New Living Translation
Amos 5:11
11You 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of Amos 5:11
9With blinding speed and power he destroys the strong, crushing all their defenses. 10How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth! 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. 12For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. 13So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time.
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 4:1Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!”
- Isaiah 5:7The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.
- Isaiah 59:13We know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord. We have turned our backs on our God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies.
- Micah 2:2When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance.
- Micah 3:1I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,
- James 2:6But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
- Revelation 11:8And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified.
- Deuteronomy 28:30“You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will sleep with her. You will build a house, but someone else will live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will never enjoy its fruit.
- Isaiah 65:21In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.
- Micah 6:15You will plant crops but not harvest them. You will press your olives but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves. You will trample the grapes but get no juice to make your wine.
- Zephaniah 1:13So their property will be plundered, their homes will be ransacked. They will build new homes but never live in them. They will plant vineyards but never drink wine from them.
- Haggai 1:6You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
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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