saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These merchants hated the holy days, not because they were too devout, but because they interrupted their unjust practices. They chafed at the rest required by the new moon and Sabbath, seeing them only as lost opportunities to cheat people by shorting their measures and inflating their weights.
saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Amos confronts greedy merchants who despise holy days, seeing them only as hindrances to their dishonest business practices. These traders are so consumed by their desire for profit that they impatiently await the end of religious observances like the new moon and Sabbath, eager to get back to cheating customers by using undersized measures and fraudulent scales to maximize their earnings.
These merchants aren't just busy; they're actively counting down the minutes until religious observances are over. Why would anyone resent sacred time?
Amos 8:5 reveals a deep spiritual sickness. The people he addresses aren't simply eager to get back to work; they despise the holy times set aside for God.
Resentment of Rest
The 'new moon' and the 'Sabbath' were divinely appointed times for rest and worship. For these merchants, however, they were agonizing interruptions. Their hearts were so consumed by the desire for profit that even days meant for spiritual reflection felt like an unbearable delay.
The Covetous Heart's Prayer
Their silent prayer wasn't for God's presence or peace, but for the end of God's appointed time: 'When will the new moon be over... that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may open our granaries?' This reveals a heart where commerce has replaced Christ, and profit has overshadowed piety.
A Sign of Spiritual Decay
This intense impatience with holy time is a stark indicator that their worship was a mere formality. They might have gone through the motions, but their true devotion lay in their ledgers and their gains.
They didn't just want more time to sell; they wanted to cheat their customers out of more money with every transaction. What were their dishonest methods?
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The verse doesn't just show a desire for profit; it exposes the methods of unjust gain employed by these merchants.
Shrinking the Measure
'Making the ephah small' refers to using a smaller measure than legally required. This meant the buyer received less grain than they paid for, a direct deception in the quantity of goods.
Inflating the Price
'And the shekel great' means they used a heavier weight when weighing the money they received from the customer. So, not only did the buyer get less product, but they also had to pay more money for it, effectively being cheated twice.
Rigging the System
'And falsifying the balances by deceit' is the overarching act of dishonesty. The scales themselves, meant to ensure fair trade, were manipulated. This wasn't just a slight error; it was a deliberate and systemic corruption of the very tools of commerce.
Understand the original words
chodesh · Hebrew Noun
The beginning of the month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by religious observation, blowing of trumpets, and sacrifices as a time of sanctification.
shabbat · Hebrew Noun
The seventh day of the week, sanctified by God as a day of rest and holy assembly, meant to be a time of ceasing from labor and focusing on the Lord.
eypah · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew unit of dry measure, roughly equivalent to a bushel; justice in the Old Testament required that these be 'just' and 'honest,' reflecting God’s hatred of cheating.
sheqel · Hebrew Noun
A unit of weight used for precious metals (specifically silver); the law commanded 'just' weights, prohibiting the use of rigged scales to defraud others.
ashaq · Hebrew Verb
Engaging in dishonest business practices, cheating, or exploitation; the Bible consistently condemns such behavior as an affront to the integrity and holiness of God.
This verse highlights how religious observance can become a mere formality for those whose hearts are consumed by greed, using sacred times as obstacles to their unjust enrichment rather than opportunities for worship and rest.
c. 8th century BC— this verse
Prosperity and Corruption in Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel experienced a period of economic prosperity, but this led to increased social injustice, luxury, and a disregard for the poor and God's laws.
c. 760-750 BC
Amos's Prophetic Ministry
Amos, a prophet from Judah, was sent by God to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of apparent peace and wealth under King Jeroboam II.
c. 760-750 BC
Judgment Pronounced on Israel
Amos delivered strong condemnations against Israel's social and religious corruption, including dishonest business practices, luxury, and oppression of the poor, warning of impending judgment.
This passage directly condemns dishonest weights and measures, echoing Amos's critique of fraudulent business practices and the perversion of justice for profit.
Leviticus 19:35-36Here, God explicitly commands the use of just weights and measures, highlighting that honesty in commerce was a core requirement for His people, making Amos's condemnation of their deceit all the more significant.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16This text warns against dishonest weights and measures as a violation of God's law and a threat to their promised land, directly paralleling the specific sins Amos is denouncing.
Proverbs 20:10This proverb declares that dishonest weights and measures are an abomination to the Lord, reinforcing the deep moral and spiritual offense Amos is addressing among the Israelites.
Nehemiah 13:15-16This passage shows a later struggle to uphold the sanctity of the Sabbath against commercial exploitation, illustrating how the kind of impatience with holy days that Amos describes persisted and was a recurring issue.
barnesAmos 8:5: "Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?"
When will the new moon be gone? - They kept their festivals, though weary and impatient for their close. They kept sabbath and festival with their bodies, not with their minds. The Psalmist said, "When shall I come to appear before the presencc of God?" Psalm 42:2 . These said, perhaps in the…
calvinAmos 8:5: "Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?"
- Dicendo, Quando transibit mensis, ut vendamus frumentum? et sabbathum, ut aperiamus (hoc est, depromamus) triticum, et attenuemus ephah? (hoc est, mensuram minuemus; scimus enim ephah fuisse communem mensuram: quando ergo minuemus mensuram,) et augemus sql, siclum, et pervertamus stateras…
These merchants hated the holy days, not because they were too devout, but because they interrupted their unjust practices. They chafed at the rest required by the new moon and Sabbath, seeing them only as lost opportunities to cheat people by shorting their measures and inflating their weights.
The prophet Amos confronts greedy merchants who despise holy days, seeing them only as hindrances to their dishonest business practices. These traders are so consumed by their desire for profit that they impatiently await the end of religious observances like the new moon and Sabbath, eager to get back to cheating customers by using undersized measures and fraudulent scales to maximize their earnings.
The prophet Amos confronts greedy merchants who despise holy days, seeing them only as hindrances to their dishonest business practices. These traders are so consumed by their desire for profit that they impatiently await the end of religious observances like the new moon and Sabbath, eager to get back to cheating customers by using undersized measures and fraudulent scales to maximize their earnings.
"saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balan…" — These merchants hated the holy days, not because they were too devout, but because they interrupted their unjust practices. They chafed at the rest required by the new moon and Sabbath, seeing them o…
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Last reviewed October 2026