Amos 3:15

3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. ¹ 

The houses filled with ivory ²  will be ruined,

the great ³  houses will be swept away.” ⁴ 

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 5:12

5:12 Certainly ⁵  I am aware of ⁶  your many rebellious acts ⁷ 

and your numerous sins.

You ⁸  torment the innocent, you take bribes,

and you deny justice to ⁹  the needy at the city gate. ¹⁰ 

[3:15]  ¹ tn Heb “the winter house along with the summer house.”

[3:15]  ² tn Heb “houses of ivory.” These houses were not made of ivory, but they had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 139-48.

[3:15]  ³ tn Or “many,” cf. NAB “their many rooms.”

[3:15]  ⁴ tn The translation assumes the form is from the Hebrew verb סָפָה (safah, “to sweep away”) rather than סוּף (suf, “to come to an end”), which is the choice of most versions. Either option effectively communicates the destruction of the structures.

[5:12]  ⁵ tn Or “for.”

[5:12]  ⁶ tn Or “I know” (so most English versions).

[5:12]  ⁷ tn Or “transgressions,” “sins.” See the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3 and on the phrase “covenant violations” in 2:4.

[5:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “Those who.”

[5:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “turn aside.” They “turn aside” the needy by denying them the justice they deserve at the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).

[5:12]  ¹⁰ sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.