Amos 5:5

5:5 Do not seek Bethel! ¹ 

Do not visit Gilgal!

Do not journey down ²  to Beer Sheba!

For the people of Gilgal ³  will certainly be carried into exile; ⁴ 

and Bethel will become a place where disaster abounds.” ⁵ 

Amos 5:27

5:27 and I will drive you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord.

He is called the God who commands armies!

Amos 7:11

7:11 As a matter of fact, ⁶  Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile ⁷  away from its land.’”

Deuteronomy 28:41

28:41 You will bear sons and daughters but not keep them, because they will be taken into captivity.

Luke 21:24

21:24 They ⁸  will fall by the edge ⁹  of the sword and be led away as captives ¹⁰  among all nations. Jerusalem ¹¹  will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ¹² 

¹ sn Ironically, Israel was to seek after the Lord, but not at Bethel (the name Bethel means “the house of God” in Hebrew).

² tn Heb “cross over.”

³ tn Heb “For Gilgal.” By metonymy the place name “Gilgal” is used instead of referring directly to the inhabitants. The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the statement is emphasized by sound play. The name “Gilgal” sounds like the verb גָּלָה (galah, “to go into exile”), which occurs here in the infinitival + finite verb construction (גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה, galoh yigleh). The repetition of the “ג” (g) and “ל” (l) sounds draws attention to the announcement and suggests that Gilgal’s destiny is inherent in its very name.

⁵ tn Heb “disaster,” or “nothing”; NIV “Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”

⁶ tn Or “for.”

⁷ tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.

⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁹ tn Grk “by the mouth of the sword” (an idiom for the edge of a sword).

¹⁰ sn Here is the predicted judgment against the nation until the time of Gentile rule has passed: Its people will be led away as captives.

¹¹ tn Grk “And Jerusalem.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹² sn Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled implies a time when Israel again has a central role in God’s plan.