Amos 5:7

5:7 The Israelites ¹  turn justice into bitterness; ² 

they throw what is fair and right ³  to the ground. ⁴ 

Amos 9:13

9:13 “Be sure of this, ⁵  the time is ⁶  coming,” says the Lord,

“when the plowman will catch up to the reaper ⁷ 

and the one who stomps the grapes ⁸  will overtake ⁹  the planter. ¹⁰ 

Juice will run down the slopes, ¹¹ 

it will flow down all the hillsides. ¹² 

Amos 8:6

8:6 We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, ¹³ 

a pair of sandals ¹⁴  for the needy!

We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!” ¹⁵ 

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “Those who”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. In light of vv. 11-13, it is also possible that the words are directed at a more limited group within the nation – those with social and economic power.

[5:7]  ² tn There is an interesting wordplay here with the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn, turn”). Israel “turns” justice into wormwood (cf. 6:12), while the Lord “turns” darkness into morning (v. 8; cf. 4:11; 8:10). Israel’s turning is for evil, whereas the Lord’s is to demonstrate his absolute power and sovereignty.

[5:7]  ³ tn Heb “they throw righteousness.”

[5:7]  ⁴ sn In v. 7 the prophet begins to describe the guilty Israelites, but then interrupts his word picture with a parenthetical, but powerful, description of the judge they must face (vv. 8-9). He resumes his description of the sinners in v. 10.

[9:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[9:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “the days are.”

[9:13]  ⁷ sn The plowman will catch up to the reaper. Plowing occurred in October-November, and harvesting in April-May (see P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 109.) But in the future age of restored divine blessing, there will be so many crops the reapers will take all summer to harvest them, and it will be time for plowing again before the harvest is finished.

[9:13]  ⁸ sn When the grapes had been harvested, they were placed in a press where workers would stomp on them with their feet and squeeze out the juice. For a discussion of grape harvesting technique, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 110-12.

[9:13]  ⁹ tn The verb is omitted here in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation from the parallel line.

[9:13]  ¹⁰ sn The grape harvest occurred in August-September, planting in November-December (see P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 109). But in the future age described here there will be so many grapes the workers who stomp them will still be working when the next planting season arrives.

[9:13]  ¹¹ tn Or “hills,” where the vineyards were planted.

[9:13]  ¹² tn Heb “and all the hills will melt.”

[8:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “to buy the poor for silver.”

[8:6]  sn The expression trade silver for the poor refers to the slave trade.

[8:6]  ¹⁴ tn See the note on the word “sandals” in 2:6.

[8:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “The chaff of the grain we will sell.”