Amos 2:6-7
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— 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;
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights a chilling downward spiral: Israel didn't just sell the righteous for silver, but the poor for a mere pair of sandals. This shows how a heart given over to greed can start with grand corruption and devolve into valuing absolutely nothing – not even basic human dignity – above the smallest, most trivial gain.
Amos, who has just condemned surrounding nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto his own people, Israel. The phrase "three transgressions, and for four" signals a deliberate listing of grave offenses that have brought them to the brink of God's judgment. This verse specifically indicts them for the systemic corruption within their justice system, where both the innocent and the impoverished were exploited for trivial gain, making them essentially merchandise.
Why does the prophet say 'three transgressions, and for four'? It sounds like a casual count, but it carries serious theological weight. What does this specific phrasing tell us about God's patience and Israel's deep-seated sin?
The phrase 'for three transgressions, and for four' isn't just a random number. It’s a Semitic idiom, common in ancient Near Eastern literature, signifying a fullness or completeness of sin. It suggests that Israel had repeatedly sinned, crossing line after line, exhausting God's patience. It's not about God losing count, but about the cumulative, overwhelming nature of their wickedness. They hadn't just stumbled into sin; they had plunged headfirst into it, accumulating offense after offense until judgment was inevitable and just. God's judgment isn't arbitrary; it's a response to a people who have filled the cup of their iniquity to the brim.
Amos doesn't just say Israel was unjust; he paints a vivid picture: 'they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.' What does this stark imagery reveal about the breakdown of society and God's heart?
This verse hits hard because it exposes the perversion of justice at its core.
Selling the Righteous for Silver
This refers to the corrupt judges and officials. Instead of upholding what is right and defending the innocent, they were bribed. For a price – literally 'silver' – they would condemn those who had a just case, twisting the law to favor the highest bidder. The 'righteous' here means someone who was legally in the right, innocent of the charges against them.
The Needy for a Pair of Sandals
This phrase emphasizes the utter devaluation of human life and dignity. A 'pair of sandals' was a common, inexpensive item. It signifies selling justice for the most trivial of amounts. Whether it was a literal selling of debtors into slavery for a pittance, or judges taking minuscule bribes, the point is the same: God's people were being treated as commodities, their worth reduced to dirt cheap.
This wasn't just a legal issue; it was a moral and spiritual catastrophe. It shows a society where the vulnerable had no protection, where greed trumped righteousness, and where the divine image in humanity was trampled underfoot for profit.
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.
sha’aph · Hebrew Verb
To treat someone with contempt, abuse, or violence, often crushing their spirit or rights. It implies a total disregard for the image of God in the person.
Amos' prophecy confronts Israel not just with abstract sins, but with concrete acts of injustice against the vulnerable, highlighting how a society's legal and economic systems can become instruments of oppression, leading to divine judgment.
c. 760 BC— this verse
Amos prophesies to Israel
Amos, a shepherd from Judah, is sent by God to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of outward prosperity but inner moral decay.
c. 8th century BC
Moral and Judicial Corruption
During this period, the wealthy elite in Israel increasingly exploited the poor, perverting justice for personal gain and engaging in luxury and idolatry.
c. 740-730 BC
Assyrian Pressure Begins
The growing power of the Neo-Assyrian Empire begins to exert pressure on the region, foreshadowing future conquests and contributing to the instability of the era.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, its capital Samaria falls, and its people are exiled, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment.
This passage speaks to the legal basis of selling individuals for theft, highlighting the Old Testament's regulation of such practices, which Amos' prophecy implies were being perverted for lesser reasons.
Nehemiah 5:5This verse shows a similar cry of injustice where people were being sold into servitude for debts, directly mirroring the kind of exploitation Amos condemns and revealing it as a recurring problem throughout Israel's history.
Amos 8:6This verse directly echoes Amos 2:6, explicitly stating the
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 highlights a chilling downward spiral: Israel didn't just sell the righteous for silver, but the poor for a mere pair of sandals. This shows how a heart given over to greed can start with grand corruption and devolve into valuing absolutely nothing – not even basic human dignity – above the smallest, most trivial gain.
Amos, who has just condemned surrounding nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto his own people, Israel. The phrase "three transgressions, and for four" signals a deliberate listing of grave offenses that have brought them to the brink of God's judgment. This verse specifically indicts them for the systemic corruption within their justice system, where both the innocent and the impoverished were exploited for trivial gain, making them essentially merchandise.
Amos, who has just condemned surrounding nations, now turns his prophetic gaze directly onto his own people, Israel. The phrase "three transgressions, and for four" signals a deliberate listing of grave offenses that have brought them to the brink of God's judgment. This verse specifically indicts them for the systemic corruption within their justice system, where both the innocent and the impoverished were exploited for trivial gain, making them essentially merchandise.
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anawah · Hebrew Noun
One who is suffering, humbled, or brought low by circumstances or the oppression of others. God is consistently depicted as the protector and defender of such individuals.
shem qodesh · Hebrew Noun phrase
The character, reputation, and manifest presence of God. To profane it is to treat God’s revealed essence with irreverence, dishonor, or mockery, stripping it of its sanctity.
chalal · Hebrew Verb
To treat something sacred as common or secular. It involves the desecration of that which has been set apart exclusively for God’s purposes.
"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— those who trample the head o…" — This verse highlights a chilling downward spiral: Israel didn't just sell the righteous for silver, but the poor for a mere pair of sandals. This shows how a heart given over to greed can start with…