New English Translation
Amos 2:6
6This is what the Lord says: “Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.
Amos 2:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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;
- 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.
Context of Amos 2:6
4This is what the Lord says: “Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They rejected the Lord’s law; they did not obey his commands. Their false gods, to which their fathers were loyal, led them astray. 5So I will set Judah on fire, and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.” This is what the Lord says: “Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals. 7They trample on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; they push the destitute away. A man and his father go to the same girl; in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity. 8They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- 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 6:3You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, but you establish a reign of violence.
- 2 Kings 17:7This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods;
- 2 Kings 18:12This happened because they did not obey the Lord their God and broke his agreement with them. They did not pay attention to and obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded.
- Ezekiel 23:5“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians – warriors
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land, nor do they acknowledge God.
- Hosea 7:7All of them are blazing like an oven; they devour their rulers. All of their kings fall – and none of them call on me!
- Hosea 8:4They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval! They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed!
- Hosea 13:2Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: “Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!”
- Micah 6:10“I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.
- Amos 5:11Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops and exact a grain tax from them, you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone, nor will you drink the wine from the fine vineyards you planted.
- Amos 8:4Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land.
- Isaiah 5:22Those who are champions at drinking wine are as good as dead, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.
- Isaiah 29:21those who bear false testimony against a person, who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges.
- Joel 3:3and they cast lots for my people. They traded a boy for a prostitute; they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink.
- Micah 3:2yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from 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
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