English Standard Version
Amos 2:6
6Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals—
Amos 2:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of sandals.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This is what the Lord says: “The people of Israel have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They sell honorable people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals.
Context of Amos 2:6
4Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. 5So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem." Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— 7those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; 8they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
Read all of Amos 2Amos 2:6 word by word
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־מִכְרָ֤ם בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ צַדִּ֔יק וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּעֲב֥וּר נַעֲלָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- For threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and for fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
- I will not turn awayשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- thereof; because they soldמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- for silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- and the poorאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
- for a pair of shoesנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
Cross-references for Amos 2:6
- Amos 6:3O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence?
- 2 Kings 17:7And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods
- 2 Kings 18:12because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. They neither listened nor obeyed.
- Ezekiel 23:5"Oholah played the whore while she was mine, and she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriors
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
- Hosea 7:7All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me.
- Hosea 8:4They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.
- Hosea 13:2And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, "Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!"
- Micah 6:10Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed?
- Amos 5:11Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
- Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end,
- Isaiah 5:22Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
- Isaiah 29:21who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.
- Joel 3:3and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.
- Micah 3:2you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones,
Commentaries on Amos 2:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6For three transgressions of Israel, etc. - To be satisfied of the exceeding delinquency of this people, we have only to open the historical and prophetic books in any part; for the whole history of the Israelites is one tissue of transgression against God. Their crimes are enumerated under the following heads: - Their judges were mercenary and corrupt. They took bribes to condemn the righteous; and even for articles of clothing, such as a pair of shoes…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6For three transgressions of Israel, and for four - In Israel, on whom the divine sentence henceforth rests, the prophet numbers four classes of sins, running into one another, as all sins do, since all grievous sins contain many in one, yet in some degree distinct: (1) Perversion of justice; (2) oppression of the poor; (3) uncleanness; (4) luxury with idolatry. They sold the righteous for silver - It is clear from the opposite statement, “that we may buy…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Honorable people are called the righteous. They lived in right relationship with God and with other people. When this word appears alongside poor, it describes the righteous needy, people who were both faithful and poor. The law given through Moses urged those who had enough to help those in need by lending freely (Deuteronomy 15:7–11). As a last option, people who could not repay their debts could become bond servants. They would repay what they owed…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Israel--the ten tribes, the main subject of Amos' prophecies. sold the righteous--Israel's judges for a bribe are induced to condemn in judgment him who has a righteous cause; in violation of De 16:19. the poor for a pair of shoes--literally, "sandals" of wood, secured on the foot by leather straps; less valuable than shoes. Compare the same phrase, for "the most paltry bribe," Am 8:6; Eze 13:19; Joe 3:3. They were not driven by poverty to such a sin…Read the comment
Topics related to Amos 2:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Amos 2
- 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
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