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This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“See, I am setting a plumb line
    in the midst of my people Israel;
    I will spare them no longer;(A)
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
    and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
    and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”(B)

Amaziah Complains to the King

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.(C) 11 For thus Amos has said,

‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
    and Israel must go into exile
    away from his land.’ ”(D)

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”(E)

14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am[a] no prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I am[b] a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees,(F) 15 and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 7.14 Or was
  2. 7.14 Or was

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,[a] with a plumb line[b] in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see,(A) Amos?(B)

“A plumb line,(C)” I replied.

Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.(D)

“The high places(E) of Isaac will be destroyed
    and the sanctuaries(F) of Israel will be ruined;
    with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.(G)

Amos and Amaziah

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel(H) sent a message to Jeroboam(I) king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy(J) against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words.(K) 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
    and Israel will surely go into exile,(L)
    away from their native land.’”(M)

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer!(N) Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.(O) 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel,(P) because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple(Q) of the kingdom.(R)

14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet(S) nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.(T) 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock(U) and said to me, ‘Go,(V) prophesy(W) to my people Israel.’(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Amos 7:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain; also in verse 8.