Amos 3:4
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?
Original Language Analysis
בַּיַּ֔עַר
in the forest
H3293
בַּיַּ֔עַר
in the forest
Strong's:
H3293
Word #:
3 of 13
a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees)
וְטֶ֖רֶף
when he hath no prey
H2964
וְטֶ֖רֶף
when he hath no prey
Strong's:
H2964
Word #:
4 of 13
something torn, i.e., a fragment, e.g., a fresh leaf, prey, food
הֲיִתֵּ֨ן
cry out
H5414
הֲיִתֵּ֨ן
cry out
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
7 of 13
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
כְּפִ֤יר
will a young lion
H3715
כְּפִ֤יר
will a young lion
Strong's:
H3715
Word #:
8 of 13
a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane)
מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ
of his den
H4585
מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ
of his den
Strong's:
H4585
Word #:
10 of 13
an abode, of god (the tabernacle or the temple), men (their home) or animals (their lair); hence, a retreat (asylum)
בִּלְתִּ֖י
nothing
H1115
בִּלְתִּ֖י
nothing
Strong's:
H1115
Word #:
11 of 13
properly, a failure of, i.e., (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because n
Cross References
Hosea 11:10They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.Psalms 104:21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.Amos 1:2And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Historical Context
Shepherds in 8th century Judea knew lion behavior intimately. Lions inhabited the Jordan Valley thickets and preyed on livestock. Amos, himself a shepherd from Tekoa (Amos 1:1), used this vivid imagery his audience understood: lions don't roar randomly but only after successful kills. The roar warns other predators and celebrates the catch.
Questions for Reflection
- When God's Word confronts your sin, do you rationalize it away or recognize that divine discipline proves His just assessment of your guilt?
- How does understanding judgment as God's 'roar' change your view of both His holiness and His redemptive purposes?
Analysis & Commentary
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? (הֲיִשְׁאַג אַרְיֵה בַּיַּעַר וְטֶרֶף אֵין לוֹ)—The Hebrew yish'ag (roar) describes the lion's triumphant cry after seizing prey, not the hunting growl. Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? (הֲיִתֵּן כְּפִיר קוֹלוֹ מִמְּעֹנָתוֹ בִּלְתִּי אִם־לָכַד)—The kephir (young lion) roars only after capture, not before.
This is the second in Amos's chain of seven rhetorical questions (vv. 3-6) establishing cause-and-effect logic. The lion roars because it has prey; the effect (roaring) proves the cause (captured victim). Applied to Israel: God's announced judgment (the roar) proves Israel's guilt (the prey). The nation cannot claim innocence when the Lion of Judah roars their condemnation. Amos himself is the roar—his prophetic message signals Israel has already been 'caught' in covenant violation, awaiting inevitable judgment.