Amos 2:12

2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine; ¹ 

you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’

Amos 3:1

Every Effect has its Cause

3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against ²  you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up ³  from the land of Egypt:

Amos 8:5

8:5 You say,

“When will the new moon festival ⁴  be over, ⁵  so we can sell grain?

When will the Sabbath end, ⁶  so we can open up the grain bins? ⁷ 

We’re eager ⁸  to sell less for a higher price, ⁹ 

and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales! ¹⁰ 

Amos 7:10

Amos Confronts a Priest

7:10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel ¹¹  sent this message ¹²  to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! ¹³  The land cannot endure all his prophecies. ¹⁴ 

[2:12]  ¹ sn Nazirites were strictly forbidden to drink wine (Num 6:2-3).

[3:1]  ² tn Or “about.”

[3:1]  ³ tn One might expect a third person verb form (“he brought up”), since the Lord apparently refers to himself in the third person in the preceding sentence. This first person form, however, serves to connect this message to the earlier indictment (2:10) and anticipates the words of the following verse.

[8:5]  ³ sn Apparently work was prohibited during the new moon festival, just as it was on the Sabbath.

[8:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “pass by.”

[8:5]  ⁵ tn The verb, though omitted in the Hebrew text, is supplied in the translation from the parallel line.

[8:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “sell grain.” Here “grain” could stand by metonymy for the bins where it was stored.

[8:5]  ⁷ tn Here and in v. 6 the words “we’re eager” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[8:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “to make small the ephah and to make great the shekel.” The “ephah” was a unit of dry measure used to determine the quantity purchased, while the “shekel” was a standard weight used to determine the purchase price. By using a smaller than standard ephah and a heavier than standard shekel, these merchants were able to increase their profit (“sell less for a higher price”) by cheating the buyer.

[8:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “and to cheat with deceptive scales”; NASB, NIV “dishonest scales”; NRSV “false balances.”

[7:10]  ⁴ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[7:10]  ⁵ tn The direct object of the verb translated “sent” is elided in the Hebrew text. The words “this message” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[7:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the middle of the house of Israel.”

[7:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “words.”