Amos 5:24

Amos 5:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
• New International Version (NIV)But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
• English Standard Version (ESV)But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.

Context of Amos 5:24

22When you bring burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, they do not please me. I will not accept your friendship offerings of fat animals. 23When you sing songs to worship me, I will not listen. They are just noise! I do not want to hear the music of your harps. What I do want to see is justice! I want to see that you always do what is right. Those good things should never stop, like a river that always runs with water. 25You people of Israel's family, listen to me! I led you through the wilderness for 40 years. During that time, did you worship me with sacrifices and offerings? No! 26Instead, you have idols that you have made for yourselves. You have the idol of Sakkuth, your king. You have the idol of Kaiwan, your star god. Now you will have to carry them with you.

Amos 5:24 word by word

וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But let judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• run downגָּלַלgâlal · to rollH1556
• as watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• as a mightyאֵיתָן'êythân · strongH386
• streamנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158

Cross-references for Amos 5:24

• Amos 5:7You people change what is right and true to make lies. You are not fair or honest.
• Job 29:12When poor people cried for help, I rescued them. I helped children who had no family that could help them.
• Proverbs 21:3If you do what is right and fair, it pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
• Hosea 6:6It is faithful love that makes me happy. That would be better than your sacrifices to me. You should know me as your God. That would be better than your burnt offerings.
• Micah 6:8But God has told us what is good. This is what the Lord wants from us: ‘You must be fair to other people,’ God says. ‘You must want to be kind. And you must be careful to do what I show you.’
• Mark 12:32The teacher of God's Law said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, you have answered well. You are right to say that the Lord is the only God. And there is no other God except him.

Commentaries on Amos 5:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Let judgment run down - Let the execution of justice be everywhere like the showers that fall upon the land to render it fertile; and let righteousness in heart and life be like a mighty river, or the Jordan, that shall wind its course through the whole nation, and carry every abomination into the Dead Sea. Let justice and righteousness prevail everywhere, and sweep their contraries out of the land.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24But - (And) let judgment run down (Literally, “roll” English margin) “like water.” The duties of either table include both; since there is no true love for man without the love of God, nor any real love or duty to God without the love of man. People will exchange their sins for other sins. They will not break them off unless they be converted to God. But the first outward step in conversion, is to break off sin. He bids them then “let judgment,” which had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-27Verses 18-27 Woe unto those that desire the day of the Lord's judgments, that wish for times of war and confusion; as some who long for changes, hoping to rise upon the ruins of their country! but this should be so great a desolation, that nobody could gain by it. The day of the Lord will be a dark, dismal, gloomy day to all impenitent sinners. When God makes a day dark, all the world cannot make it light. Those who are not reformed by the judgments of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24This is the second of the major thematic verses in Amos (see Amos 4:12). ever-flowing stream: The streams or gullies (wadis) in Israel's dry areas held water only during rainy seasons. However, God desired constant, not just seasonal, justice.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. judgment--justice. run down--literally, "roll," that is, flow abundantly (Is 48:18). Without the desire to fulfil righteousness in the offerer, the sacrifice is hateful to God (1Sa 15:22; Psa 66:18; Ho 6:6; Mi 6:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 5:24

• Hypocrisy
• Offerings
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Manifold
• Seek
• Calf, Golden
• High Place
• Idolatry
• Pekahiah
• Salvation
• Sanctification
• Waters
• harp, harpist

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