Amos 5:14

Seek good, not evil, so that you may live. And the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Amos addresses the people of Israel amid national crisis, where the prudent are silent and the days are evil (v. 13). This is a conditional call: survival depends on the direction of their pursuit.

The words — דִּרְשׁוּ (dirshu), "seek," is a plural imperative from the root דרשׁ, carrying the sense of diligent inquiry or sustained pursuit rather than casual searching. It is the same root the LXX renders with ζητέω (zēteō), the verb behind "seek first" in Matthew 6:33.

The thread — Matthew 6:33 mirrors the structure: seek a thing, and a promised outcome follows. Micah 3:11 depicts what Israel's leaders were actually doing—trading justice for gain—which is the "evil" Amos names.

Why it lands — The verse is a condition, not a blessing: "so that you may live" is the stake, and "as you have claimed" (כֵן) is a direct challenge to their self-assurance. It asks the reader to check whether their pursuit matches their profession.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

דִּרְשׁוּ־dir.shu-seek ט֥וֹבTovgood וְאַל־ve./'al-and/ may not [it be]רָ֖עra'evil לְמַ֣עַןle.Ma.'anso that תִּֽחְי֑וּtich.Yuyou will live וִיהִי־vi./hi-and/ it may be כֵ֞ןkhenthus יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵֽי־'e.lo.hei-God of צְבָא֛וֹתtze.va.'othosts אִתְּכֶ֖ם'i.te./Khem[will be] with/ you כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as אֲמַרְתֶּֽם׃'a.mar.Temyou have said

King James Version

Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Cross-references

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
Genesis 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
Psalms 34:12 Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?
Isaiah 48:1 “Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—