Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals—
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals a chilling aspect of Israel's sin: they weren't just unjust, they treated people as commodities. The righteous were "sold for silver," and the poor for the meager equivalent of "a pair of sandals," highlighting how easily and cheaply they valued human dignity and justice. This wasn't just about bad decisions; it was about a heart so hardened that it saw people as mere possessions to be traded for profit or even trivial luxury.
Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals—
English Standard Version (ESV)
Amos, having just denounced neighboring nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He declares that God's patience has run out, not for one or two sins, but for a pattern of deep corruption. The specific charge here is the perversion of justice, where the innocent and the vulnerable are exploited for meager gain, revealing a society where righteousness itself has become a commodity to be bought and sold.
Amos doesn't just list sins; he signals a tipping point. What does this specific phrasing tell us about God's patience and Israel's corruption?
Beyond Simple Counting
The phrase "for three transgressions, and for four" isn't just a poetic way to say "many sins." It's a deliberate signal that Israel has reached a point of no return.
This isn't about God being harsh; it's about Him being just when a nation repeatedly rejects His ways.
The charge is severe: selling the righteous for silver and the needy for sandals. What does this reveal about the breakdown of society and morality?
The Corrupt Marketplace of Justice
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This is the heart of Amos' indictment – a profound betrayal of the vulnerable.
Understand the original words
pesha‘ · Hebrew Noun
A willful act of rebellion, revolt, or breach of relationship against God's law or a covenant. It carries the weight of a conscious turning away from divine authority.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective
Someone who is morally upright, in a right relationship with God, and acts in accordance with His revealed will. It refers to those who keep the covenant and live in justice and righteousness.
ebyon · Hebrew Adjective
Those who lack material wealth or social power and are therefore vulnerable. In the Bible, God expresses special care for them and warns against their exploitation.
Amos' prophecy comes during a time of outward prosperity in the Northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam II, but this era was rife with the corruptions he condemns, setting the stage for the kingdom's eventual downfall at the hands of Assyria.
c. 841 BC
Jehu's violent seizure of the throne
Jehu's violent purge of the Omri dynasty and Baal worship in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) temporarily restored a semblance of order but led to a period of territorial loss and weakened defense.
c. 786-746 BC
Reign of Jeroboam II
This was a period of apparent prosperity and territorial expansion for the Northern Kingdom of Israel, but it masked deep social injustice, corruption, and a decline in true worship.
c. 760 BC— this verse
Amos prophesies against Israel
The prophet Amos, from the Southern Kingdom (Judah), is sent by God to deliver a powerful message of judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian expansion under Tiglath-Pileser III
The growing might of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III began to exert pressure on the smaller kingdoms of the region, including Israel.
732 BC
Fall of Damascus
The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III conquered Damascus, the capital of Aram (Syria), a major regional power and often an ally or enemy of Israel and Judah.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and destruction of Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Shalmaneser V and later Sargon II, leading to the exile of its population and the end of its existence as a nation.
This passage describes a similar corruption of justice where both rulers and judges take bribes, echoing Amos' charge of selling the righteous and the poor for personal gain.
Ezekiel 22:29Here, Ezekiel also condemns the powerful who practice fraud and oppression, specifically mentioning extorting from the poor and needy, which aligns with the 'selling for a pair of sandals' image.
Psalm 82:2-4This psalm directly addresses corrupt judges, calling them to defend the weak and fatherless and uphold justice, highlighting the divine expectation that contrasts sharply with Israel's actions in Amos 2:6.
Deuteronomy 16:19This law explicitly forbids accepting bribes and perverting justice, serving as the divine standard against which Israel's corrupt practices described by Amos are measured.
Matthew 18:25Jesus uses a parable where an unforgiving servant is to be sold with his family to pay a debt, illustrating the literal and severe consequences of such exploitative practices that Amos condemns.
calvinAmos 2:6: "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;"
- Sic dicit Jehova, Super tribus sceleribus Israel et super quatuor non convertam cum (vel, ad eum,) quia emerunt (vel, vendiderunt: quidam enim deducunt a krt, et putant m esse literam formalem nominis: alii autem deducunt a mkr quod est vendere vel mercari; sed sensus Prophetae eodem redit…
pulpitAmos 2:6: "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;"
Verses 6-16. - 3. Summons and general denunciation of Israel for injustice, cruelty, incest, luxury, and idolatry. Verse 6. - They sold the righteous for silver. The first charge against Israel is perversion of justice. The judges took bribes and condemned the righteous, i.e. the man whose ca…
This verse reveals a chilling aspect of Israel's sin: they weren't just unjust, they treated people as commodities. The righteous were "sold for silver," and the poor for the meager equivalent of "a pair of sandals," highlighting how easily and cheaply they valued human dignity and justice. This wasn't just about bad decisions; it was about a heart so hardened that it saw people as mere possessions to be traded for profit or even trivial luxury.
Amos, having just denounced neighboring nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He declares that God's patience has run out, not for one or two sins, but for a pattern of deep corruption. The specific charge here is the perversion of justice, where the innocent and the vulnerable are exploited for meager gain, revealing a society where righteousness itself has become a commodity to be bought and sold.
Amos, having just denounced neighboring nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He declares that God's patience has run out, not for one or two sins, but for a pattern of deep corruption. The specific charge here is the perversion of justice, where the innocent and the vulnerable are exploited for meager gain, revealing a society where righteousness itself has become a commodity to be bought and sold.
"Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—" — This verse reveals a chilling aspect of Israel's sin: they weren't just *unjust*, they treated people as commodities. The righteous were "sold for silver," and the poor for the meager equivalent of "…
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Last reviewed October 2026