Amos 3:5
New International Version
Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground when no bait is there? Does a trap spring up from the ground if it has not caught anything?

New Living Translation
Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does a trap spring shut when there’s nothing to catch?

English Standard Version
Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?

Berean Standard Bible
Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?

New American Standard Bible
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no device in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

NASB 1995
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

NASB 1977
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

Legacy Standard Bible
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

Amplified Bible
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has caught nothing at all? [Of course not! So it is that Israel has earned her impending judgment.]

Christian Standard Bible
Does a bird land in a trap on the ground if there is no bait for it? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has caught nothing?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Does a bird land in a trap on the ground if there is no bait for it? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has caught nothing?

American Standard Version
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Will a bird fall into a snare in the earth without a hunter, or does a snare rise from the Earth and snatch it?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Will a bird fall on the earth without a fowler? will a snare be taken up from the earth without having taken anything?

Contemporary English Version
How can anyone catch a bird without using a net? Does a trap spring shut unless something is caught?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat ?

English Revised Version
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is set for him? shall a snare spring up from the ground, and have taken nothing at all?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Does a bird land in a trap on the ground if there's no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has caught something?

Good News Translation
Does a bird get caught in a trap if the trap has not been baited? Does a trap spring unless something sets it off?

International Standard Version
Does a bird fall into a snare on the ground without any bait in the trap? Will a trap snap shut when there is nothing to catch?

JPS Tanakh 1917
Will a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, Where there is no lure for it? Will a snare spring up from the ground, And have taken nothing at all?

Literal Standard Version
Does a bird fall into a snare of the earth, | And there is no trap for it? Does a snare go up from the ground, | And it does not capture prey?

Majority Standard Bible
Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch?

New American Bible
Does a bird swoop down on a trap on the ground when there is no lure for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground without catching anything?

NET Bible
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?

New Revised Standard Version
Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?

New Heart English Bible
Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?

Webster's Bible Translation
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?

World English Bible
Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?

Young's Literal Translation
Doth a bird fall into a snare of the earth, And there is no gin for it? Doth a snare go up from the ground, And prey it captureth not?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Witnesses Against Israel
4Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing? 5Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch? 6If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?…

Cross References
Psalm 140:5
The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah

Amos 3:4
Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing?

Amos 3:6
If a ram's horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?


Treasury of Scripture

Can a bird fall in a snare on the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

Ecclesiastes 9:12
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Jeremiah 31:28
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.

Daniel 9:14
Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

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Amos 3
1. The necessity of God's judgment against Israel.
9. The publication of it, with the causes thereof.














(5) Can a bird.--Better, Does the snare rise up from the ground, and take nothing at all?" E.V. "take up" is due to ambiguity of the Hebrew. The idea is that Israel "like a silly dove" is falling into snares. The snare, even now, may be seen springing from the earth. The armies and politics of the nation that will enclose Israel are already in motion.

Verse 5. - The thought here is that the punishment is deserved as well as certain. A bird is not caught unless a trap is set for it. The trap which the sinner sets for himself is sin. Can a bird fall in a snare (pach) upon the earth, where no gin (moqesh) is for him? i.e. is set for him? The "gin" is a net with a stick for a spring, which flew up when touched, carrying part of the net with it, and thus the bird was enclosed and caught (see Kitto, 'Cyclop.,' s.v. "Fowling," 2:36). The LXX. probably read yoqesh, as they translate, ἄνευ ἐξευτοῦ, "without a fowler." So the Vulgate, absque aucupe. The second clause should be, Shall a snare (pach) spring up from the ground without taking anything? The snare, or trap stick, would not rise if it had not caught something. The sin is there, and the sinners shall surely not escape. When God appoints retributive punishments for the guilty, and announces the same by his prophets, they may be expected with absolute certainty.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Does a bird
צִפּוֹר֙ (ṣip·pō·wr)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 6833: A little bird

land
הֲתִפֹּ֤ל (hă·ṯip·pōl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a snare
פַּ֣ח (paḥ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6341: A, sheet, a spring net

where no
אֵ֣ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

bait [has been set]?
וּמוֹקֵ֖שׁ (ū·mō·w·qêš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4170: A bait or lure, a snare

Does a trap
פַּח֙ (paḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6341: A, sheet, a spring net

spring
הֲיַֽעֲלֶה־ (hă·ya·‘ă·leh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the ground
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה (hā·’ă·ḏā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land

when it has
וְלָכ֖וֹד (wə·lā·ḵō·wḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere

nothing
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to catch?
יִלְכּֽוֹד׃ (yil·kō·wḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere


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OT Prophets: Amos 3:5 Can a bird fall in a trap (Amo. Am)
Amos 3:4
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