guilty of the crimes of which God, through the Prophet, was accusing
Israel? Amos understood this, though Amaziah did not. The Prophet was
speaking to all the people and not to one man in particular.
Therefore, he continued:

"Woe unto those that desire the Day of God!
Wherefore would ye have the Day of God?
It is darkness and not light.
It is when one flees from a lion,
And a bear meets him;
Or goes into a house and leans his hand upon a wall,
And a serpent bites him.
Shall not the Day of God be darkness and not light,
Yea, murky darkness, without a ray of light?"

That is why, retorted the High Priest, the people come to Bethel and
Gilgal and the other sanctuaries. They bring their sacrifices to God,
that He may forgive their sins, against the coming of the Day of God,
when all the guilty shall be judged and punished.

Amos did not interrupt Amaziah because he was an old man, and Amos
knew what courtesy was due the aged. But when the Priest had finished,
the Prophet, with fine sarcasm, showed the uselessness and selfishness
of the whole artificial scheme as practiced at the sanctuaries:

"Come to Bethel and transgress,
At Gilgal increase your transgressions,
And bring in the morning your sacrifices,
And every third day your tithes!
Burn some leaven bread as a thanks-offering,