Amos 4:1

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

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
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.”
KJV
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
WEB
Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husbands, “Bring us drinks!”
ASV
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink.
DARBY
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say to their lords, Bring, and let us drink:
BLB
Hear this word, O cows of Bashan who [are] on the mountain of Samaria, those oppressing the poor, those crushing the needy, those saying to their lords, “Bring in, and let us drink!”
ÅB
Hør dette ord, dere Basan-kyr på Samarias fjell, dere som undertrykker de ringe, som knuser de fattige, som sier til deres menn: Kom med vin, så vi får drikke!
OTB
Hør dette budskapet, dere velnærte kvinner i Basan som er på Samarias fjell,
Som undertrykker de fattige, som knuser de trengende,
Som sier til sine menn: “Kom med, så vi kan drikke!”
B1930
Hør dette ord, I Basan-kyr på Samarias fjell, I som undertrykker de ringe, som knuser de fattige, som sier til eders menn: Kom med vin, så vi får drikke!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 22:12

    Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

    Read in context
  • Amos 6:1

    Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

    Read in context
  • Amos 5:11

    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
  • Ezekiel 39:18

    Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.

    Read in context
  • Ecclesiastes 4:1

    So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 7:10–11

    And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 50:27

    Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 5:8

    Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

    Read in context