¹⁰ But when Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, heard what Amos was saying, he rushed a message to Jeroboam, the king: “Amos is a traitor to our nation and is plotting your death. This is intolerable. It will lead to rebellion all across the land. ¹¹ He says you will be killed and Israel will be sent far away into exile and slavery.”

¹² Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos, “Get out of here, you prophet, you! Flee to the land of Judah and do your prophesying there! ¹³ Don’t bother us here with your visions, not here in the capital where the king’s chapel is!”

¹⁴ But Amos replied, “I am not really one of the prophets. I do not come from a family of prophets. I am just a herdsman and fruit picker. ¹⁵ But the Lord took me from caring for the flocks and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people Israel.’

¹⁶ “Now, therefore, listen to this message to you from the Lord. You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel.’ ¹⁷ The Lord’s reply is this: ‘Because of your interference, your wife will become a prostitute in this city, your sons and daughters will be killed, and your land divided up. You yourself will die in a heathen land, and the people of Israel will certainly become slaves in exile, far from their land.’”