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The Priest Tries to Banish Amos

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you at the very center of the house of Israel. The country cannot endure all his words. 11 For this is what Amos said:

‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
    and Israel will surely be exiled
    away from its land.’ ”

12 So Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee back to the land of Judah. Earn your sustenance there, and prophesy there. 13 But do not prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”

14 But Amos answered Amaziah: “I am no prophet, and I am no prophet’s disciple. Rather, I am a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees. 15 But the Lord took me away from the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord: You say,

‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
    and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord:

‘Your wife will be a prostitute in the city,
    your sons and daughters will fall by the sword,
and your land will be divided by measuring line;
    you yourself will die in an unclean land;
and Israel will surely go into exile
    away from its land.’ ”

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