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Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Amos 5:5

Bethel. Gilgal. Beer-sheba. Compare Hosea 4:15; Hosea 10:8. These were the seats of Israel's idolatrous worship.

pass not. pass not through; which was necessary in order to get from the north to Beer-sheba in the south. Compare Amos 4:4; Amos 8:14.

Gilgal shall surely go into captivity. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia (App-6), for emphasis. Hebrew. Gilgal galoh yigleh. The Roller, rolling, shall roll away: i.e. be utterly removed. This is emphasized by the Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6).

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See also Amos 5:5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Amos 5:5. _BUT SEEK NOT BETH-EL_] There was one of Jeroboam's _golden calves_, and at _Gilgal_ were _carved images_; both were places in which idolatry was triumphant. The prophet shows them th...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT (AND) SEEK NOT BETHEL - Israel pretended to seek God in Bethel. Amos sets the two seeking, as incompatible. The god, worshiped at Bethel, was not the One God. To seek God there was to lose Him. “S...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 5 The Third Discourse _ 1. The lamentation (Amos 5:1) _ 2. Seek the Lord and ye shall live (Amos 5:4) 3. The wailing (Amos 5:16) 4. The captivity announced ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE IMPENDING PUNISHMENT. The prophet gives his next few words the form of a dirge (_kî nah_,_ Amos 5:1_). This (Amos 5:2) is characterised by the peculiar _kî nah-metre_, consisting of three beats or...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Proof that Israel merits the fate which has just been pronounced against it: it has sought Jehovah by a ritual which He does not value, and it has spurned the virtues which He really prizes. _Seek ye...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    But seek me not, as I am sought by the worshippers at Beth-el and your other sanctuaries: _their_end will be only destruction. _seek not Beth-el_ Here -seek" is used in the first of the two senses ind...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _SEEK HIM THAT MADE THE STARS -- AMOS 5:1-9:_ Amos brought a mournful message from God to the house of Israel. He called upon them to listen to God's word. God is grieved over their wrongs and his des...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND PASS NOT TO BEER-SHEBA— Beer-sheba was not in the kingdom of Israel; and therefore we may hence collect that it was usual for the Israelites to pass into the kingdom of Judah, to Beer-sheba, and t...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    REVELATION CALLS FOR REPENTANCEGOD'S WORD AGAINST ISRAEL TEXT: Amos 5:1-5 1 Hear ye this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel. 2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. BUT SEEK NOT BETH-EL - i:e., the calves at Bethel...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    5:5 nought. (b-26) The Hebrew for 'nought' is here _ Aven_ , 'vanity,' 'iniquity.' see Hosea 4:15 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE THIRD ADDRESS 1-6. A lament, a warning, and an invitation. 7, 10-20. Denunciation of injustice and oppression, with threats of pestilence and judgment. 21-27. A repudiation of their attempt to...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PASS NOT TO BEER-SHEBA] People living in the northern kingdom would have to 'pass,' to cross over, the territory of Judah to reach the famous sanctuary in the extreme S. of the land. In the reference...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE MAN WITH A DIFFICULT MESSAGE FROM GOD AMOS _MARK KIRKPATRICK_ CHAPTER 5 GOD ENCOURAGES ISRAEL’S PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO HIM V1 People in Israel, listen to this song. ‘This funeral song is ab...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SEEK. — The same word is used for the searching, or inquiring at idol shrines, which is here fervently condemned. Respecting Beersheba, see Note on Amos 8:14. On Grilgal there is a play of words in th...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ אַֽל ־תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְ הַ גִּלְ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    2. FOR WORSHIP, JUSTICE Amos 5:1 In the next of these groups of oracles Amos continues his attack on the national ritual, and now contrasts it with the service of God in public life-the relief of the...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD” Amos 4:12-13; Amos 5:1-15 Worse judgments than those mentioned in the previous verses were in store but before they are inflicted, the entire nation is summoned to the divin...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The third discourse was a description of Jehovah's judgment. This opened with a lamentation for the virgin of Israel, "The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise, she is cast down upon her...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But seek not Bethel, nor enter into (c) Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. (c) In those places they worshipped new idols, w...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Bethel,...Galgal,...Bersabee. The places where they worshipped their idols. (Challoner) --- They had all been honoured by the patriarchs. Bersabee had belonged to Juda under Achab, 3 Kings xix. 3. Bu...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The first verse in this paragraph is a confirmation, if it were needed, of what I advanced in my observations on the former. Seeking the Lord, implies the hope of finding him, and indeed the promise i...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Lectures on the Minor Prophets. W. Kelly. "The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    But Amos afterwards defines the character of true repentance, when he says, _Seek not Bethel, go not to Gilgal, pass not over to Beersheba _Some think that the Prophet here repudiates all the disguise...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    After having deplored the ruin of Israel, He contrasts the places of their false worship with Jehovah, the Creator, and exhorts them to come unto Him and live. But Israel put off the thought of the ev...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT SEEK NOT BETHEL,.... Do not go to Bethel, the place where one of Jeroboam's calves was set up and worshipped, to consult the oracle, idols, and priests there; or to perform religious worship, whic...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. Ver. 5. _But seek not Bethel, &c._] Make not lies yo...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For_ Or rather, _nevertheless, seek ye me, and ye shall live _ That is, ye shall be prosperous again; for life, in the Scripture language, is used to express prosperity, or happiness. This shows, tha...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ISRAEL'S ONLY SAFETY IN SEEKING THE LORD...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    but seek not Bethel, where idolatry was so openly and blasphemously practiced, NOR ENTER INTO GILGAL, another center of idol-worship, AND PASS NOT TO BEERSHEBA, in the extreme southern part of Canaan,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 The convincing, awakening word must be heard and heeded, as well as words of comfort and peace; for whether we hear or forbear, the word of God shall take effect. The Lord still proclaims mercy t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BUT SEEK NOT BETH-EL; consult not, worship not, depend not on the idol calf at Beth-el; or seek not God at Beth-el, but at Jerusalem, where he will be found; cast off idolatry, return to the true God...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Amos 5:5 seek H1875 (H8799) Bethel H1008 enter H935 (H8799) Gilgal H1537 over H5674 (H8799) Beersheba...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL TO REPENTANCE AND REJECTION OF THE FALSE SANCTUARIES (AMOS 5:4). YHWH therefore calls Israel to repentance before it is too late. If only they will repent and truly seek Him they will live, a...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    A LAMENTATION OVER ISRAEL (AMOS 5:1). While speaking powerfully Amos had no joy in what was to happen to Israel, and having pronounced judgment on them, he now laments what must necessarily be their e...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Amos 5:4. _For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:_ And that it just the message of God to professing Christians now: «Seek ye me.» Get away from your mere ce...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: God's lamentation over Israel and captivity foretold. The day of the Lord. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: If men will not take a right course to obtain the favor of God, God will take an eff...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Amos 5:2. _The virgin of Israel is fallen._ Babylon, which had never been stormed by a besieging army, is called a virgin. Isaiah 47:1. Thus Israel, whose kingdom had never yet been wholly subdued, is...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Seek ye Me, and ye shall live. .. But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal._ I. The blessings of Israel. Gilgal and Bethel were places in Israel’s history bedewed by showers of blessing. 1. Gilga...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 5:1 Although they face imminent destruction, God still pleads with his people to return to him. ⇐ ⇔

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 5:5 Israel should SEEK THE LORD in the ways he has commanded, not in the pagan practices found at BETHEL, GILGAL, and...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] Amos 5:4. Live] Not only remain alive, but possess real favour. AMOS 5:5. BETHEL] “A strong dissuasive from idolatry derived from the predicted fall of the objects and places of fa...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION VERSE 1-CH. 6:14 § 8. _Third address_:_ the prophet utters a lamentation over the fall of Israel_. (Amos 6:1.) He calls her to repentance, while he shows wherein she has declined from the...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation (Amos 5:1), Weeping over the house of Israel now. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her l...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 1:28; 1 Corinthians 2:6; Amos 4:4; Amos 7:17; Amos 8:14;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Seek not — Consult not, worship not the idol at Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba....

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