Amos 5:7

5:7 The Israelites ¹  turn justice into bitterness; ² 

they throw what is fair and right ³  to the ground. ⁴ 

Amos 8:4

8:4 Listen to this, you who trample ⁵  the needy,

and do away with ⁶  the destitute in the land.

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “Those who”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. In light of vv. 11-13, it is also possible that the words are directed at a more limited group within the nation – those with social and economic power.

[5:7]  ² tn There is an interesting wordplay here with the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn, turn”). Israel “turns” justice into wormwood (cf. 6:12), while the Lord “turns” darkness into morning (v. 8; cf. 4:11; 8:10). Israel’s turning is for evil, whereas the Lord’s is to demonstrate his absolute power and sovereignty.

[5:7]  ³ tn Heb “they throw righteousness.”

[5:7]  ⁴ sn In v. 7 the prophet begins to describe the guilty Israelites, but then interrupts his word picture with a parenthetical, but powerful, description of the judge they must face (vv. 8-9). He resumes his description of the sinners in v. 10.

[8:4]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “trample” in 2:7.

[8:4]  ⁶ tn Or “put an end to”; or “exterminate.”