Amos 3 · Verse 5

Amos 3:5

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?
Amos 3:5, King James Version

Amos 3:5 in other translations

BSBDoes 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?
WEBCan 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?
ASVCan 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?
YLTDoth 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?
DARBYCan a bird fall in a snare upon the earth when no gin is laid for him? Will the snare spring up from the earth when nothing at all hath been taken?
BBEIs it possible for a bird to be taken in a net on the earth where no net has been put for him? will the net come up from the earth if it has taken nothing at all?
WebsterCan 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?

What does Amos 3:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 3:3-6

3-6. Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken conviction in the people. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?--Can God's prophets be so unanimous in prophesying against you, if God's Spirit were not joined with them, or if their prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations of coming ruin to the nation (Am 6:1…

Read the full comment on Amos 3:3-6 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Can a bird fall in a snare - Can ye, as a sinful people, fall into calamities which I have not appointed? Shall one take up a snare - and have taken nothing - Will the snare be removed before it has caught the expected prey? - shall I remove my judgments till they are fully accomplished? This is a curious passage, and deserves farther consideration. The original, literally translated, is nearly as follows: "Shall the trap arise from the ground; and catching, shall it not catch?" Here is a plain allusion to such traps as we employ to catch rats, foxes, etc. The jaws of the trap opening backward, press strongly upon a spring so as to keep it down; and a key passing over one jaw, and hooking on a table in the center, the trap continues with expanded jaws, till any thing touch the table, when the key, by the motion of the table, being loosened, the spring recovers all its elastic power, and throws up the jaws of the trap, and their serrated edges either close in each other, or on the prey that has moved the table of the trap. Will then the jaws of such a trap suddenly spring up from the ground, on which before they were lying flat, and catch nothing? Shall they let the prey that was within them escape? Certainly not. So my trap is laid for these offenders; and when it springs up, (and they themselves will soon by their transgressions free the key), shall not the whole family of Israel be inclosed in it? Most certainly they shall. This is a singular and very remarkable passage, and, when properly understood, is beautifully expressive.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Amos 3:1-8

The distinguishing favours of God to us, if they do not restrain from sin, shall not exempt from punishment. They could not expect communion with God, unless they first sought peace with him. Where there is not friendship, there can be no fellowship. God and man cannot walk together, except they are agreed. Unless we seek his glory, we cannot walk with him. Let us not presume on outward privileges, without special…

Read the full comment on Amos 3:1-8 →

Amos 3:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲתִפֹּ֤לha.ti.Pol¿ does it fallH5307
צִפּוֹר֙tzi.pOra birdH6833
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פַּ֣חpach<the> bird-trap ofH6341
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzthe earthH776
וּמוֹקֵ֖שׁu.mo.Keshand [is] a snareH4170
אֵ֣ין'einthere notH369
לָ֑הּLahfor it
הֲיַֽעֲלֶה\־ha.ya.'a.leh-¿ does it go upH5927
פַּח֙pacha bird-trapH6341
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha.'a.da.Mahthe groundH127
וְלָכ֖וֹדve.la.Khodand surely <catch>H3920
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יִלְכּֽוֹד\׃yil.Kodit catches [something]H3920

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Amos 3:5

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ec 9:12; Jer 31:28; Da 9:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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?

  • Amos 3:5

    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?

  • Amos 3:6

    Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

Read all of Amos 3

Amos 3:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Caerá el ave en el lazo en la tierra, sin haber armador? ¿alzaráse el lazo de la tierra, si no se ha prendido algo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’oiseau tombera-t-il dans le piège sur la terre, quand il n’y a pas de filet tendu pour lui? Le piège se lèvera-t-il du sol, s’il n’a rien pris du tout?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Fällt der Vogel in die Schlinge am Boden, wenn ihm kein Sprenkel gelegt ist? Schnellt die Schlinge von der Erde empor, wenn sie gar nichts gefangen hat?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		numquid cadet avis in laqueum terræ absque aucupe? numquid auferetur laqueus de terra antequam quid ceperit?