Bible Strands
Amos 7:13
But never prophesy at Bethel again, because it is the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, commands Amos to cease his prophetic ministry in that city during a direct confrontation over his public message.
The words — The Hebrew לֹֽא־תוֹסִיף עוֹד (lo'- to.Sif od) literally means "not again" or "cease," paired with מִקְדַּשׁ (mik.dash) meaning "sanctuary." Amaziah grounds his prohibition in the political and religious status of Bethel.
The thread — The verse connects to the establishment of unauthorized royal shrines in 1 Kings 12:29 and 1 Kings 12:32, and echoes the broader biblical pattern of suppressing prophetic speech in Amos 2:12.
Why it lands — The text records a political authority using religious titles to silence a messenger, requiring the reader to distinguish between institutional power and the origin of prophetic speech.
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
King James Version
But prophesy not again any more at Beth–el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.
- Amos 2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
- 1 Kings 12:29 One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
- 1 Kings 13:1 Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
- Acts 4:17 But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”
- Acts 5:28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
- Acts 5:40 At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.