Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
Also Amaziah said unto Amos. Besides informing the king against Amos, lest that course should fail, as it did, Amaziah urges the troublesome prophet himself to go back to his own land, Judah, pretending to advise him in friendliness.
O thou seer - said contemptuously in reference to Amos' visions, which precede.
Flee thee away into the land of Judah. Amaziah tauntingly tells him his words against Israel and Bethel will be acceptable in Judah; implying that the prophet had no sympathies with the people among whom he prophesied, but was a traitor at heart to them, and favoured their enemy. There eat bread, and prophesy there - you can earn a livelihood there, whereas remaining here you will be ruined. He judges of Amos by his own selfishness, as if regard to one's own safety and livelihood are the paramount considerations. So the false prophets (Ezekiel 13:19) were ready to say whatever pleased their hearers, however false, dishonouring to God, and destructive to souls, for "handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread."