Amos 4:1

4:1 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan ¹  who live on Mount Samaria!

You ²  oppress the poor;

you crush the needy.

You say to your ³  husbands,

“Bring us more to drink!” ⁴ 

Micah 3:1

God Will Judge Judah’s Sinful Leaders

3:1 I said,

“Listen, you leaders ⁵  of Jacob,

you rulers of the nation ⁶  of Israel!

You ought to know what is just, ⁷ 

Malachi 2:7

2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him ⁸  because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all.

[4:1]  ¹ sn The expression cows of Bashan is used by the prophet to address the wealthy women of Samaria, who demand that their husbands satisfy their cravings. The derogatory language perhaps suggests that they, like the livestock of Bashan, were well fed, ironically in preparation for the coming slaughter. This phrase is sometimes cited to critique the book’s view of women.

[4:1]  ² tn Heb “the ones who” (three times in this verse).

[4:1]  ³ tn Heb “their.”

[4:1]  ⁴ sn Some commentators relate this scene to the description of the marzeah feast of 6:3-6, in which drinking played a prominent part (see the note at 6:6).

[3:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “heads.”

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “house.”

[3:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “Should you not know justice?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course you should!”

[2:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “from his mouth” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).