Amos 5:14

Amos 5:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken.

Context of Amos 5:14

12For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. 13So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time. Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. 15Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. 16Therefore, this is what the Lord, the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, says: “There will be crying in all the public squares and mourning in every street. Call for the farmers to weep with you, and summon professional mourners to wail.

Amos 5:14 word by word

דִּרְשׁוּ־ט֥וֹב וְאַל־רָ֖ע לְמַ֣עַן תִּֽחְי֑וּ וִיהִי־כֵ֞ן יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֛וֹת אִתְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
• and not evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• that ye may liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• and so the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• shall be with you, as ye have spokenאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559

Cross-references for Amos 5:14

• Psalms 34:12Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
• Proverbs 11:27If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
• Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
• Isaiah 55:2Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.
• Micah 6:8No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
• Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
• Romans 2:7He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
• Amos 3:3Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
• Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.
• Exodus 3:12God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
• Joshua 1:9This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
• 1 Chronicles 28:20Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.
• 2 Chronicles 15:2and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
• Psalms 46:11The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
• Isaiah 8:10Call your councils of war, but they will be worthless. Develop your strategies, but they will not succeed. For God is with us!”
• Matthew 1:23“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Commentaries on Amos 5:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Seek good, and not evil - Is there a greater mystery in the world, than that a mall, instead of seeking good, will seek evil, knowing that it is evil? And so the Lord - As God is the Fountain of good, so they who seek the supreme good seek him: and they who seek shall find him; For the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with him.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Seek good and not evil - that is, and “seek not evil.” Amos again takes up his warning, “seek not Bethel; seek the Lord.” Now they not only “did evil,” but they “sought” it diligently; they were diligent in doing it, and so, in bringing it on themselves; they sought it out and the occasions of it. People “cannot seek good without first putting away evil, as it is written, cease to do evil, learn to do well‘ Isaiah 1:16-17.” “Ye cannot serve God and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-17Verses 7-17 The same almighty power can, for repenting sinners, easily turn affliction and sorrow into prosperity and joy, and as easily turn the prosperity of daring sinners into utter darkness. Evil times will not bear plain dealing; that is, evil men will not. And these men were evil men indeed, when wise and good men thought it in vain even to speak to them. Those who will seek and love that which is good, may help to save the land from ruin. It…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Amos clarifies his earlier hints (Amos 5:4, 6). Israel must do what is good and right in order to survive.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. and so--on condition of your "seeking good." shall be with you, as ye have spoken--as ye have boasted; namely, that God is with you, and that you are His people (Mi 3:11).Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 5:14

• Seekers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Manifold
• Seek
• Calf, Golden

Commentaries on Amos 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings