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The Prophet at Bethel
v. 10. Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, the high priest in charge of the sanctuary of idolatry at Bethel, sent to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel, in its religious center, namely, by announcing the coming punishment of the Lord without fear or favor; the land is not able to bear all his words. This is a common charge against the teachers of truth to this day, that their preaching creates a disturbance in the land.
v. 11. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, for this was actually included in the statement of verse 9, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Amaziah purposely stated the threat of the Lord in its severer form in order to provoke the king's wrath.
v. 12. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah and there eat bread, earning some sort of a livelihood, and prophesy there,
v. 13. but prophesy not again any more at Bethel, where his words naturally made it very uncomfortable for Amaziah; for it is the king's l, a sanctuary established by the king, and it is the king's court, the chief place for the cult ordained by the king for his entire kingdom. His argument was that for this reason it was altogether improper for Amos to continue his threatening sayings.
v. 14. Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, in defending himself against the high priest's insinuations, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son, that is, he was not born to that honor nor did he attend any school of the prophets, but I was an herdman, a shepherd of humble position, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit, that is, of the sycamore-fig-tree;
v. 15. and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, giving him a direct call, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.
v. 16. Now, therefore, bear thou the word of the Lord, Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel and drop not thy word, Cf Eze_21:2-7; Mic_2:6-11, against the house of Isaac.
v. 17. Therefore, thus saith the Lord, Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, dishonored by the enemies at the storming of the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, in the slaughter of the same attack, and thy land, his own landed possession, shall be divided by line, allotted to the invaders, and thou shalt die in a polluted land, as a prisoner among the heathen; and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land. With people who are unwittingly caught in the meshes of a false religion one may have patience, but the leaders of false religions must be rebuked with all severity, for it is their leadership which results in the loss of souls, and the leaders are rightly held responsible.