Amos Accused; Gives an Answer

10 Then Amaziah, the (A)priest of Bethel, sent word to (B)Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has (C)conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. 11 For this is what Amos says: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “(D)Go, you seer, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and do your prophesying there! 13 But (E)do not prophesy at Bethel any longer, for it is a (F)sanctuary of the king and a royal [a]residence.”

14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the (G)son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a [b]grower of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from [c]following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go (H)prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16 So now hear the word of the Lord: you are saying, ‘You (I)shall not prophesy against Israel (J)nor shall you [d]prophesy against the house of Isaac.’ 17 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘Your (K)wife will become a prostitute in the city, your (L)sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die [e]upon (M)unclean soil. Furthermore Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:13 Lit house
  2. Amos 7:14 Or picker
  3. Amos 7:15 Lit behind
  4. Amos 7:16 Lit drivel
  5. Amos 7:17 Or in an unclean land

Amos and Amaziah

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

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

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

14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet(L) nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.(M) 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock(N) and said to me, ‘Go,(O) prophesy(P) to my people Israel.’(Q) 16 Now then, hear(R) the word of the Lord. You say,

“‘Do not prophesy against(S) Israel,
    and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wife will become a prostitute(T) in the city,
    and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a pagan[a] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,(U)
    away from their native land.(V)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:17 Hebrew an unclean

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

17 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

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