Amos 5:12

Amos 5:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
• New International Version (NIV)For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.

Context of Amos 5:12

10The Israelites hate anyone who arbitrates at the city gate; they despise anyone who speaks honestly. 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. Certainly I am aware of your many rebellious acts and your numerous sins. You torment the innocent, you take bribes, and you deny justice to the needy at the city gate. 13For this reason whoever is smart keeps quiet in such a time, for it is an evil time. 14Seek good and not evil so you can live! Then the Lord, the God who commands armies, just might be with you, as you claim he is.

Amos 5:12 word by word

כִּ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ רַבִּ֣ים פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים חַטֹּֽאתֵיכֶ֑ם צֹרְרֵ֤י צַדִּיק֙ לֹ֣קְחֵי כֹ֔פֶר וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים בַּשַּׁ֥עַר הִטּֽוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• your manifoldרַבrab · manyH7227
• transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• and your mightyעָצוּם‛âtsûm ‛âtsûm · mightyH6099
• sinsחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• they afflictצָרַרtsârar · to vexH6887
• the justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• they takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• a bribeכֹּפֶרkôpher · ransomH3724
• and they turn asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• the poorאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• in the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179

Cross-references for Amos 5:12

• Deuteronomy 31:21Then when many disasters and distresses overcome them this song will testify against them, for their descendants will not forget it. I know the intentions they have in mind today, even before I bring them to the land I have promised.”
• Isaiah 66:18“I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; they will come and witness my splendor.
• Jeremiah 29:23This will happen to them because they have done what is shameful in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken lies while claiming my authority. They have spoken words that I did not command them to speak. I know what they have done. I have been a witness to it,’ says the Lord.”
• Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
• 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;
• Isaiah 47:9Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, despite your many incantations and your numerous amulets.
• Amos 2:6This 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.
• Acts 3:13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate after he had decided to release him.
• Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!
• James 5:4Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
• 1 Samuel 8:3But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.
• Psalms 26:9Do not sweep me away with sinners, or execute me along with violent people,
• Isaiah 1:23Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
• Isaiah 33:15The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly; the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe; the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others –
• Micah 3:11Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the Lord and say, “The Lord is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”
• Micah 7:3They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.

Commentaries on Amos 5:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12I know your manifold transgressions - I have marked the multitude of your smaller crimes, as well as your mighty offenses. Among their greater offenses were, Their afflicting the righteous. Taking bribes to blind their eyes in judgment. And, 3. Refusing to hear the poor, who had no money to give them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For I know - Literally, “I have known.” They thought that God did not know, because He did not avenge; as the Psalmist says, “Thy judgments are far above out of his sight” Psalm 10:5. People who do not act with the thought of God, cease to know Him, and forget that He knows them. “Your manifold transgressions;” literally, “many are your transgressions and mighty your sins.” Their deeds, they knew, were mighty, strong, vigorous, decided. God says, that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-17Verses 7-17 The same almighty power can, for repenting sinners, easily turn affliction and sorrow into prosperity and joy, and as easily turn the prosperity of daring sinners into utter darkness. Evil times will not bear plain dealing; that is, evil men will not. And these men were evil men indeed, when wise and good men thought it in vain even to speak to them. Those who will seek and love that which is good, may help to save the land from ruin. It…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-17Amos delivers three prophetic messages to Israel, criticizing their mistaken belief about being God's chosen people. The messages show a progression toward judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. they afflict ... they take--rather, "(ye) who afflict ... take." bribe--literally, a price with which one who has an unjust cause ransoms himself from your sentence (1Sa 12:3, Margin; Pr 6:35). turn aside the poor in the gate--refuse them their right in the place of justice (Am 2:7; Is 29:21).Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 5:12

• Bribery
• Injustice
• Justice
• Oppression
• Poor
• Rulers
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Manifold
• Seek
• Amos (1)
• Blindness, Judicial
• Bribery
• Calf, Golden
• Judge
• Shepherd
• afflict, affliction, distress

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