1. People of Israel, listen to this message which the Lord has spoken about you, the entire nation that he brought out of Egypt:
2. “Of all the nations on earth, you are the only one I have known and cared for. That is what makes your sins so terrible, and that is why I must punish you for them.”
3. Do two people start travelling together without arranging to meet?
4. Does a lion roar in the forest unless he has found a victim?Does a young lion growl in his den unless he has caught something?
5. Does a bird get caught in a trap if the trap has not been baited?Does a trap spring unless something sets it off?
6. Does the war trumpet sound in a city without making the people afraid?Does disaster strike a city unless the Lord sends it?
7. The Sovereign Lord never does anything without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets.
8. When a lion roars, who can avoid being afraid?When the Sovereign Lord speaks, who can avoid proclaiming his message?
9. Announce to those who live in the palaces of Egypt and Ashdod: “Gather together in the hills surrounding Samaria and see the great disorder and the crimes being committed there.”