King James Version

Amos 3:12

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.

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Hebrew

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כֹּה֮koalsoכֹּהadverb — “also”H3541properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) nowalso, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.אָמַ֣רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יְהוָה֒yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).כַּאֲשֶׁר֩kaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יַצִּ֨ילyatsildefendנָצַלverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “defend”, an unfinished actionH5337to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense[idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idiom] without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, [idiom] surely, take (out).הָרֹעֶ֜הharoehthe companionרָעָהdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.מִפִּ֧יmipifrom edgeפֶּהpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…הָאֲרִ֛יhaarithe lionאֲרִיdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the lion”, the ordinary formH738a lion(young) lion, [phrase] pierce (from the margin).שְׁתֵּ֥יshetetwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, feminine, dual, construct — “two”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.כְרָעַ֖יִםkheraayimlegכָּרָעnoun, common, both genders, dual, absolute — “leg”, the ordinary formH3767the leg (from the knee to the ankle) of men or locusts (only in the dual)leg.א֣וֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.בְדַלvedalpieceבָּדָלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “piece”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH915a partpiece.אֹ֑זֶןozenearאֹזֶןnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “ear”, the ordinary formH241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)[phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.כֵּ֣ןkenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…יִנָּצְל֞וּyinatselvdefendנָצַלverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “defend”, an unfinished actionH5337to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense[idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idiom] without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, [idiom] surely, take (out).בְּנֵ֣יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙hayoshevimthe dwellיָשַׁבdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹןbeshomeronin Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Samaria”H8111Shomeron, a place in PalestineSamaria.בִּפְאַ֥תbifatin cornerפֵּאָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “in corner”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6285properly, mouth in a figurative sense, i.e. direction, region, extremitycorner, end, quarter, side.מִטָּ֖הmitahbedמִטָּהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “bed”, the ordinary formH4296a bed (as extended) forsleeping or eating; by analogy, a sofa, litter or bierbed(-chamber), bier.וּבִדְמֶ֥שֶׁקuvidmesheqand in in Damascusדְּמֶשֶׁקconjunction, preposition, noun, proper name — “and in in Damascus”H1833damask (as a fabric of Damascus)in Damascus.עָֽרֶשׂarescouchעֶרֶשׂnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “couch”, the ordinary formH6210a couch (properly, with a canopy)bed(-stead), couch.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Thus saith the LORD: As the shepherd rescueth out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel that dwell in Samaria escape with the corner of a couch, and the leg of a bed.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thus saith Jehovah: As the shepherd rescueth out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued that sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.

Young’s Literal Translation

Thus said Jehovah: As the shepherd delivereth from the lion's mouth Two legs, or a piece of an ear, So delivered are the sons of Israel, Who are sitting in Samaria on the corner of a bed, And in Damascus [on that of] a couch.

World English Bible

Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”

Darby Translation

Thus saith Jehovah: Like as the shepherd rescueth out of the jaw of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be rescued that sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and upon the damask of a bed.

Douay-Rheims

Thus saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a piece of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thus saith the Lord; As when a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall be drawn forth the children of Israel who dwell in Samaria in the presence of a foreign tribe, and in Damascus.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ὃν τρόπον ὅταν ἐκσπάσῃ ὁ ποιμὴν ἐκ στόματος τοῦ λέοντος δύο σκέλη ἢ λοβὸν ὠτίου, οὕτως ἐκσπασθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ κατέναντι τῆς φυλῆς, καὶ ἐν Δαμασκῷ.