English Standard Version
Amos 6:4
4"Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall,
Amos 6:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
- New International Version (NIV)You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who lie on beds of ivory, Stretch out on your couches, Eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall;
- New Living Translation (NLT)How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches, eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall.
Context of Amos 6:4
2Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory, 3O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence? "Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, 5who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, 6who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Read all of Amos 6Amos 6:4 word by word
הַשֹּֽׁכְבִים֙ עַל־מִטּ֣וֹת שֵׁ֔ן וּסְרֻחִ֖ים עַל־עַרְשׂוֹתָ֑ם וְאֹכְלִ֤ים כָּרִים֙ מִצֹּ֔אן וַעֲגָלִ֖ים מִתּ֥וֹךְ מַרְבֵּֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- upon bedsמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
- of ivoryשֵׁןshên · tooth: ivoryH8127
- and stretchסָרַחsârach · to overrunH5628
- themselves upon their couchesעֶ֫רֶשׂ‛ereώ · bedH6210
- and eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the lambsכַּרkar · ramH3733
- out of the flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- and the calvesעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
- out of the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the stallמַרְבֵּקmarbêq · stallH4770
Cross-references for Amos 6:4
- Isaiah 5:11Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!
- Isaiah 22:13and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
- Luke 16:19"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
- Romans 13:13Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
- James 5:5You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
- 1 Samuel 25:36And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.
- Psalms 73:7Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'
Commentaries on Amos 6:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That lie upon beds of ivory - The word הוי hoi, wo, is understood at the beginning of each of the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth verses. The beds mentioned here may be either sofas to recline on at table, or beds to sleep on; and these among the ancients were ornamented with ivory inlaid. They were called lectos eburatos by Plautus, lectos eburnos by Horace, "ivory beds." Probably those ornamented with shells, or mother-of-pearl, may be intended…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4That lie upon beds (that is, sofas) of ivory - that is, probably inlaid with ivory. The word might, in itself, express either the bed, in which they slept by night, or the divan, on which the Easterns lay at their meals; “and stretch themselves,” literally, “are poured” out, stretching their listless length, dissolved, unnerved, in luxury and sloth, “upon their couches,” perhaps under an awning: “and eat the lambs,” probably “fatted lambs (as in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4People often served meat to honor important guests. Common foods included bread, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. Wealthy people ate meat regularly, showing their wealth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. (See Am 2:8). beds of ivory--that is, adorned, or inlaid, with ivory (Am 3:15). stretch themselves--in luxurious self-indulgence. lambs out of the flock--picked out as the choicest, for their owners' selfish gratification.Read the comment
Topics related to Amos 6:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Amos 6
- 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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Commentaries