New International Version
Amos 5:11
11You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
Amos 5:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Forasmuch 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them.
- New Living Translation (NLT)You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them.
Context of Amos 5:11
9With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin. 10There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth. You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. 12For 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. 13Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.
Read all of Amos 5Amos 5:11 word by word
לָ֠כֵן יַ֣עַן בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞ם עַל־דָּ֗ל וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר֙ תִּקְח֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ בָּתֵּ֥י גָזִ֛ית בְּנִיתֶ֖ם וְלֹא־תֵ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑ם כַּרְמֵי־חֶ֣מֶד נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forasmuchיַעַןya‛an · becauseH3282
- therefore as your treadingבָּשַׁסbâshas · to trampleH1318
- upon the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
- and ye takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- from him burdensמַשְׂאֵתmaώ'êth · tributeH4864
- of wheatבַּרbâr bar · grainH1250
- ye have builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- of hewn stoneגָּזִיתgâzîyth · cuttingH1496
- but ye shall not dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in them; ye have plantedנָטַעnâţa‛ · to plantH5193
- pleasantחֶ֫מֶדchemed · delightH2531
- vineyardsכֶּרֶםkerem · vineyardH3754
- but ye shall not drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
Cross-references for Amos 5:11
- Amos 4:1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”
- Isaiah 5:7The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
- Isaiah 59:13rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
- Micah 2:2They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.
- Micah 3:1Then I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,
- James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
- Revelation 11:8Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.
- Deuteronomy 28:30You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit.
- Isaiah 65:21They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
- Micah 6:15You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
- Zephaniah 1:13Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine.”
- Haggai 1:6You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
Commentaries on Amos 5:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Your treading is upon the poor - You tread them under your feet; they form the road on which ye walk; and yet it was by oppressing and impoverishing them that ye gained your riches. Ye take from him burdens of wheat - Ye will have his bread for doing him justice.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Forasmuch therefore - (Since they rejected reproof, he pronounces the sentence of God upon them,) “as your treading is upon the poor.” This expresses more habitual trampling on the poor, than if he had said, “ye tread upon the poor.” They were ever trampling on those who were already of low and depressed condition. “And ye take from him burdens of wheat, presents of wheat.” The word always signifies presents, voluntary, or involuntary, what was carried…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. 11stone houses: Amos criticizes the wealthy again. Peasants lived in mud brick houses. Cut stone, made by hand, was very costly.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. burdens of wheat--burdensome taxes levied in kind from the wheat of the needy, to pamper the lusts of the great [Henderson]. Or wheat advanced in time of scarcity, and exacted again at a burdensome interest [Rabbi Salomon]. built houses ... but not dwell in them ... vineyards, ... but not drink wine of them--according to the original prophecy of Moses (De 28:30, 38, 39). The converse shall be true in restored Israel (Am 9:14; Is 65:21, 22).Read the comment
Topics related to Amos 5:11
In the dictionaries
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
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