King James Version
Amos 2:6
6Thus 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;
Amos 2:6 in other versions
- 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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—
- 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 saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: 5But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. 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; 7That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: 8And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
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
- 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 6:3Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
- 2 Kings 17:7For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which 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 obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
- Ezekiel 23:5And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
- Hosea 7:7They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
- Hosea 8:4They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
- Hosea 13:2And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
- Micah 6:10Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
- Amos 5:11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
- Amos 8:4Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
- Isaiah 5:22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
- Isaiah 29:21That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
- Joel 3:3And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
- Micah 3:2Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, 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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries