Amos 3:4

Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey?.... He will not, unless he has it in his sight, or in his paws; he roars when he first sees it, whereby he terrifies the creature, that it cannot

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? Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? The same idea as in Matthew 24:28.

In this verse, by a double similitude, Amos certifieth the Jews of near and inevitable punishment; first, by similitude of a lion roaring at sight of his prey, which seldom escapes when the lion roareth against it. The lion usually is so nigh to his prey when he roareth, that he leapeth on it presently, and teareth it: so here God would have sinning Israel know that their sins had provoked him to wrath, and that his judgments were near at hand. Nay, nearer yet; like a prey dragged by the old lion into the den for the young lions to feed on, so was their case, their enemies the Assyrians should as certainly devour them as the young lions in the den do devour the prey which is brought to them. If the departure of God from them affect them not, perhaps the fierceness of lion-like enemies may affect them.

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?Ver. 4. Will a lion roar in the forest, when, &c.] It is said of the lion, that he sets up a double roar; first, when he spies his prey, next, when he seizeth it; then, saith Plutarch, he roareth, or rather belloweth like a bull, that other beasts may come to him, and take part with him. It is not for nothing that the lion uttereth his voice; much less that Almighty God thundereth and threateneth by his prophets, your sins without repentance will be your ruin, according to those threatenings; though you are so sturdy, or at least so stupid, as to fear them no more than Behemoth doth the iron weapons, which are esteemed by him as straws, or bullrushes, Job 40:15. Shall the wrath of a king be as the roaring of a lion, Proverbs 19:12, and as the messengers of death, Proverbs 16:14, and shall God’ s menaces be slighted? will vile men imagine him a God of clouts? One that howsoever he speaketh heavy words, will not do as he saith? intends them no otherwise than in terrorem, for spectres? Surely they will find it far otherwise; and it must be concluded, that being already sentenced, either their beds are very soft, or their hearts very hard, that can sleep securely in so deplorable a condition. Surely God’ s predictions shall have their accomplishment, 1 Samuel 3:19; 1 Samuel 15:29. Believe them, therefore; stand in awe and sin not, since he that "despiseth the word shall be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded," Proverbs 13:13. Will a young lion cry out of his den] q.d. Is it for nothing that God so terribly threateneth? "Is there not a cause?" as David said in another case, 1 Samuel 17:29. Surely, as in the Revelation we never read that heaven opened, but some great matter followed; so here: Hath the Lord spoken it, and shall he not do it? Never think it. Oh think of God as of one not to be thought of; as one whose wisdom is his justice, whose justice is his power, whose power is his truth, and all himself. He is the God of Amen, Psalms 31:6, faithful and true; he can as soon die as lie; neither can he be hindered or resisted, as angels, men, and devils may. In the creature there is an essence and a faculty whereby they work; as in fire is the substance and the quality of heat. Now between these God can separate, and so hinder their working, as in the Babylonish fire. In the angels there is an essence and an executive power: God comes between these often and hinders them from doing what they would.

(4) Lion.—The questions suggest that the prey is being seized. This is intimated by the lion’s roar, the loud roar of the lion in the forest, the growl of the famished young lions in the den. Aben-Ezra thus interprets; but G. Baur thinks that Caphir distinguishes a “hunting lion” from the beast that growls in his lair. (Comp. Amos 1:2.) Amos, by his graphic representation of the terrifying threat, signifies that nations, and kingdoms, and this family of Israel, are, at the present moment, trembling in the grasp of the great Avenger.

Verse 4. Will a lion roar] Should I threaten such a judgment without cause?

4. when he hath no prey] i.e. when it is not within his reach: the roar is that with which the lion springs upon its prey: cf. Isaiah 5:29 a (not Isaiah 5:29 b, where the word used is a different one; see below); Psalms 104:21, “roaring for prey”; Ezekiel 22:25, “like a roaring lion, tearing the prey.” cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?] give forth his voice (Jeremiah 2:15) out of his lair, &c.? the allusion is to the growl of satisfaction with which the animal consumes its prey when caught: hence ‘growl,’ would be a better paraphrase than ‘cry’: see Isaiah 5:29 b (where ‘roar’—nâham, not shâ’ag, as in clause a—should be rather growl: cf. W. R. Smith, The Prophets of Israel, pp. 129, 243). An ancient Egyptian Bird-trap. (From Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson’s Ancient Egyptians, 1878, ii. 103).

Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? - Then, further, each question by itself suggests its own thought.

3-8. The prophet’s authority. Amos anticipated the startling effect of his message. Many would consider him a madman, and pay no attention to his words, unless he could convince them that they were indeed a message from Jehovah.