Amos 2:6

Poverty and the vulnerable Justice

⁴ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

⁵ But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

⁷ That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:

⁸ And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.
KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
WEB: The LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals;
ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes-
DARBY: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes;
BLB: Thus says YHWH: “Over three transgressions of Israel, even over four, I will not turn back—over their selling the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals.

ÅB: Så sier Herren: For tre misgjerninger av Israel, ja for fire vil jeg ikke ta det tilbake - fordi de selger den uskyldige for penger og den fattige for et par sko,
OTB: Dette sier Herren:
«For tre overtredelser av Israel, og for fire,
vil jeg ikke tilbakekalle straffen,
fordi de selger den rettferdige for penger,
og den fattige for et par sandaler.
B1930: Så sier Herren: For tre misgjerninger av Israel, ja for fire vil jeg ikke ta det tilbake - fordi de selger den uskyldige for penger og den fattige for et par sko,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Joel 3:3
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
Read in context
Amos 5:11–12
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.
Read in context
Micah 3:2–3
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
Read in context
Amos 8:4–6
Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
Read in context
Ezekiel 23:5–9
And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
Read in context
Isaiah 29:21
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
Read in context
Isaiah 5:22–23
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Read in context
Joel 3:6
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
Read in context