The Meaning of Amos 3:4 Explained

Amos 3:4

KJV: Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

YLT: Roar doth a lion in a forest and prey he hath none? Give out doth a young lion his voice from his habitation, If he hath not caught?

Darby: Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den if he have taken nothing?

ASV: Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Will a lion  roar  in the forest,  when he hath no prey?  will a young lion  cry out  of his den,  if he have taken  nothing? 

What does Amos 3:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

A lion does not roar in the forest unless it has found prey. Young lions do not growl in their dens unless they have captured something and are protecting it (cf. Amos 1:2).

Context Summary

Amos 3:1-15 - The Lord's Word Must Come True
The closer our relationship with God, the more searching His scrutiny and chastening. The sins of God's children which may seem of slight consequence are rigorously dealt with by their Heavenly Father, who loves them too well to allow their life to be permanently injured. It is because God loves us that He is so quick in detecting the least symptoms of disease. But we must agree with Him as to the sinfulness of sin, the need of cleansing, the hopelessness of our old nature, and the world's urgent need both of our sympathy and sacrifice. So only shall we walk with God as Enoch did. The soul that is one with Him is on the alert, as is the traveler who hears the lion's roar in the forest. Watch; ye know not the hour!
The nobles of Egypt and Philistia are summoned to view the sins of Samaria and to confirm the justice of her penalty. From all sides the invader would descend on the recreant land. Only a fragment should escape, like the small piece of a lamb rescued from the jaws of the savage beast of prey. The couch of luxury, the bed of sloth, the golden calf of Beth-el-all marked the degeneracy of the Chosen People. May the sorrows through which the world is passing at this hour be the means of cleansing human society from these same evils that our Christian civilization may escape the penalties that overtook Israel! [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 3

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

What do the individual words in Amos 3:4 mean?

will roar a lion in the forest and when prey no he has will a young lion cry out of his den nothing if he has caught
הֲיִשְׁאַ֤ג אַרְיֵה֙ בַּיַּ֔עַר ؟ וְטֶ֖רֶף אֵ֣ין ל֑וֹ הֲיִתֵּ֨ן כְּפִ֤יר קוֹלוֹ֙ מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ ؟ בִּלְתִּ֖י אִם־ לָכָֽד

הֲיִשְׁאַ֤ג  will  roar 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַג  
Sense: (Qal) to roar.
אַרְיֵה֙  a  lion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
בַּיַּ֔עַר  in  the  forest 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.
؟ וְטֶ֖רֶף  and  when  prey 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טֶרֶף  
Sense: prey, food, leaf.
אֵ֣ין  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
ל֑וֹ  he  has 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
כְּפִ֤יר  a  young  lion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּפִיר 
Sense: young lion.
קוֹלוֹ֙  cry  out 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ  of  his  den 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְעֹנָה  
Sense: dwelling, habitation, refuge.
؟ בִּלְתִּ֖י  nothing 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
לָכָֽד  he  has  caught 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָכַד  
Sense: to capture, take, seize.

What are the major concepts related to Amos 3:4?

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