Amos 8:5

Money and wealth Integrity

³ And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.

⁴ Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

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?

⁶ That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

⁷ The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

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 saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
Read in context
Micah 6:10–11
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
Read in context
Hosea 12:7
He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 25:13–16
Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
Read in context
Leviticus 19:36
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Read in context
Proverbs 11:1
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:13
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Read in context
Exodus 20:8–10
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Read in context