Amos 5 5

Amos 5:5 kjv

But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

Amos 5:5 nkjv

But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing.

Amos 5:5 niv

do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing."

Amos 5:5 esv

but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing."

Amos 5:5 nlt

Don't worship at the pagan altars at Bethel;
don't go to the shrines at Gilgal or Beersheba.
For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile,
and the people of Bethel will be reduced to nothing."

Amos 5 verses

Amos 5 5 Meaning

Amos 5:5 delivers a divine command forbidding the Israelites from seeking the Lord in the well-known religious centers of Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba. This instruction directly counters the preceding general call to "seek the LORD and live," clarifying that seeking Him must be done in truth and not through corrupt worship practices. The verse then declares the imminent and certain judgment upon these sites, stating that Gilgal will inevitably face exile and Bethel will be utterly devastated and rendered insignificant, a prophetic wordplay on its name meaning "House of God." The message emphasizes God's rejection of their syncretistic and formalistic worship.

Amos 5 5 Context

Amos 5:5 appears within a section of lament and oracle against Israel following a direct call to repentance (Amos 5:4). After urging Israel to "seek the LORD and live," Amos immediately specifies what "seeking the LORD" does not entail for his audience. The historical context is the prosperous but spiritually corrupt Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. Despite their economic flourishing, widespread social injustice and syncretistic worship were rampant. Amos, a shepherd and fig dresser from Judah, prophesies to Israel, challenging their religious complacency and false security. The verse directly addresses the popular pilgrimage destinations—Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba—which were integral to the distorted religious life of the Israelites, warning that these very places of supposed worship would face divine judgment.

Amos 5 5 Word analysis

• do not seek (אַל-תִּדְרְשׁוּ, al-tidr'shu): A direct negative command. The Hebrew verb darash (דרש) typically means to seek, inquire, or frequent. Here, it denotes actively going to and seeking divine favor at specific locations. The prohibition clarifies that seeking God in such corrupt places is a futile and forbidden endeavor, in contrast to the true seeking described in Amos 5:4.
• Bethel (בֵּית-אֵל, Beit-El): Meaning "House of God." Originally sanctified by Jacob's vision (Gen 28:10-22). It tragically became a prominent center for idolatrous calf worship under Jeroboam I (1 Ki 12:28-33), representing a place where authentic worship was corrupted. Its very name, "House of God," would be ironic given its spiritual condition.
• nor enter (אַל-תָּבֹאוּ, al-tavo'u): Another strong negative command, prohibiting physical access to Gilgal for religious purposes.
• Gilgal (הַגִּלְגָּל, ha-Gilgal): Historically a significant site. It was where Israel renewed their covenant upon entering Canaan, circumcised themselves, and observed the first Passover in the land (Josh 4:19-5:12). This once sacred and covenantal site, however, also became a hub for perverted worship and ritualism without true heart (Hos 9:15).
• nor cross over (אַל-תַּעֲבֹרוּ, al-ta'avōrū): A negative imperative using the verb avar (עבר), meaning to pass over or through, implying movement or pilgrimage towards.
• Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, Be'er Sheva): "Well of the Oath" or "Well of Seven." A significant patriarchal site in the far south, associated with Abraham and Isaac (Gen 21:22-34, 26:23-33), indicating its deep roots in Israel's history of true worship. Its inclusion in Amos's list shows how widespread the idolatry and spiritual compromise had become, extending even to revered ancestral grounds far from the main Northern Kingdom centers.
• for (כִּי, ki): This conjunction introduces the divine justification for the prohibition—the inevitable judgment on these false sanctuaries.
• Gilgal shall surely go into exile (גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה, galoh yigleh): This employs the infinitive absolute before the finite verb, an intense Hebrew grammatical construction that conveys absolute certainty and emphasizes the inevitability and completeness of the action. It highlights a literal carrying away into foreign lands.
• Bethel shall come to nothing (יִהְיֶה לְאָוֶן, yihyeh l'aven): This phrase features a powerful wordplay. "Bethel" (House of God) will become aven (אָוֶן), which means trouble, wickedness, evil, or emptiness/nothingness. This implies that "House of God" will be revealed as a "House of Wickedness/Iniquity" (compare with Hosea's "Beth-aven," Hos 4:15), utterly devoid of spiritual reality and leading to ruin.

• "do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor cross over to Beersheba": This tripartite negative command delineates specific actions and locations, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the prohibited false worship. It paints a picture of pilgrims travelling across the land to engage in what they considered legitimate worship, highlighting how deeply ingrained and geographically extensive Israel's spiritual corruption was.
• "for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing": This declares the unescapable judgment. The prophecy not only forbids participation but pronounces the demise of the very places that symbolized their spiritual perversion, proving that the foundation of their religious confidence was rotten. It acts as a divine explanation for the command to desist from these pilgrimage centers.

Amos 5 5 Bonus section

• The Problem of False Security: This verse directly confronts the common religious delusion that external acts (pilgrimages, offerings at popular shrines) could substitute for genuine obedience, inner transformation, and social justice. The Israelites felt secure in their rituals, but Amos dismantles this false assurance by declaring these very sacred sites would be obliterated.
• A Theological Inversion: Bethel's fate, changing from "House of God" to "nothing" or "iniquity" (aven), represents a profound theological inversion. It's a divine verdict that places dedicated to false worship lose their sacred identity and become symbols of divine wrath.
• Broader Application: While specific to ancient Israel, the principle resonates: seeking God truly means aligning with His character and commands, not merely participating in outward religious forms, traditions, or going to physical structures when the heart is far from Him. It foreshadows the New Testament emphasis on worship in spirit and truth rather than geographical location (Jn 4:21-24).

Amos 5 5 Commentary

Amos 5:5 stands as a critical clarification of God's demand for genuine seeking (Amos 5:4). Israel's pursuit of God had devolved into formalistic pilgrimages and syncretistic rituals at places like Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba—sites that held significant, yet now corrupted, historical or patriarchal importance. These were not random locations but centers for a self-serving religion where the true God was misrepresented and mixed with pagan practices, particularly the golden calf cults established by Jeroboam I at Bethel and Dan. The prophet vehemently rejects these false ways, declaring that such "worship" would not save but condemn. The future judgment of exile and utter desolation promised for Gilgal and Bethel (the ominous transformation of "House of God" to "nothing" or "wickedness") underscores the severe consequences of spiritual apostasy and reliance on outward forms without inward truth. God demands authentic devotion and justice, not ritualistic pilgrimage to defiled sanctuaries.