The lion has roared. He is about to pounce on Israel. Jehovah is sovereign. He knows the future and He controls the future. No one can escape the fulfillment of His prophecies.
3:9 Make this announcement in the fortresses of Ashdod and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt. Say this: “Gather on the hills around Samaria! Observe the many acts of violence taking place within the city, the oppressive deeds occurring in it.”
Jehovah calls Gentile to witness the sins of Israel. Ashdod was a Philistine city. Egypt was Israel’s next-door neighbor.
Samaria was the capital of Israel. All of the Gentiles were called to gather on the hills of Samaria and observe the sinful acts of Israel which were taking place in the city. The hills of Samaria were actually very high mountain ranges which look down upon Israel.
3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.) “They store up the spoils of destructive violence in their fortresses.
Israel does not know how to do right, because she no longer possesses the Word of God. She has neglected the written Word of God, refused to attend the temple rituals (which point to Christ), failed to support the Levites, seduced the Nazarenes into drinking wine, and shut up the prophets.
3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. He will take away your power; your fortresses will be looted.”
The enemy who will encircle Israel is Assyria. She will take away Israel’s power and plunder her cities.
3:12 This is what the Lord says: “Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged. They will be left with just a corner of a bed, and a part of a couch.”
Only a small remnant of the Israelites will escape the Assyrian attack. Whenever a lion attacks the sheep, only a few actually escape. However, they may lose an ear or a leg bone. The Jewish remnant who escapes this attack from the lion will lose their ears and legs as well.
3:13 Listen and warn the family of Jacob! The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking!
The prophets were sent to warn the families of Israel.
3:14 “Certainly when I punish Israel for their covenant transgressions, I will destroy Bethel’s altars. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
Bethel was the idol center of Israel. She possessed both the golden calf and Baal worship. The Assyrians will destroy the city of Bethel.
3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. The houses filled with ivory will be ruined, the great houses will be swept away.” The Lord is speaking!
All of Israel’s wealth will be destroyed. Many of the aristocrats possessed winter and summer houses. Their houses will be destroyed. King Ahab possessed an ivory palace which has been excavated by archaeologists. His house will be destroyed as well.