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Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
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Easy-to-Read Version

Amos 3:8

When a lion roars, people are frightened. When the Lord God speaks, a prophet must prophesy.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Thompson Chain Reference - Duty;   Earnestness-Indifference;   Pressure of Duty;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the;   Lion, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Inspiration;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Lion;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Fear;   Oracles;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amos;   Government;   Holy Spirit;   Lion;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Prophecy;   Semites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Lion;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A lion has roared;who will not fear?The Lord God has spoken;who will not prophesy?
Hebrew Names Version
The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken. Who can but prophesy?
King James Version
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
English Standard Version
The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?"
New American Standard Bible
A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?
New Century Version
The lion has roared! Who wouldn't be afraid? The Lord God has spoken. Who will not prophesy?
Amplified Bible
The lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?
Geneva Bible (1587)
The lyon hath roared: who will not bee afraide? the Lord God hath spoken: who can but prophecie?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
Legacy Standard Bible
A lion has roared! Who will not fear?Lord Yahweh has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
Berean Standard Bible
The lion has roared-who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken-who will not prophesy?
Contemporary English Version
Everyone is terrified when a lion roars— and ordinary people become prophets when the Lord God speaks.
Complete Jewish Bible
The lion has roared. Who will not fear? Adonai , God, has spoken. Who will not prophesy?
Darby Translation
The lion hath roared,—who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken,—who can but prophesy?
George Lamsa Translation
The lion has roared, who will not fear? The LORD God has spoken, who can but prophesy?
Good News Translation
When a lion roars, who can keep from being afraid? When the Sovereign Lord speaks, who can keep from proclaiming his message?
Lexham English Bible
A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? My Lord Yahweh has spoken, who will not prophesy?
Literal Translation
A lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah has spoken, who will not prophesy?
American Standard Version
The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?
Bible in Basic English
The cry of the lion is sounding; who will not have fear? The Lord God has said the word; is it possible for the prophet to keep quiet?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
King James Version (1611)
The lyon hath roared, Who will not feare? the Lord God hath spoken, Who can but prophecie?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The lion hath roared, who wil not be afrayde? The Lorde God hath spoken, who can but prophecie?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A lion shall roar, and who will not be alarmed? the Lord God has spoken, and who will not prophesy?
English Revised Version
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
World English Bible
The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken. Who can but prophesy?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A lioun schal rore, who schal not drede? the Lord God spak, who schal not profesie?
Update Bible Version
The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken; who can but prophesy?
Webster's Bible Translation
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
New English Translation
A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?
New King James Version
A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
New Living Translation
The lion has roared— so who isn't frightened? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— so who can refuse to proclaim his message?
New Life Bible
The lion has made a noise! Who will not be afraid? The Lord God has spoken! Who can keep from speaking His Word?
New Revised Standard
The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy?
Douay-Rheims Bible
The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?
Revised Standard Version
The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?"
Young's Literal Translation
A lion hath roared -- who doth not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken -- who doth not prophesy?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When a lyon roareth, who will not be afrayed? Seynge then that the LORDE God himself speaketh, who will not prophecy?
THE MESSAGE
The lion has roared— who isn't frightened? God has spoken— what prophet can keep quiet?

Contextual Overview

1 People of Israel, listen to this message! This is what the Lord said about you, Israel. This message is about all the families that I brought from the land of Egypt. 2 "There are many families on earth, but you are the only family I chose to know in a special way. And you turned against me, so I will punish you for all your sins." 3 Two people will not walk together unless they have agreed to do so. 4 A lion will roar in the forest only if it catches its prey. A young lion roaring in his cave means he has caught something to eat. 5 A bird doesn't fly into a trap unless there is food in it. If a trap closes, it will catch the bird. 6 If people hear the warning blast of a trumpet, they shake with fear. If trouble comes to a city, the Lord caused it to happen. 7 When the Lord God decides to do something, he will first tell his servants, the prophets. 8 When a lion roars, people are frightened. When the Lord God speaks, a prophet must prophesy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lion: Amos 3:4, Amos 1:2, Revelation 5:5

who can: Amos 2:12, Amos 7:12-17, Job 32:18, Job 32:19, Jeremiah 20:9, Acts 4:20, Acts 5:20, Acts 5:29, 1 Corinthians 9:16

Reciprocal: Numbers 23:24 - as a great Job 10:16 - Thou huntest Psalms 50:1 - hath spoken Proverbs 20:2 - fear Isaiah 1:10 - Hear Isaiah 5:29 - roaring Isaiah 31:4 - Like as Jeremiah 2:15 - young lions Jeremiah 4:5 - Blow Jeremiah 25:30 - roar Ezekiel 9:1 - cried Ezekiel 29:21 - the opening Hosea 10:14 - shall a Hosea 11:10 - he shall roar like Hosea 13:7 - General Joel 3:16 - roar Micah 6:9 - Lord's 1 Peter 5:8 - as Revelation 10:3 - loud

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The snake was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. The snake spoke to the woman and said, "Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the snake, "No, we can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.
Genesis 3:3
But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'"
Genesis 3:9
The Lord God called to the man and said, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
The man said, "I heard you walking in the garden, and I was afraid. I was naked, so I hid."
Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman you put here with me gave me fruit from that tree. So I ate it."
Genesis 3:21
The Lord God used animal skins and made some clothes for the man and his wife. Then he put the clothes on them.
Genesis 3:22
The Lord God said, "Look, the man has become like us—he knows about good and evil. And now the man might take the fruit from the tree of life. If the man eats that fruit, he will live forever."
Deuteronomy 4:33
You people heard God speaking to you from a fire, and you are still alive. Has that ever happened to anyone else? No!
Deuteronomy 5:25
But if we hear the Lord our God speak to us again, surely we will die! That terrible fire will destroy us. We don't want to die.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The lion hath roared, who will not fear?.... Amos said this from his own experience, who, having been a herdsman in the wilderness of Tekoa, had often heard a lion roar, which had put him into a panic, both for himself, and the cattle he kept; the figure is explained in the next clause:

the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? whether it be to foretell future events, which the Lord has made known shall come to pass; or to preach the word, which is to prophesy to edification, to exhortation, and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:3; or to perform the more private exercises of religion, as singing of psalms, praying, c. 1 Chronicles 25:1 these things who can forbear doing, to whom the Lord has spoken either in a dream or vision, or in his word, and by his Spirit; and to whom he has given a call and commissions, and gifts and graces, qualifying them for such service? who that has the fear of God in his heart, and his glory in view, and the good of others, that can refrain from it? nay, it is of dangerous consequence to refuse it; for if the roaring of a lion is so terrible, and if the wrath of an earthly king is as the roaring of a lion, much more the wrath and displeasure of the King of kings. Jonah declined prophesying when the Lord spoke to him, but what was the consequence of it? the prophet by this seems to justify himself in prophesying, and that he ought not to be blamed for it, seeing the Lord had given him the word, and therefore he ought to publish it. This may be particularly applied to the ministers of the word, who have a call, a charge and gifts from Christ, and on whom there is a necessity laid to preach the Gospel; and who should not shut, to declare it on any account; nor can they, who have it in their hearts, and as fire in their bones; who have seen and heard, and handled of the word of life, let what will be the consequence of it; see Psalms 68:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lion hath roared: who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken: who can but prophesy? - that is, there is cause for you to fear, when the Lord “roareth from Zion;” but if ye fear not, God’s prophets dare not but fear. So Paul saith, “necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation” of the Gospel “is committed unto me” 1 Corinthians 9:16-17; and Peter and John, “whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye! For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” Acts 4:19-20; Moses was not excused, though slow of speech; nor Isaiah, though of polluted lips; nor Jeremiah, because he was a child; but God said, “Say not, I am child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak” Jeremiah 1:7. And Ezekiel was bidden, “be not rebellious, like that rebellious house” Ezekiel 2:8. And when Jeremiah would keep silence, he saith, “His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay” Jeremiah 20:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 3:8. The lion hath roared, — God hath sent forth a terrible alarm, Who will not fear? Can any hear such denunciations of Divine wrath and not tremble?

The Lord God hath spoken — And those only who are in communion with him have heard the speech. Who can but prophesy? Who can help proclaiming at large the judgment threatened against the nation?

But I think נבא naba, here, is to be taken in its natural and ideal signification, to pray, supplicate, or deprecate vengeance. The Lord hath spoken of punishment - who can help supplicating his mercy, that his judgments may be averted?


 
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