Amos 7:12 kjv
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
Amos 7:12 nkjv
Then Amaziah said to Amos: "Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy.
Amos 7:12 niv
Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.
Amos 7:12 esv
And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there,
Amos 7:12 nlt
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!
Amos 7 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 7:10 | Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you within the house of Israel. | Amos 7:10 (Historical Context) |
| 2 Kings 14:25 | He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath-hepher. | 2 Kings 14:25 (Amos's successful prophecy) |
| Isaiah 30:10 | They say to the seers, “Do not see visions,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak smooth things, give delusions; | Isaiah 30:10 (People wanting false prophecy) |
| Jeremiah 7:4 | But do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.’ | Jeremiah 7:4 (False security in the temple) |
| Matthew 10:16 | “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." | Matthew 10:16 (Prophets facing opposition) |
| Acts 4:18 | So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. | Acts 4:18 (Early church persecution) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:16 | The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? | 1 Corinthians 10:16 (Temple significance) |
| Amos 2:8 | they trample on the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted. | Amos 2:8 (Amos's condemnation of injustice) |
| Amos 5:10 | They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks truthfully. | Amos 5:10 (Rejection of honest rebuke) |
| Amos 7:13 | and now hear the word of the LORD: “You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, or preach against the house of Isaac.’” | Amos 7:13 (Amaziah's specific demand) |
| Proverbs 18:6 | A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a flogging. | Proverbs 18:6 (Foolish confrontation) |
| Isaiah 56:11 | the dogs are greedy, they never have enough. They are shepherds who have no understanding; they all turn to their own way, each to his gain. | Isaiah 56:11 (Corrupt religious leaders) |
| Amos 7:17 | Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by rope. And you yourself shall die in a contaminated land. And Israel shall surely be exiled, away from its land.’ | Amos 7:17 (God's judgment on Amaziah) |
| John 16:2 | They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. | John 16:2 (Jesus' warning to disciples) |
| Galatians 1:10 | For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. | Galatians 1:10 (Seeking God's approval) |
| Amos 7:11 | For thus Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be exiled out of his land.’ | Amos 7:11 (The specific prophecy causing alarm) |
| Hosea 5:1 | Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house, for the judgment is against you. For you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor. | Hosea 5:1 (Judgment on priests and the house of Israel) |
| 1 Kings 12:28-29 | So he consulted and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." | 1 Kings 12:28-29 (Jeroboam's golden calves) |
| Acts 5:29 | But Peter said, "We must obey God rather than men." | Acts 5:29 (Prioritizing obedience to God) |
| John 11:48 | If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” | John 11:48 (Fear of popular following) |
Amos 7 verses
Amos 7 12 Meaning
This verse marks a turning point where Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, forbids the prophet Amos from prophesying in Israel, specifically at Bethel, because it is the king's sanctuary and a royal temple. Amaziah views Amos's prophecies as treasonous and disruptive to the established religious and political order.
Amos 7 12 Context
Amos is prophesying during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel, a time of apparent prosperity but also deep social injustice and religious corruption. Chapter 7 describes a series of visions God gave Amos: locusts, fire, a plumb line, ripe fruit, and a vision of the Lord standing by the altar. After the vision of the plumb line, which signifies God's standard and impending judgment, Amaziah the priest intervenes. Amaziah sends a message to King Jeroboam, accusing Amos of sedition for predicting the king's death and Israel's exile. Following this, Amaziah confronts Amos directly at Bethel, the center of idolatrous worship established by Jeroboam I. Amaziah commands Amos to leave and never prophesy in Bethel again, as it is the king's sanctuary and the royal temple. This indicates a clash between divine prophecy and the established religious and political authority.
Amos 7 12 Word Analysis
- “Bethel” (בֵּית־אֵל, Beit-El): Literally "House of God." Initially a significant site where Jacob encountered God (Gen 28:17, 19). However, it became a center for idolatrous worship under Jeroboam I, housing one of the golden calves (1 Kings 12:29).
- “king's sanctuary”: Refers to Bethel being the king's designated religious center and place of worship.
- “royal temple”: Emphasizes that Bethel held official status as a state-sponsored religious institution.
- “conspiracy” (מִזְמָּה, mizmah): Implies a plotting or scheming, a deep, potentially treasonous plan. Amaziah uses this word to politically discredit Amos and frame his prophecies as acts of rebellion against the monarchy.
- “prophesy” (לְהִתְנַבֵּא, lehitnabē'): The act of speaking for God. Amaziah wants to silence this prophetic voice because it challenges his comfortable status quo and the king's authority.
- “house of Isaac”: A poetic reference to the entire house of Jacob, emphasizing their lineage and spiritual heritage, the very lineage Amos was commissioned to speak to.
- “kingdom's temple”: Equivalent to "royal temple," reinforcing that Bethel was the religious stronghold of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Words Group Analysis
- "Amos has conspired against you": This phrase frames Amos's prophetic pronouncements (his prediction of the king's death and Israel's exile) not as divine messages but as politically motivated acts of treason. It's a strategic misrepresentation to silence him.
- "The king's sanctuary, and the royal temple": This highlights the reason for Amaziah's insistence on Amos leaving. Bethel wasn't just a place of worship; it was intertwined with the political power and religious legitimacy of the monarchy. Any prophecy questioning the king or kingdom had to be suppressed from this official seat.
Amos 7 12 Bonus Section
Amaziah's actions in Amos 7 reflect a pattern seen throughout Israel's history: the struggle between true prophecy and compromised religious leadership. Similar to the false prophets who supported kings like Ahab (1 Kings 22), Amaziah seeks to protect the status quo rather than confront the sin God is exposing through Amos. His appeal to the "royal temple" underscores how the apostasy of Israel had blended religious observance with idolatrous political practices, a dangerous fusion where the state dictated divine acceptable speech. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's message is often unwelcome to those in power or those who benefit from religious compromise. The persecution of prophets who speak truth to power is a recurring theme, and Amos's encounter with Amaziah is a vivid example.
Amos 7 12 Commentary
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, acts as a gatekeeper of religious legitimacy. His charge against Amos—that Amos has "conspired" against King Jeroboam—is a politically charged accusation, aiming to frame God's prophetic word as sedition. Bethel was a significant cultic site, made prominent by Jeroboam I after the split of the kingdoms, and later fortified by Jeroboam II. Amaziah’s directive to Amos, forbidding him to prophesy there because it's the "king's sanctuary" and "royal temple," reveals a deep conflict: the state-sanctioned religion actively suppresses prophetic truth when it becomes inconvenient or critical of leadership. This exemplifies the danger of a syncretistic and politically motivated religion that prioritizes national prosperity and royal approval over divine justice and truth. Amaziah prioritizes maintaining the established religious and political order over heeding God’s message, an attitude that ultimately leads to God's judgment upon Amaziah and the nation.