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, 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.