Amos 2:8

Poverty and the vulnerable Justice

⁶ 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.

⁷ They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.

They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.

⁹ Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.

¹⁰ And I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.

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: They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.
KJV: 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.
WEB: They lay themselves down beside every altar on clothes taken in pledge. In the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
ASV: and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.
DARBY: And they lay [themselves] down by every altar upon clothes taken in pledge, and they drink [in] the house of their God the wine of the condemned.
BLB: And on clothes taken in pledge they stretch out beside every altar, and the wine of those having been fined they drink [in] the house of their God.

ÅB: På pantsatte klær strekker de seg ved hvert alter, og vin som de har tatt som bøter, drikker de i sin Guds hus.
OTB: Og på klær tatt som sikkerhet ligger de ved hvert alter,
og i huset til deres Gud drikker de vinen til dem som har blitt straffet.
B1930: På pantsatte klær strekker de sig ved hvert alter, og vin som de har tatt som bøter, drikker de i sin Guds hus.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 24:12–17
If he is a poor man, you must not go to sleep with the security in your possession;
Read in context
Exodus 22:26–27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
Read in context
Amos 6:6
You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
Read in context
Hosea 4:8
They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 8:10
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
Read in context
Amos 6:4
You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.
Read in context
Amos 4:1
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”
Read in context
Ezekiel 18:7
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
Read in context