God’s Word Translation
Amos 5:24
24But let justice flow like a river 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!
- 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
22Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won’t accept them. I won’t even look at the fellowship offerings of your choicest animals. 23Spare me the sound of your songs. I won’t listen to the music of your harps. But let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the desert for 40 years, nation of Israel? 26You carried along the statues of ⌞the god⌟ Sikkuth as your king and the star Kiyyun, the gods 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 5:7You, Israel, turn justice into poison and throw righteousness on the ground.
- Job 29:12because I rescued the poor who called ⌞for help⌟ and the orphans who had no one to help them.
- Proverbs 21:3Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to the Lord than offering a sacrifice.
- Hosea 6:6I want your loyalty, not your sacrifices. I want you to know me, not to give me burnt offerings.
- Micah 6:8You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God.
- Mark 12:32The expert in Moses’ Teachings said to Jesus, “Teacher, that was well said! You’ve told the truth that there is only one God and 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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