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 

Amos 4:8

4:8 People from ⁵  two or three cities staggered into one city to get ⁶  water,

but remained thirsty. ⁷ 

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

[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).

[4:8]  ⁵ tn The words “people from” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[4:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “to drink.”

[4:8]  ⁷ tn Or “were not satisfied.”