Amos 3:4 (KJV)

Passage

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?

Nearby Context

Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

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?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lion", "roar", "forest", "hath", "prey", "young", and "taken". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lion" and "roar", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Can two walk together except they be..." into verse 5's "Can a bird fall in a snare...", so "lion" and "roar" belong inside that flow. In Amos context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "lion" and "roar" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.