but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
Parallel translations
- WEB but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
- KJV But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
- BSB But never prophesy at Bethel again, because it is the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom.”
- NKJV But never again prophesy at Bethel, For it is the king’s sanctuary, And it is the royal residence.”
- NASB But do not prophesy at Bethel any longer, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence.”
- NLT Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Amaziah forbids Amos to prophesy at Bethel because it is the king's royal sanctuary. He places loyalty to the throne above the word of God.
Overview
Bethel had become a state-sponsored center of worship serving the king's interests rather than the Lord's. Amaziah's appeal to royal authority exposes a religion captive to political power. This counterfeit sanctuary stands against the true worship God desires, which Christ establishes apart from human institutions of power.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Amos 2:12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘Don’t prophesy!’
- 1 Kgs 12:32Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.
- 1 Kgs 12:29He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
- 1 Kgs 13:1Behold, a man of God came out of Judah by Yahweh’s word to Beth El; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
- Acts 5:28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
- Acts 4:17–18But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”
- Acts 5:40They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid judgment on injustice, Amos promises the raising up of David's fallen tent — read by James in Acts 15 as the ingathering of the nations into the kingdom of the risen Christ.
How Amos 7:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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