English Standard Version
Amos 5:24
24But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
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!
- New King James Version (NKJV)But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
Context of Amos 5:24
22Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25"Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves,
Read all of Amos 5Amos 5:24 word by word
וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Amos 5:24
- Amos 5:7O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!
- Job 29:12because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
- Proverbs 21:3To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
- Hosea 6:6For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Micah 6:8He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Mark 12:32And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries