Amos 5:4 kjv
For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:
Amos 5:4 nkjv
For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live;
Amos 5:4 niv
This is what the LORD says to Israel: "Seek me and live;
Amos 5:4 esv
For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live;
Amos 5:4 nlt
Now this is what the LORD says to the family of Israel: "Come back to me and live!
Amos 5 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 5:4 | Seek the LORD, and you shall live. | Core command and promise |
| Ps 34:12 | Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him shall He instruct in the way that he should choose. | Guidance in seeking the Lord |
| Isa 55:3 | Hear, and your soul shall live. | Promise of life for hearing |
| Jer 29:13 | You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. | Condition of wholehearted seeking |
| Matt 7:7 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | Parallel promise in the NT |
| Luke 11:9 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | Repeat of the Matthean saying |
| John 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. | Hearing and believing brings life |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” | Jesus as the way to life |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | Knowing God and Christ is eternal life |
| Acts 3:19 | Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, | Repentance and turning back lead to renewal |
| Rom 8:13 | For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. | Living by Spirit leads to life |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. | Manifestations of life in the Spirit |
| Phil 3:8 | Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. | Supreme value of knowing Christ |
| Col 3:1-4 | If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. | Seeking things above leads to life with Christ |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | Faith and seeking essential for pleasing God |
| 1 John 1:7 | but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. | Walking in the light leads to fellowship and cleansing |
| 1 John 5:11-12 | And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. | Life found in the Son |
| Ps 84:11 | For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. | God as provider for the upright |
| Prov 1:28 | Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. | Consequences of neglecting God |
| Prov 8:35 | For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, | Wisdom brings life and favor |
Amos 5 verses
Amos 5 4 Meaning
"Seek the LORD, and you shall live." This verse is a divine invitation and a promise. It calls the people of Israel to actively pursue a relationship with God, implying that their current spiritual state is leading to death, not life. Living in obedience and devotion to the LORD is presented as the pathway to genuine existence, both presently and eternally.
Amos 5 4 Context
Amos, a prophet from the southern kingdom of Judah, was sent to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel during a time of prosperity and outward religious observance, yet inwardly corrupted by injustice, idolatry, and a disregard for God's law. Chapter 5 is a lament and a call to repentance, highlighting the people's sin and warning of impending judgment. Verse 4 serves as the first part of a three-part refrain within the chapter (verses 4, 6, and 14-15) that begins with a command to "seek God." The people were engaging in religious rituals at places like Bethel and Gilgal, but their hearts were far from the Lord. Amos contrasts their outward performance with their inward corruption. This specific verse is a direct antidote to their misdirected worship and a hopeful instruction amid the pronouncements of doom.
Amos 5 4 Word Analysis
- "Seek" (Hebrew: דרשו, darash): This Hebrew word implies more than a casual search. It denotes diligent inquiry, earnest pursuit, and a comprehensive seeking. It means to investigate thoroughly, to consult, and to aim for something with intentionality. It suggests a deep, heartfelt yearning.
- "the LORD" (Hebrew: יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the covenant name of God, referring to His eternal, self-existent, and personal relationship with His people, Israel. It emphasizes His faithfulness and power as the God who revealed Himself to Moses.
- "and" (Hebrew: וְ, wə): This conjunction connects the command to seek with the promise that follows. It indicates a causal or consequential relationship.
- "you shall live" (Hebrew: וִחְיוּ, wiḥyū): The verb is in the Qal perfect tense, but here it functions as a jussive, expressing a strong divine imperative or promise. It means to live, to be alive, to thrive, and to prosper. In this context, it promises both physical survival from the coming judgment and spiritual vitality.
Amos 5 4 Bonus Section
The word darash (seek) is used in other significant biblical contexts. For instance, Proverbs 8:35 states, "For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD." Here, "me" refers to wisdom personified, which ultimately points to Christ. Similarly, in Jeremiah 29:13, God promises, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." This emphasizes the depth and totality of commitment required in seeking God. The antithesis is found in Proverbs 1:28, where those who hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD will "call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me." This highlights that God’s availability for seeking is contingent on one's posture towards Him, which Amos is calling Israel to correct. The contrast between seeking the Lord and seeking Bethel or Gilgal is implicit, with the latter ultimately leading to spiritual death.
Amos 5 4 Commentary
Amos urges the people to turn from their hollow religious activities and instead earnestly pursue the Lord Himself. Their worship was perverted because it was not accompanied by justice and righteousness. They sought religious experiences but not the God of Israel who demanded ethical behavior. True life—whether understood as national survival, spiritual well-being, or ultimate salvation—is found only in genuine communion with Yahweh, obtained through sincere seeking and obedience to His ways. This verse underscores that religious observance without a transformed heart and righteous actions is empty and ultimately leads to destruction, not life. The call is to a profound personal and corporate orientation towards God, acknowledging His sovereignty and His just character.