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This is what the Lord God says:

“Officers leaving the city with 1000 men
    will return with only 100 men.
Officers leaving the city with 100 men
    will return with only ten men.”

The Lord Encourages Israel to Come Back

The Lord says this to the nation[a] of Israel:
“Come looking for me and live.
    But don’t look in Bethel.
Don’t go to Gilgal.
    Don’t cross the border and go down to Beersheba.[b]
The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners,[c]
    and Bethel will be destroyed.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:4 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country.
  2. Amos 5:5 Bethel, Gilgal, Beersheba Ancient places of worship. Abraham and Jacob built altars in these places, but God had told the Israelites that they should go to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship him.
  3. Amos 5:5 taken away as prisoners In Hebrew this sounds like the name “Gilgal.”
  4. Amos 5:5 destroyed The Hebrew word is like the name “Beth Aven.” This name means “House of Wickedness.” The prophets often used this name for Bethel.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:

“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
    will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
    will have only ten left.(A)

This is what the Lord says to Israel:

“Seek(B) me and live;(C)
    do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,(D)
    do not journey to Beersheba.(E)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.[a](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:5 Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see Hosea 4:15.