Amos 8:5

Money and wealth Integrity

³ “In that day,” declares the Lord GOD, “the songs of the temple will turn to wailing. Many will be the corpses, strewn in silence everywhere!”

⁴ Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land,

asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.

⁶ Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

⁷ The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget any of their deeds.

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: asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.
KJV: Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
WEB: saying, ‘When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;
ASV: saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;
DARBY: saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances for deceit:
BLB: saying, “When will the New Moon pass, so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat, making small the ephah and making large the shekel, and cheating [with] scales of deceit,

ÅB: Dere som sier: Når er nymånedagen slutt, så vi kan selge korn, og sabbaten, så vi kan åpne kornbodene og gjøre efaen liten og sekelen stor og forfalske vekten
OTB: «Når vil nymånen være over så vi kan selge korn,
og sabbaten være slutt så vi kan selge hvete?»
— reduserer målet, øker prisen,
og jukser med falske vekter,
B1930: I som sier: Når er nymånedagen slutt, så vi kan selge korn, og sabbaten, så vi kan åpne kornbodene og gjøre efaen liten og sekelen stor og forfalske vekten

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Nehemiah 13:15–21
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
Read in context
Micah 6:10–11
Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?
Read in context
Hosea 12:7
A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 25:13–16
You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.
Read in context
Leviticus 19:36
You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Read in context
Proverbs 11:1
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:13
Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
Read in context
Exodus 20:8–10
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Read in context