Amos 5:21 — Word Study
WLCשָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃
BSAI hatesânêʼ■ [intensely dislike, feel hostility towards] I despisemâʼaç■ [reject, spurn] your feastschag [festivals, celebrations] I cannotlôʼ stand the stenchrûwach▸ [will not tolerate, am disgusted by, offensive smell, foul odor] of your solemn assembliesʻătsârâh [sacred meetings, gatherings]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שָׂנֵ֥אתִי | I hate | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| מָאַ֖סְתִּי | I reject | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם | feasts your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְלֹ֥א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| אָרִ֖יחַ | I delight | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect first person common singular |
| בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ | in assemblies your | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. |
| KJV | ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. |
| ASV | I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. |
| YLT | I have hated — I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints. |
| WEB | I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can’t stand your solemn assemblies. |
| BBE | Your feasts are disgusting to me, I will have nothing to do with them; I will take no delight in your holy meetings. |
Where they part company is in the emotional intensity of God's rejection — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with two main clauses, each expressing God's strong emotions towards Israel's worship practices.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׂנֵא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Amos 5:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Rejection of Empty Worshipgenerated
Amos 5:21 reveals God's disdain for the feasts and assemblies of Israel, which He finds insincere and offensive. This passage is part of a larger message where God calls out the people for their hypocrisy in worship, emphasizing that ritual alone cannot replace true devotion. The surrounding verses highlight God's desire for justice and righteousness over empty religious practices.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 15:8 | The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. |
| 2 | Proverbs 21:27 | The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent! |
| 3 | Proverbs 28:9 | Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable. |
| 4 | Isaiah 1:11–16 | “What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. |
| 5 | Isaiah 66:3 | Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׂנֵ֥אתִי, sa.Ne.tigenerated
The verb שָׂנֵא (sa.ne') means 'to hate' and is a primitive root that conveys intense dislike or hostility. Its use here signifies God's strong rejection of Israel's feasts, indicating that their worship is not pleasing to Him.
This word appears in various forms throughout the Hebrew Bible, often reflecting personal animosity or divine judgment. The context suggests that God's hatred is directed towards the insincerity of worship rather than the feasts themselves.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שָׂנֵ֥אתִי (I hate) governs the sentence, followed by another verb מָאַ֖סְתִּי (I reject) and an object phrase חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם (your feasts). The structure emphasizes God's direct condemnation of the people's practices.
The conjunction וְלֹ֥א (and not) introduces a negation, leading to the next verb אָרִ֖יחַ (I delight), which highlights God's refusal to accept the stench of their assemblies.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׂנֵא as μεμίσηκα (I have hated), which conveys a similar intensity of rejection. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing God's strong feelings against insincere worship.
For מָאַ֖סְתִּי, the LXX uses ἀπῶσμαι (I reject), reinforcing the idea of spurning what is unworthy. This reflects the same sentiment found in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Amos 5:21 shows God declaring His hatred for the feasts and assemblies of Israel. He cannot tolerate their insincere worship, which is like a foul odor to Him. This verse emphasizes that God desires genuine devotion rather than empty rituals.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God's hatred of the feasts signifies His rejection of insincere worship that lacks true devotion and righteousness.
The stench symbolizes the offensive nature of their empty worship, which is displeasing to God.
This verse teaches that God values sincerity and righteousness in worship over mere ritual.
Similar themes are found in Isaiah 1:11–16, where God expresses disdain for empty sacrifices, emphasizing the need for true repentance and justice.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure that my worship is sincere and not just a ritual?
- How do I respond when I feel my heart is not in my worship?
- What actions can I take to embody justice and righteousness in my community?
- How can I better understand God's expectations for my worship and devotion?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Jerome and Cyril of Alexandria reference this verse to discuss God's rejection of insincere worship and the implications for the people of Israel.
I hated and rejected your feasts, and I will not take the smell of your heavens. But if you bring me burnt offerings and your gifts, I will not accept them, and I will not look at the fat of your animals.Early Church Fathers on Amos 5 →
The word would be especially fitting for those from Judah and Benjamin. For the tribes in Samaria to the worship of idols being wholly attached, they were found to be very slothful and greatly negligent of the laws given through Moses;Early Church Fathers on Amos 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Amos 5:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI hate, I despise your feast days,.... Kimchi thinks this is said, and what follows, with respect to the kingdom of the house of Judah, which kept the feast the Lord commanded; but it is not
Read John Gill on Amos 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. I hate, I despise. The two verbs joined without a conjunction express God's strong abhorrence.
Read Robert Jamieson on Amos 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI hate, I despise your feast days; impure and unholy they are, whatever they seem to be, and therefore the Lord hateth them, they are abomination to him, ,14. Worthless and contemptible they are, and as such God rejecteth them, , &c. There is no goodness that I should value in them, there is all that vileness in them which attends deep hypocrisy, for which I do hate them. The apostate Israelites imitated the Jews in many things, amongst which they retained their festivals, in which they multiplied their ceremonial sacrifices; and yet God owns them not as his; but brands them with this, They are yours, therefore unwarrantable, will-worship, and displeasing to God. I will not smell a savour…
Read Matthew Poole on Amos 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsAmos 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.Ver. 21. I hate, I despise your feast days] Wherewith ye think to stop my mouth and to make me your debtor; saying, as that Roman emperor, when his enemy came against him, Non sic Deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret, We have not so served the gods that they should serve us no better than to give the enemy the better of us. The feast days and solemn assemblies you so much build upon are yours, and not mine; "I never commanded them" (viz. as you may use them), "neither came they ever into my mind," Jeremiah 32:35. So far am I, therefore, from accepting your sacrifices, as that I hate, I despise, I will…
Read John Trapp on Amos 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21, 22) These verses closely resemble the condemnation which Isaiah pronounces (Amos 1:10-15) upon mere ritual, however punctilious, mere profession of orthodoxy, however exacting, which was not accompanied by righteousness and mercy, and was not the expression of inward penitence and purity. Will not smell in your . . .—A strong expression for “I take no delight in them.” That Baal worship, as well as the worship of the true God, was characterised by similar offerings and sacrificial terms is indicated by a Phœnician tablet inscribed with a code of sacrificial dues, discovered at Marseilles. The word rendered peace offering should be translated as in the margin. The word for “meat…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Amos 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. I hate, I despise your feast days] I abominate those sacrificial festivals where there is no piety, and I despise them because they pretend to be what they are not. This may refer to the three annual festivals which were still observed in a certain way among the Israelites.
Read AdamClarke on Amos 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21–26. Do you think to win Jehovah’s favour by your religious services? On the contrary, He will have none of them: what He demands is not sacrifice, or even praise, but justice; in the wilderness your ancestors offered no sacrifices, without forfeiting Jehovah’s regard; your mistake is a fatal one, and its end will be exile.
Read Cambridge on Amos 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI hate, I despise your feasts - Israel clave to its heart’s sin, the worship of the true God, under the idol-form of the calf; else, it would fain be conscientious and scrupulous.
Read Albert Barnes on Amos 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can’t stand your solemn assemblies.
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
“I absolutely despise your festivals! I get no pleasure from your religious assemblies!
Tyndale line
¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
I hate and abhorre your feast dayes, and I wil not smelll in your solemne assemblies.
Strictly literal
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell [a sweet odour] in your solemn assemblies.
I have hated — I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints.
“I have hated—I have loathed your festivals, || And I am not refreshed by your restraints.
I hate, I despise your feast-days, and I will not smell [the sacrifices] on your festive assemblies.
“I hate, I despise your festivals, I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
From the Latin
I hate, and have rejected your festivities: and I will not receive the odour of your assemblies.
Simplified
I hate, I despise your festivals and take no delight in your religious assemblies.
Your feasts are disgusting to me, I will have nothing to do with them; I will take no delight in your holy meetings.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with both expressing God's rejection of the feasts and assemblies. The Septuagint maintains the same structure and meaning as the Hebrew, indicating a consistent interpretation across these witnesses.
שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Amos 5:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שָׂנֵא (sane') is a primitive root meaning 'to hate.' It covers various forms of hatred, including personal animosity and enmity, and can refer to both humans and God. The word appears in different grammatical forms, with uses in Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating actions of hating or being hated. Its Aramaic equivalent is שְׂנָא.
שָׂנֵא 145 vb. hate
Qal 128 hate
Niph. is hated
Pi. enemy
base
H8130 שָׂנֵא hate
8130 sane' saw-nay'
a primitive root; to hate (personally):--enemy, foe, (be)
hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.
שָׂנֵא (sa.ne) — to hate.
1) to hate, be hateful
1a) (Qal) to hate
1a1) of man
1a2) of God
1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst)
1b) (Niphal) to be hated
1c) (Piel) hater (participle)
1c1) of persons, nations, God, wisdom
Aramaic equivalent: se.ne (שְׂנָא "to hate" H8131)
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
מָאַס (ma'ac) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to reject or despise. It can also denote the action of flowing or running in its Niph'al form. The entries highlight its usage in contexts of refusal and disdain, with no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
[מָאַס] vb. reject
Qal
reject, refuse
despise
Niph. be rejected
base
[מָאַס] vb. Niph. flow, run
base
H3988a מָאַס reject H3988b מָאַס Niph. flow, run
3988 ma'ac maw-as'
a primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to
disappear:--abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain,
(become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X
utterly, vile person.
מָאַס (ma.as) — to reject.
1) to reject, despise, refuse
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to reject, refuse
1a2) to despise
1b) (Niphal) to be rejected
מָאַס (ma.as) — to flow.
(Niphal) to flow, run
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
חַג (chag) refers to a festival or feast, often associated with a gathering or pilgrimage. It can denote both a celebratory occasion and the sacrifices made during such festivals. The term is linked to the root word for a solemn feast day or sacrifice, indicating its significance in religious contexts.
חַג n.m. festival-gathering, feast, pilgrim-feast
feast
festival sacrifice
base
H2282 חַג festival-gathering, feast, pilgrim-feast
2282 chag khag
or chag {khawg}; from 2287; a festival, or a victim
therefor:--(solemn) feast (day), sacrifice, solemnity.
see HEBREW for 02287
חַג (chag) — feast.
1) festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast
1a) feast
1b) festival sacrifice
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2mp
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
רִיחַ (ruach) is a verb meaning to smell or perceive an odor. It can also imply acceptance or enjoyment, particularly in metaphorical contexts. The entries suggest it may derive from a root meaning to blow or breathe, though its primary use is related to the sense of smell.
[רִיחַ] vb. denom. Hiph.(?), smell, perceive odour
base
H7306 [רִיחַ] vb. denom. Hiph.(?), smell, perceive odour
7306 ruwach roo'-akh
a primitive root; properly, to blow, i.e. breathe; only
(literally) to smell or (by implication, perceive
(figuratively, to anticipate, enjoy):--accept, smell, X
touch, make of quick understanding.
רִיחַ (ru.ach) — to smell.
1) (Hiphil) to smell, scent, perceive odour, accept
1a) of horse
1b) of delight (metaph)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singularHVhi1cs
de-lit' (verb, chaphets, ratsah, sha`a`; sunedomai): "To delight" is most frequently expressed by chaphets, which means originally "to bend" (compare Job 40:17, "He moveth his tail"), hence, "to incline to," "take pleasure in." It is used of God's pleasure in His people (Nu 14:8; 2Sa 22:20; Ps 18:19, etc.), and in righteousness, etc. (Isa 66:4; Jer 9:24; Mic 7:18, etc.), also of man's delight in God and His will (Ps 40:8; 73:25; the King James Version and the…
עֲצָרָה (atsarah) refers to an assembly, particularly in a sacred or festive context. It is derived from the root related to gathering and encompasses meanings such as solemn assembly and group. The term is used in contexts involving festivals or holidays, highlighting its significance in communal gatherings.
עֲצָרָה, עֲצֶ֫רֶת n.f. assembly
base
H6116 עֲצָרָה, עֲצֶ֫רֶת assembly
6116 `atsarah ats-aw-raw'
or matsereth {ats-eh'-reth}; from 6113; an assembly,
especially on a festival or holiday:--(solemn) assembly
(meeting).
see HEBREW for 06113
עֲצָרָה (a.tsa.rah) — assembly.
1) assembly, solemn assembly
1a) assembly (sacred or festive meeting)
1b) assemblage, company, group
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp2mp