Amaziah’s Opposition

10 Amaziah the priest(A) of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king 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. Amos 7:12 Lit Eat bread
  2. Amos 7:14 Or am
  3. Amos 7:14 = a prophet’s disciple or a member of a prophetic guild
  4. Amos 7:14 Or am
  5. Amos 7:17 Lit unclean

Amos and Amaziah

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos is hatching a plot against you right here on your very doorstep! What he is saying is intolerable. 11 He is saying, ‘Jeroboam will soon be killed, and the people of Israel will be sent away into exile.’”

12 Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! 13 Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!”

14 But Amos replied, “I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one.[a] I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’ 16 Now then, listen to this message from the Lord:

“You say,
‘Don’t prophesy against Israel.
    Stop preaching against my people.[b]
17 But this is what the Lord says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in this city,
    and your sons and daughters will be killed.
Your land will be divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a foreign land.
And the people of Israel will certainly become captives in exile,
    far from their homeland.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 7:14 Or I’m not a prophet nor the son of a prophet.
  2. 7:16 Hebrew against the house of Isaac.