Amos 5:11
in Amos 5Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact from him a tax of grain, you will never live in the stone houses you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof.
KJV
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
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This verse in Amos 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Forasmuch therefore - (Since they rejected reproof, he pronounces the sentence of God upon them,) “as your treading is upon the poor.” This expresses more habitual trampling on the poor, than if he had said, “ye tread upon the poor.” They were ever trampling on those who were already of low and depressed condition. “And ye take from him burdens of wheat, presents of wheat.” The word always signifies presents, voluntary , or involuntary , what was carried, offered to anyone.
This site's exposition
hate him that rebuketh in the gate
on Amos 5:10-13
The gate was the court, and hating the one who rebukes there names a bench that punishes honesty rather than dishonesty, the very officials meant to protect the poor now feeding on burdens of wheat taken from them. Houses of hewn stone built and never lived in, vineyards planted and their wine never drunk, echo the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28:30, 39 read by the bench as already falling before the exile itself arrives. The prudent shall keep silence in that time is taken two ways among the commentators, wise caution in a season too dangerous for honest speech, or the silencing of every voice that once spoke for the oppressed, both readings named without a verdict between them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 11 and following) Therefore, because you plundered the poor and took the choice spoil from them, you will build houses of cut stone but not live in them. You will plant pleasant vineyards but not drink their wine, for I know your many crimes and powerful sins, you who oppress the righteous and take bribes, and push aside the needy in the gate. Therefore, the wise will be silent in that time, for it is an evil time.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It was legally due either for rent or for corn lent, but they exacted it with rigour from those who were disabled by the providence of God to pay it, as Neh. v. 2, 5 . In demanding and recovering even a just debt we must take heed left we act either unjustly or uncharitably. This sin of oppression by are again charged with (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor,....
The duties here prescribed to them are godliness and honesty, seriousness in their applications to God and justice in their dealings with men; and each of these is here pressed upon them with proper arguments to enforce the exhortation. They are here exhorted to be sincere and devout in their addresses to God,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Or wheat advanced in time of scarcity, and exacted again at a burdensome interest [RABBI SALOMON]. built houses . . . but not dwell in them . . . vineyards, . . . but not drink wine of them--according to the original prophecy of Moses (De 28:30, 38, 39).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Your treading is upon the poor - You tread them under your feet; they form the road on which ye walk; and yet it was by oppressing and impoverishing them that ye gained your riches. Ye take from him burdens of wheat - Ye will have his bread for doing him justice.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
They hated him who reproves them in the gate —You do not fear Him or His prophets, and you hated those who reprove you in the gates of the courts.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
you who oppress the just —[ Jonathan renders:] who oppress the innocent.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָ֠כֵן | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| יַ֣עַן | yaan | because | H3282 → | |
| בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞ם | boshaskhem | trample you | H1318 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דָּ֗ל | dal | [the] poor | H1800 → | 47 times |
| וּמַשְׂאַת־ | umasat- | and a portion of | H4864 → | |
| בַּר֙ | bar | grain | H1250 → | 14 times |
| תִּקְח֣וּ | tikchu | you take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִמֶּ֔נּוּ | mimenu | from him | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| בָּתֵּ֥י | batei | houses of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| גָזִ֛ית | gazit | hewn [stone] | H1496 → | |
| בְּנִיתֶ֖ם | benitem | you have built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֵ֣שְׁבוּ | teshevu | you will dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בָ֑ם | vam | in them | ||
| כַּרְמֵי־ | karmei- | vineyards of | H3754 → | 92 times |
| חֶ֣מֶד | chemed | delight | H2531 → | |
| נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם | neta'tem | you have planted | H5193 → | 58 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִשְׁתּ֖וּ | tishtu | you will drink | H8354 → | 217 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יֵינָֽם׃ | yeinam | wine their | H3196 → | 141 times |
לָ֠כֵן<to> therefore
lakhenH3651 →771 times
יַ֣עַןbecause
yaanH3282 →
בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞םtrample you
boshaskhemH1318 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
דָּ֗ל[the] poor
dalH1800 →47 times
וּמַשְׂאַת־and a portion of
umasat-H4864 →
בַּר֙grain
barH1250 →14 times
תִּקְח֣וּyou take
tikchuH3947 →966 times
מִמֶּ֔נּוּfrom him
mimenuH4480 →1188 times
בָּתֵּ֥יhouses of
bateiH1004 →2046 times
גָזִ֛יתhewn [stone]
gazitH1496 →
בְּנִיתֶ֖םyou have built
benitemH1129 →376 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
תֵ֣שְׁבוּyou will dwell
teshevuH3427 →1079 times
בָ֑םin them
vam
כַּרְמֵי־vineyards of
karmei-H3754 →92 times
חֶ֣מֶדdelight
chemedH2531 →
נְטַעְתֶּ֔םyou have planted
neta'temH5193 →58 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תִשְׁתּ֖וּyou will drink
tishtuH8354 →217 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יֵינָֽם׃wine their
yeinamH3196 →141 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Haggai 1:6You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into…
it leads to
- Haggai 1:9
You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you…
- Deuteronomy 28:38–40
You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it.
- Hosea 4:10
They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have stopped obeying the LORD.
- Malachi 3:9–11
You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.
- Hosea 8:7
For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
- Haggai 1:9
Through
James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
it leads to
- Proverbs 17:5
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
- Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- 1 Corinthians 11:22
Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I…
- Proverbs 17:5
Where this verse is studied
About Amos
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Amos; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.