God’s Word Translation
Amos 8:4
4Listen to this, those who trample on the needy and ruin those who are oppressed in the world.
Amos 8:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
- New International Version (NIV)Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail,
Context of Amos 8:4
2He asked, “What do you see, Amos?” “A basket of ripe summer fruit,” I answered. Then the Lord said to me, “My people Israel are now ripe. I will no longer overlook what they have done. 3On that day the songs of the temple will become loud cries,” declares the Almighty Lord. “There will be dead bodies scattered everywhere. Hush!” Listen to this, those who trample on the needy and ruin those who are oppressed in the world. 5You say to yourselves, “When will the New Moon Festival be over so that we can sell more grain? When will the day of rest—a holy day, be over so that we can sell more wheat? We can shrink the size of the bushel baskets, increase the cost, and cheat with dishonest scales. 6We can buy the poor with money and the needy for a pair of sandals. We can sell the husks mixed in with the wheat.”
Read all of Amos 8Amos 8:4 word by word
שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֕את הַשֹּׁאֲפִ֖ים אֶבְי֑וֹן וְלַשְׁבִּ֖ית עֲנִיֵּי אָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Amos 8:4
- Amos 7:16“Now listen to the Lord’s word: You said, ‘Stop prophesying against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’
- 1 Kings 22:19Micaiah added, “Then hear the Lord’s word. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing near him on his right and his left.
- Isaiah 1:10Listen to the Lord’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Pay attention to the teachings from our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Isaiah 28:14So hear the Lord’s word, you foolish talkers who rule the people in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 5:21Hear this, you stupid and senseless people! You have eyes, but you cannot see. You have ears, but you cannot hear.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Now listen, Hananiah, the Lord hasn’t sent you. You have made these people believe a lie.
- Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: Because Israel has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Israel sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.
- Amos 5:11You trample on the poor and take their wheat from them for taxes. That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
- Psalms 12:5“Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will provide safety for those who long for it.”
- Psalms 14:4Are all those troublemakers, those who devour my people as if they were devouring food, so ignorant that they do not call on the Lord?
- Psalms 56:1Have pity on me, O God, because people are harassing me. All day long warriors oppress me.
- Psalms 140:12I know that the Lord will defend the rights of those who are oppressed and the cause of those who are needy.
- Proverbs 30:14A certain kind of person, whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are ⌞like⌟ knives, devours oppressed people from the earth and people from among humanity.
- Isaiah 32:6Godless fools speak foolishness, and their minds plan evil in order to do ungodly things. They speak falsely about the Lord. They let people go hungry and withhold water from thirsty people.
- James 5:6You have condemned and murdered people who have God’s approval, even though they didn’t resist you.
Commentaries on Amos 8:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy - Ye that bruise the poor; exact from them, and tread them under foot.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Here ye this, ye that swallow - Or, better in the same sense, “that pant for the needy;” as Job says, “the hireling panteth for the evening” Job 7:2. They “panted for the poor,” as the wild beast for its prey; and “that to make the poor” or (better, as the Hebrew text,) “the meek”, those not poor only, but who, through poverty and affliction, are “poor in spirit” also, “to fail.” The land being divided among all the inhabitants, they, in order “to lay…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The rich and powerful of the land were the most guilty of oppression, as well as the foremost in idolatry. They were weary of the restraints of the sabbaths and the new moons, and wished them over, because no common work might be done therein. This is the character of many who are called Christians. The sabbath day and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts. It will either be profaned or be accounted a dull day. But can we spend our time…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-14This section provides more details on the accusations and decisions mentioned earlier (read with Amos 2:6–6:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Hear--The nobles needed to be urged thus, as hating to hear reproof. swallow up the needy--or, "gape after," that is, pant for their goods; so the word is used, Job 7:2, Margin. to make the poor ... to fail--"that they (themselves) may be placed alone in the midst of the earth" (Is 5:8).Read the comment
Topics related to Amos 8:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Amos 8
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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