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 5:10-13

5:10 The Israelites ⁵  hate anyone who arbitrates at the city gate; ⁶ 

they despise anyone who speaks honestly.

5:11 Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops ⁷ 

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 ⁸  vineyards you planted. ⁹ 

5:12 Certainly ¹⁰  I am aware of ¹¹  your many rebellious acts ¹² 

and your numerous sins.

You ¹³  torment the innocent, you take bribes,

and you deny justice to ¹⁴  the needy at the city gate. ¹⁵ 

5:13 For this reason whoever is smart ¹⁶  keeps quiet ¹⁷  in such a time,

for it is an evil ¹⁸  time.

Amos 5:21-24

5:21 “I absolutely despise ¹⁹  your festivals!

I get no pleasure ²⁰  from your religious assemblies!

5:22 Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, ²¹  I will not be satisfied;

I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves. ²² 

5:23 Take away from me your ²³  noisy songs;

I don’t want to hear the music of your stringed instruments. ²⁴ 

5:24 Justice must flow like torrents of water,

righteous actions ²⁵  like a stream that never dries up.

[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.

[5:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:10]  ⁶ sn In ancient Israelite culture, legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.

[5:11]  ⁷ tn Traditionally, “because you trample on the poor” (cf. KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). The traditional view derives the verb from בּוּס (bus, “to trample”; cf. Isa. 14:25), but more likely it is cognate to an Akkadian verb meaning “to exact an agricultural tax” (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 49; S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 172-73).

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Or “lovely”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “pleasant”; NAB “choice”; NIV “lush.”

[5:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “Houses of chiseled stone you built, but you will not live in them. Fine vineyards you planted, but you will not drink their wine.”

[5:12]  ¹⁰ tn Or “for.”

[5:12]  ¹¹ tn Or “I know” (so most English versions).

[5:12]  ¹² tn Or “transgressions,” “sins.” See the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3 and on the phrase “covenant violations” in 2:4.

[5:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “Those who.”

[5:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “turn aside.” They “turn aside” the needy by denying them the justice they deserve at the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).

[5:12]  ¹⁵ sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.

[5:13]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the wise”; or “the prudent.” Another option is to translate “the successful, prosperous” and understand this as a reference to the rich oppressors. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 169-70. In this case the following verb will also have a different nuance, that is, the wealthy remain silent before the abuses they perpetuate. See the note on the verb translated “keeps quiet” later in this verse.

[5:13]  ¹⁷ tn Or “moans, laments,” from a homonymic verbal root. If the rich oppressors are in view, then the verb (whether translated “will be silenced” or “will lament”) describes the result of God’s judgment upon them. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.

[5:13]  ¹⁸ tn If this is a judgment announcement against the rich, then the Hebrew phrase עֵת רָעָה (’et ra’ah) must be translated, “[a] disastrous time.” See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.

[5:21]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “I hate”; “I despise.”

[5:21]  ²⁰ tn Heb “I will not smell.” These verses are full of vivid descriptions of the Lord’s total rejection of Israelite worship. In the first half of this verse two verbs are used together for emphasis. Here the verb alludes to the sense of smell, a fitting observation since offerings would have been burned on the altar ideally to provide a sweet aroma to God (see, e.g., Lev 1:9, 13, 17; Num 29:36). Other senses that are mentioned include sight and hearing in vv. 22-23.

[5:22]  ²¹ tn Heb “burnt offerings and your grain offerings.”

[5:22]  ²² tn Heb “Peace offering[s], your fattened calves, I will not look at.”

[5:23]  ²³ tn In this verse the second person suffixes are singular and not plural like they are in vv. 21-22 and vv. 25-27. Some have suggested that perhaps a specific individual or group within the nation is in view.

[5:23]  ²⁴ tn The Hebrew word probably refers to “harps” (NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “lutes” (NEB).

[5:24]  ²⁵ tn Traditionally, “righteousness.”