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Don't go to Gilgal or Bethel
    or even to Beersheba.[a]
Gilgal will be dragged away,
and Bethel will end up
    as nothing.”[b]

Turn back to the Lord,
you descendants of Joseph,[c]
    and you will live.
If you don't, the Lord
    will attack like fire.
Bethel will burn to the ground,
    and no one can save it.
You people are doomed!
You twist the truth
    and trample on justice.

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Footnotes

  1. 5.5 Gilgal … Bethel … Beersheba: These were ancient places of worship, but the Lord had warned his people to stay away from them.
  2. 5.5 Gilgal … nothing: In Hebrew “Gilgal” and “dragged away” sound something alike. Bethel (meaning “house of God”) is sometimes called “house of nothing” or “house of sin” by the prophets (see Hosea 4.15; 5.8; 10.5-8).
  3. 5.6 descendants of Joseph: Another name for the people of the northern kingdom of Israel.

    do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,(A)
    do not journey to Beersheba.(B)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.[a](C)
Seek(D) the Lord and live,(E)
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;(F)
it will devour them,
    and Bethel(G) will have no one to quench it.(H)

There are those who turn justice into bitterness(I)
    and cast righteousness(J) to the ground.(K)

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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.