Amos 8:6
Amos 8:6 in Multiple Translations
Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
Getting the poor for silver, and him who is in need for the price of two shoes, and taking a price for the waste parts of the grain.
You buy the poor for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals, and you sell grain mixed with chaff.
That we may buy the poore for siluer, and the needie for shooes: yea, and sell the refuse of the wheate.
To purchase with money the poor, And the needy for a pair of sandals, Yea, the refuse of the pure corn we sell.
that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the sweepings with the wheat?’”
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; and even sell the refuse of the wheat?
That we may possess the needy for money, and the poor for a pair of shoes, and may sell the refuse of the corn?
You sell wheat that you have swept up from the floor, and as a result it is mixed with dirt. Those who are needy and poor [DOU] and who do not have money to buy things, you cause them to become your slaves by buying them with the small amount of silver with which you could buy a pair of sandals!
Berean Amplified Bible — Amos 8:6
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Amos 8:6 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לִ/קְנ֤וֹת
בַּ/כֶּ֨סֶף֙
דַּלִּ֔ים
וְ/אֶבְי֖וֹן
בַּ/עֲב֣וּר
נַעֲלָ֑יִם
וּ/מַפַּ֥ל
בַּ֖ר
נַשְׁבִּֽיר
לִ/קְנ֤וֹת
qânâh
H7069
to buy
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
בַּ/כֶּ֨סֶף֙
keçeph
H3701
silver
Prep | N-ms
דַּלִּ֔ים
dal
H1800
poor
Adj
וְ/אֶבְי֖וֹן
ʼebyôwn
H34
needy
Conj | Adj
בַּ/עֲב֣וּר
ʻâbûwr
H5668
for the sake of
Prep | N-ms
נַעֲלָ֑יִם
naʻal
H5275
sandal
N-fd
וּ/מַפַּ֥ל
mappâl
H4651
refuse
Conj | N-ms
בַּ֖ר
bâr
H1250
grain
N-ms
נַשְׁבִּֽיר
shâbar
H7666
to buy grain
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cp
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Amos 8:6
לִ/קְנ֤וֹת
qânâh
H7069
"to buy"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This verb means to buy or acquire something, and is used to describe God's redemption of His people. It emphasizes ownership and possession, as seen in the stories of God's creation and redemption.
Definition: 1) to get, acquire, create, buy, possess 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to get, acquire, obtain 1a1a) of God originating, creating, redeeming His people 1a1a1) possessor 1a1b) of Eve acquiring 1a1c) of acquiring knowledge, wisdom 1a2) to buy 1b) (Niphal) to be bought 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to possess Aramaic equivalent: qe.na (קְנָא "to buy" H7066)
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: attain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, [idiom] surely, [idiom] verily. See also: Genesis 4:1; 2 Chronicles 34:11; Psalms 74:2.
בַּ/כֶּ֨סֶף֙
keçeph
H3701
"silver"
Prep | N-ms
Silver or money, often referring to payment or wealth, like the silver talents in Matthew 25. It can also describe silver as a valuable metal or ornament.
Definition: : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents
Usage: Occurs in 343 OT verses. KJV: money, price, silver(-ling). See also: Genesis 13:2; Numbers 22:18; 2 Chronicles 1:17.
דַּלִּ֔ים
dal
H1800
"poor"
Adj
The Hebrew word for someone who is poor or weak, often describing those in need of help or assistance. In the book of Proverbs, it warns against oppressing the poor, and in Psalm 35:10, it describes the needy and the poor. The word is also used in Isaiah 41:17.
Definition: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: lean, needy, poor (man), weaker. See also: Exodus 23:3; Proverbs 19:17; Psalms 41:2.
וְ/אֶבְי֖וֹן
ʼebyôwn
H34
"needy"
Conj | Adj
This Hebrew word describes someone who is needy or poor, often oppressed and in need of help from God. It appears in the Bible to describe those who are vulnerable and in need of deliverance. In the KJV, it is translated as beggar, needy, or poor man.
Definition: 1) in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person 2) subject to oppression and abuse 3) needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God 4) general reference to lowest class
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: beggar, needy, poor (man). See also: Exodus 23:6; Psalms 107:41; Psalms 9:19.
בַּ/עֲב֣וּר
ʻâbûwr
H5668
"for the sake of"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word means for the sake of or because of something, like in Genesis when God acts on account of his people's needs. It shows a reason or purpose behind an action. The KJV often translates it as because of or for someone's sake.
Definition: prep 1) for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to conj 2) in order that
Usage: Occurs in 47 OT verses. KJV: because of, for (...'s sake), (intent) that, to. See also: Genesis 3:17; 2 Samuel 5:12; Psalms 105:45.
נַעֲלָ֑יִם
naʻal
H5275
"sandal"
N-fd
A sandal or shoe in biblical times, as mentioned in Exodus 12:11 and Deuteronomy 25:9. It was a symbol of ownership or marriage, and removing a sandal could signify refusal or separation, as seen in Ruth 4:7-8.
Definition: sandal, shoe
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: dryshod, (pair of) shoe((-latchet), -s). See also: Genesis 14:23; 1 Kings 2:5; Psalms 60:10.
וּ/מַפַּ֥ל
mappâl
H4651
"refuse"
Conj | N-ms
This word refers to something that has fallen off or is hanging loosely, like chaff or a flap. In the book of Job, it describes the flaky skin of a crocodile. The word is used to describe something worthless or useless.
Definition: 1) refuse, hanging parts 1a) fallings, refuse 1b) hanging parts (of a crocodile)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: flake, refuse. See also: Job 41:15; Amos 8:6.
בַּ֖ר
bâr
H1250
"grain"
N-ms
In Aramaic, 'bar' refers to a field of grain, like wheat or corn. It can also describe the open countryside. This term is used in books like Daniel, where it describes rural areas.
Definition: corn, grain
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: corn, wheat. See also: Genesis 41:35; Psalms 72:16; Psalms 65:14.
נַשְׁבִּֽיר
shâbar
H7666
"to buy grain"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cp
To buy or sell grain, as in trading food for survival, is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to buy or purchase grain 1a) (Qal) to buy grain 1b) (Hiphil) to sell grain Aramaic equivalent: ze.van (זְבַן "to buy" H2084)
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: buy, sell. See also: Genesis 41:56; Genesis 43:20; Proverbs 11:26.
Study Notes — Amos 8:6
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Amos 8:6 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Amos 8:6
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 8:6
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Amos 8:6
- Trapp's Commentary on Amos 8:6
- Ellicott's Commentary on Amos 8:6
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Amos 8:6
- Cambridge Bible on Amos 8:6
- Barnes' Notes on Amos 8:6
- Whedon's Commentary on Amos 8:6
- Sermons on Amos 8:6
Context — The Basket of Summer Fruit
4Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land,
5asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.
6Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”
7The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget any of their deeds. 8Will not the land quake for this, and all its dwellers mourn? All of it will swell like the Nile; it will surge and then subside like the Nile in Egypt.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amos 2:6 | This 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. |
| 2 | Leviticus 25:39–42 | If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor. Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers. Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves. |
| 3 | Nehemiah 5:8 | and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. |
| 4 | Nehemiah 5:1–5 | About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” |
| 5 | Joel 3:3 | They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink. |
| 6 | Joel 3:6 | You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland. |
| 7 | Amos 8:4 | Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, |
Amos 8:6 Summary
[Amos 8:6 is talking about people who are taking advantage of the poor and needy, treating them very badly and exploiting them for their own gain, which is not what God wants, as we see in Micah 6:8. The people in this verse are so focused on making money that they are willing to cheat and deceive others, even selling worthless things like chaff along with valuable things like wheat, similar to the warnings in Proverbs 11:1. This verse is a warning to us to treat others with kindness and respect, especially those who are poor or needy, and to always try to do what is right and fair, as taught in Psalm 37:21 and Psalm 112:5.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'buy the poor with silver' in Amos 8:6?
This phrase means to exploit and take advantage of the poor for personal gain, which is condemned by God as seen in Isaiah 58:6 and Jeremiah 22:13.
Why are the people in Amos 8:6 selling 'the chaff with the wheat'?
Selling chaff with wheat was a deceptive practice where the worthless chaff was mixed with the valuable wheat, similar to the dishonest scales mentioned in Amos 8:5, and is a metaphor for the exploitation of the poor and needy.
Is Amos 8:6 talking about slavery, where people are being bought and sold?
While the language of 'buying the poor with silver' might evoke images of slavery, in this context it refers to the exploitation and oppression of the poor by the wealthy, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Amos 8:4-5.
What is the significance of 'a pair of sandals' in Amos 8:6?
The mention of 'a pair of sandals' as a means to buy the needy signifies the extreme poverty and desperation of the people, where even something as basic as sandals could be used to exploit them, highlighting the depth of their oppression, similar to the warnings in Proverbs 28:8.
Reflection Questions
- How can I ensure that my business practices and daily interactions do not exploit or oppress the poor and needy, as warned against in Amos 8:6?
- In what ways am I guilty of 'buying the poor with silver' or 'selling the chaff with the wheat' in my own life, and how can I repent and change?
- What are some practical ways I can care for the poor and needy in my community, following the example of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46?
- How does the warning in Amos 8:6 about exploiting the poor relate to the command in Deuteronomy 15:7-8 to lend generously to those in need?
Gill's Exposition on Amos 8:6
That we may buy the poor for silver,.... Thus making them pay dear for their provisions, and using them in this fraudulent manner, by which they would not be able to support themselves and their
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 8:6
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Amos 8:6
That we may-buy the poor: either it speaks the aim of these men in oppressing the poor thus, that they might at last buy their persons for servants and drudges, or else it speaks the reason why they would have new moons and sabbaths over, that they might to market to buy the poor. For silver, i.e. a little silver, at under value, as . The needy for a pair of shoes: this explains the former, and shows us that these cruel oppressors lay in wait for the needy to buy them for a very trifle; when these poor owed but for a very little and cheap commodity, as suppose a pair of shoes, these merciless men would take the advantage against them. and make them sell themselves to pay the debt. All which practices are most directly against the law of God. Sell the refuse; that which is fitter for hogs to month, or for horses to eat, the poor must either buy at dear rate or starve; and this another kind of oppression, corrupted wares at excessive rates, sold to those that were necessitous.
Trapp's Commentary on Amos 8:6
Amos 8:6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; [yea], and sell the refuse of the wheat?Ver. 6. That we may buy the poor for silver, &c.] Thus the poor always pay for it; the modest and mild poor especially, as Amos 8:4. Hence poor and afflicted are put for one and the same, Zephaniah 3:12, and to want and to be abased, Philippians 4:12; they that want shall be sure to be abased and abused by the wretched rich, who will ever go over the hedge where it is lowest, and catch the poor by drawing him into the nets, Psalms 10:9, that is, into their debts, bonds, and mortgages, and at length making such their bondmen by abuse of that permission, Leviticus 25:39. See Amos 2:3. Yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?] Quisqnilias, the husks, more fit for pigs or poultry; hardly man’ s meat, and yet held good enough for the poor ( deciduum, purgamenta, the offal); although their flesh was as the flesh of their brethren, and their children as their children, Nehemiah 5:5, however they used them. How far were these rich wretches from considering the poor, as David’ s blessed man, Psalms 41:1, and as Dr Taylor the martyr did, whose custom was once in a fortnight at least to go to poor men’ s houses, look into their cupboards, see how they fared, and what they lacked, that he might either make or procure them a supply from such as were better able.
Ellicott's Commentary on Amos 8:6
(6) On this perverse straining of the Law, comp. Amos 2:6. Their money-making propensity was carried to such unscrupulous lengths, that they even sold the refuse of corn, little better than mere chaff.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Amos 8:6
Verse 6. That we may buy the poor for silver] Buying their services for such a time, with just money enough to clear them from other creditors. And the needy for a pair of shoes] See Amos 2:6. And sell the refuse of the wheat!] Selling bad wheat and damaged flour to poor people as good, knowing that such cannot afford to prosecute them.
Cambridge Bible on Amos 8:6
6. The final issue of the rapacious conduct described in Amos 8:5 is that the poor are more and more impoverished, and, falling into debt, have in the end to sell themselves—or their children—as slaves (Leviticus 25:39) to their rich oppressors, who were only too ready to buy the poor for the silver which they owed them, and the needy for the sake of a pair of sandals, i.e. for a trifle (cf. Amos 2:6), the price of which they were unable to pay. and sell the refuse of wheat] The final proof of their avarice: they sold what would ordinarily be thrown away, viz. the refuse—lit. the fallings—of the wheat, i.e. “what fell through the sieve, either the bran or the thin, unfilled, grains, which had no meal in them. This they mixed up largely with the meal, making a gain of that which they had once sifted out as worthless; or else, in a time of dearth, they sold to men what was the food of animals, and made a profit on it” (Pusey).
Barnes' Notes on Amos 8:6
That we may buy - Or, indignantly, “To buy the poor!” literally, “the afflicted,” those in “low” estate. First, by dishonesty and oppression they gained their lands and goods. Then the poor were obliged to sell themselves.
Whedon's Commentary on Amos 8:6
4-7. The greedy merchants of Israel. Hear this — See on Amos 3:1. Swallow up the needy — Literally, pant after (Amos 2:7). Here also Jerome renders ‘crush.” The verb is explained in the next clause.
Sermons on Amos 8:6
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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William Wilberforce by Michael Haykin | In this sermon, the speaker concludes a series on the 18th century and focuses on the life of William Wilberforce and his fight against the slave trade. The church in the 18th cent |
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Greenwood Hills Conference 1989-01 Nehemiah 1 by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not being idle in the work of the Lord. He highlights the need for accountability in our assemblies and on the foreign fiel |
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Conference 1989-01 ~ Nehemiah 1 by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of accountability in the service of the Lord. He references chapter five, verses one through three, to highlight the need for |
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Leadership Qualities of Nehemiah by Zac Poonen | Zac Poonen emphasizes the leadership qualities of Nehemiah, highlighting his deep concern for the people and the state of Jerusalem, which ignited a burden in his heart. Nehemiah's |
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End-Time Conditions by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the significance of the Book of Nehemiah as a representation of end-time conditions, linking it to the coming of the Lord and the need for God's people |
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Contract on Children - Part 1 by Winkie Pratney | This sermon delves into the concept of childhood and the importance of childlike characteristics in Christians, contrasting them with the negative traits prevalent in society. It e |
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What Is Prophetic? - Part 1 by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being prepared to preach the word of God. He reflects on the example of Moses and the depth of God's dealing with him durin |