Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. New Living Translation They trample helpless people in the dust and shove the oppressed out of the way. Both father and son sleep with the same woman, corrupting my holy name. English Standard Version those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; Berean Standard Bible They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name. King James Bible That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: New King James Version They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, And pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, To defile My holy name. New American Standard Bible “These who trample the head of the helpless to the dust of the earth Also divert the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl So as to profane My holy name. NASB 1995 “These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl In order to profane My holy name. NASB 1977 “These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl In order to profane My holy name. Legacy Standard Bible These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the poor Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father go to the same young woman In order to profane My holy name. Amplified Bible “These who pant after (long to see) the dust of the earth on the head of the helpless [as sign of their grief and distress] Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father will go to the same girl So that My holy name is profaned. Christian Standard Bible They trample the heads of the poor on the dust of the ground and obstruct the path of the needy. A man and his father have sexual relations with the same girl, profaning my holy name. Holman Christian Standard Bible They trample the heads of the poor on the dust of the ground and block the path of the needy. A man and his father have sexual relations with the same girl, profaning My holy name. American Standard Version they that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father go unto the same maiden, to profane my holy name: Contemporary English Version They smear the poor in the dirt and push aside those who are helpless. My holy name is dishonored, because fathers and sons sleep with the same young women. English Revised Version that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: GOD'S WORD® Translation They stomp the heads of the poor into the dust. They push the humble out of the way. Father and son sleep with the same woman. They dishonor my holy name. Good News Translation They trample down the weak and helpless and push the poor out of the way. A man and his father have intercourse with the same slave woman, and so profane my holy name. International Standard Version moving quickly to rub the face of the needy in the dirt. Corrupting the ways of the humble, a man and his father go to the same woman, deliberately defiling my holy name. Majority Standard Bible They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name. NET Bible They trample on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; they push the destitute away. A man and his father go to the same girl; in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity. New Heart English Bible They trample on the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and deny justice to the oppressed; and a man and his father use the same maiden, to profane my holy name; Webster's Bible Translation That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in to the same maid, to profane my holy name: World English Bible They trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth and deny justice to the oppressed. A man and his father use the same maiden, to profane my holy name. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionWho are panting for the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, "" And the way of the humble they turn aside, "" And a man and his father go to the girl, "" So as to defile My holy Name. Young's Literal Translation Who are panting for the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, And the way of the humble they turn aside, And a man and his father go unto the damsel, So as to pollute My holy name. Smith's Literal Translation Panting for the dust of the earth upon the head of the poor, and they will turn away the way of the humble: and a man and his father will go to the same young girl to profane my holy name: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThey bruise the heads of the poor upon the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way of the humble: and the son and his father have gone to the same young woman, to profane my holy name. Catholic Public Domain Version They grind the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth, and they divert the way of the humble. And the son, as well as his father, have gone to the same girl, so that they outrage my holy name. New American Bible They trample the heads of the destitute into the dust of the earth, and force the lowly out of the way. Son and father sleep with the same girl, profaning my holy name. New Revised Standard Version they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they oppress the poor, and turn away justice from the fatherless; and a man and his father go in to the same woman, to profane my holy name. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated For they tread on the dust of the Earth and beat the poor on the head, and they turn back the way of the afflicted, and a man and his father are going to join with a woman, because they will pollute the name of my holiness OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, And turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father go unto the same maid, To profane My holy name; Brenton Septuagint Translation wherewith to tread on the dust of the earth, and they have smitten upon the heads of the poor, and have perverted the way of the lowly: and a son and his father have gone into the same maid, that they might profane the name of their God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Judgment on Moab, Judah, and Israel…6This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name. 8They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.… Cross References Deuteronomy 24:17 Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security. Isaiah 10:1-2 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. Micah 2:1-2 Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. / They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. Ezekiel 22:29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice. Isaiah 3:14-15 The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. / Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. Jeremiah 5:28 They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy. Proverbs 22:22-23 Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, / for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them. Exodus 22:22-24 You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. / If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. / My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless. James 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Matthew 23:14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. Luke 20:47 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.” Isaiah 5:8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land. Micah 3:1-3 Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” Zechariah 7:10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’ Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts. Treasury of Scripture That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in to the same maid, to profane my holy name: pant. Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. 1 Kings 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. Proverbs 28:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress. and turn. Amos 5:12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Isaiah 10:2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! and a. Leviticus 18:8,15 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness… Ezekiel 22:11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter. 1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. maid. Leviticus 20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 2 Samuel 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. Ezekiel 36:20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. Jump to Previous Afflicted Crushing Deny Dust Earth Gentle Girl Head Heads Helpless Holy Humble Justice Maid Maiden Meek Oppressed Pant Poor Profane Profaned Putting Steps Trample Turn Turning Use Way YoungJump to Next Afflicted Crushing Deny Dust Earth Gentle Girl Head Heads Helpless Holy Humble Justice Maid Maiden Meek Oppressed Pant Poor Profane Profaned Putting Steps Trample Turn Turning Use Way YoungAmos 2 1. God's judgments upon Moab,4. upon Judah, 6. and upon Israel. 9. God complains of their ingratitude. They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; This phrase highlights the social injustice prevalent in Israel during Amos's time. The imagery of trampling suggests a callous disregard for the vulnerable, reflecting a society where the wealthy and powerful exploit the poor. This behavior is condemned throughout the Bible, as seen in Proverbs 14:31, which states, "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker." The metaphor of dust emphasizes the insignificance with which the poor are treated, akin to the dust trodden underfoot. This reflects a violation of the covenantal laws given to Israel, which emphasized justice and care for the marginalized (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name. Persons / Places / Events 1. AmosA prophet from Tekoa, called by God to deliver messages of judgment to Israel and surrounding nations. 2. Israel The Northern Kingdom, recipient of Amos's prophetic messages, often criticized for social injustices and idolatry. 3. The Poor and Oppressed Individuals in society who are marginalized and exploited, central to the injustices Amos condemns. 4. The Father and Son Representing a broader societal moral decay, engaging in sexual immorality that profanes God's name. 5. God The ultimate judge who is concerned with justice and righteousness, whose name is profaned by Israel's actions. Teaching Points Social Justice and RighteousnessGod is deeply concerned with how society treats its most vulnerable members. Christians are called to advocate for justice and righteousness in their communities. Moral Integrity The sexual immorality described in Amos 2:7 highlights the importance of maintaining moral integrity. Believers are to uphold God's standards in all aspects of life. Profaning God's Name Actions that contradict God's commands bring dishonor to His name. Christians should strive to live in a way that honors God and reflects His holiness. Consequences of Injustice The passage warns of the consequences of ignoring God's call for justice. Believers should be aware that God holds individuals and nations accountable for their actions. Repentance and Restoration While Amos delivers a message of judgment, it also implies the possibility of repentance and restoration. Christians should seek God's forgiveness and strive to restore relationships and justice.(7) Dust of the earth on the head of the poor.--Can only mean, as Ewald and Keil interpret: they long to see the poor reduced to such distress that dust is thrown on their heads in token of grief. The meek are defrauded as being too weak to claim their own. The latter part of the verse points to the sensuality of the popular worship, the word "maid" being really the prostitute (Heb. k'd?shah) who was devoted to the lustful ritual of Ashera.[17] This obsccnity is regarded by the prophet as part of a deliberate act of desecration to the name of the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, the relation of "father" and "son" was thereby sullied and degraded. (Comp. Leviticus 18:8; Leviticus 18:15; Leviticus 20:11.) [17] Kuenen, Religion of Israel, vol. 1, pp. 92, 93.Verse 7. - That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor. This is the second charge - oppression of the poor. The obscure expression in the text is capable of two explanations. Hitzig, Pusey, Trochon, assume that its meaning is that in their avarice and cupidity the usurers or tyrannous rich men grudge even the dust which the poor man strews upon his head in token of his sorrow at being brought to so low a state. But this seems unnatural and farfetched, and scarcely in harmony with the simple style of Amos. The other explanation, supported by Kimchi, Sehegg, Keil, and Knabenbauer, is preferable. These oppressors desire eagerly to see the poor crushed to the earth, or so miserable as to scatter dust on their heads (comp. 1 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 1:2; Job 2:12). The poor (dal, not the same word as in ver. 6); depressed, as brought low in condition. The Septuagint joins this with the previous clause, "And the poor for sandals, the things that tread on the dust of the earth, and smote on the heads of the needy." The Vulgate gives, Qui conterunt super pulverem terrae capita pauperum, "Who bruise the heads of the poor on the dust of the earth." Turn aside the way of the meek. They thwart and hinder their path of life, and force them into crooked and evil ways. Or way, according to Kimchi, may mean "judicial process," as Proverbs 17:23. This gives, to the clause much the same meaning as ver. 6. The meek are those who are lowly and unassuming (see note on Zephaniah 2:3). And a man and his father will go in unto the same maid; LXX., Αἰσεπορεύοντο πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν παιδίσκην. The Vulgate, which omits "the same," is closer to the Hebrew, Et filius ac pater ejus ierunt ad puellam, though the Greek doubtless gives the intended meaning. This sin, which was tantamount to incest, was virtually forbidden (Leviticus 18:8, 15; Leviticus 20:11). Some (as Ewald, Maurer, Gandell) see here an allusion to the organized prostitution in idol temples (Hosea 4:14), but this seems unnecessary. To profane my holy Name (Leviticus 22:32). Such crimes dishonoured the God who called them his people, so that to them could be applied what St. Paul says (Romans 2:24), "The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you" (comp. Leviticus 20:3; Ezekiel 36:20, 23). The word lemaan, "in order that," implies that they committed these sins, not through ignorance, but intentionally, to bring discredit upon the true faith and worship. |
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