New American Standard Bible 1995

Amos 5:11-20

11Therefore because you 1impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built 2houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will 3not drink their wine.12For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who 4distress the righteous and accept bribes And 5turn aside the poor in the 6gate.13Therefore at 7such a time the prudent person 8keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, 9Just as you have said!15 10Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the 11gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts 12May be gracious to the 13remnant of Joseph.

16Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord, “There is 14wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’ They also call the 15farmer to mourning And 16 17professional mourners to lamentation.17And in all the 18vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.

18Alas, you who are longing for the 19day of the Lord, For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be 20darkness and not light;19As when a man 21flees from a lion And a bear meets him, 22Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.20Will not the day of the Lord be 23darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

Read all of Amos 5

Notes

1. Amos 5:11 Another reading is trample upon ↩
2. Amos 5:11 Amos 3:15; 6:11 ↩
3. Amos 5:11 Mic 6:15 ↩
4. Amos 5:12 Is 1:23; 5:23; Amos 2:6 ↩
5. Amos 5:12 Lit they turn ↩
6. Amos 5:12 I.e. the place where court was held ↩
7. Amos 5:13 Lit that time ↩
8. Amos 5:13 Eccl 3:7; Hos 4:4 ↩
9. Amos 5:14 Mic 3:11 ↩
10. Amos 5:15 Ps 97:10; Rom 12:9 ↩
11. Amos 5:15 I.e. the place where court was held ↩
12. Amos 5:15 Joel 2:14 ↩
13. Amos 5:15 Mic 5:3, 7, 8 ↩
14. Amos 5:16 Jer 9:10, 18-20; Amos 8:3 ↩
15. Amos 5:16 Joel 1:11 ↩
16. Amos 5:16 Lit those who know lamentation ↩
17. Amos 5:16 2 Chr 35:25; Jer 9:17 ↩
18. Amos 5:17 Is 16:10; Jer 48:33 ↩
19. Amos 5:18 Is 5:19; Jer 30:7; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31 ↩
20. Amos 5:18 Is 5:30; Joel 2:2 ↩
21. Amos 5:19 Job 20:24; Is 24:17, 18; Jer 15:2, 3; 48:44 ↩
22. Amos 5:19 Or Then ↩
23. Amos 5:20 Is 13:10; Zeph 1:15 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Amos 5