Amaziah’s Opposition

10 Amaziah the priest(A) of Bethel sent word to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you(B) right here in the house of Israel. The land cannot endure all his words, 11 for Amos has said this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile from its homeland.’”(C)

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer!(D) Flee to the land of Judah. Earn your living[a] and give your prophecies there, 13 but don’t ever prophesy(E) at Bethel again, for it is the king’s sanctuary(F) and a royal temple.”

14 So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was[b] not a prophet or the son of a prophet;[c](G) rather, I was[d] a herdsman,(H) and I took care of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock(I) and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”(J)

16 Now hear the word of the Lord. You say:

Do not prophesy(K) against Israel;
do not preach(L) against the house of Isaac.

17 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:

Your wife will be a prostitute in the city,(M)
your sons and daughters will fall by the sword,(N)
and your land will be divided up
with a measuring line.
You yourself will die on pagan[e] soil,(O)
and Israel will certainly go into exile(P)
from its homeland.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:12 Lit Eat bread
  2. 7:14 Or am
  3. 7:14 = a prophet’s disciple or a member of a prophetic guild
  4. 7:14 Or am
  5. 7:17 Lit unclean

Amos Accused

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

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

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

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, (J)“I was[a] no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but (K)I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 (L)But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 (M)Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.

“You say, (N)‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
    and (O)do not preach against the house of (P)Isaac.’

17 (Q)Therefore thus says the Lord:

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

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 7:14 Or am; twice in this verse