Logos Bible Study

Amos 2:8–12

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2:8They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;

they do so right33 beside every altar!

They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;

they do so right in the temple34 of their God!35

2:9For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites.36

They were as tall as cedars37

and as strong as oaks,

but I destroyed the fruit on their branches38

and their roots in the ground.39

2:10I brought you up from the land of Egypt;

I led you through the wilderness for forty years

so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own.

2:11I made some of your sons prophets

and some of your young men Nazirites.40

Is this not true, you Israelites?”

The Lord is speaking!

2:12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine;41

you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’

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Footnotes

  1. 33 The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.
  2. 34 Heb “house.”
  3. 35 Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. , , ), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. , ).
  4. 36 Heb “I destroyed the Amorites from before them.” The translation takes מִפְּנֵי (mippéney) in the sense of “for the sake of.” See 818 פָּנֻה II.6.a and H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos (Hermeneia), . Another option is to take the phrase in a spatial sense, “I destroyed the Amorites, [clearing them out] from before them [i.e., Israel]” (cf. , ).
  5. 37 Heb “whose height was like the height of cedars.”
  6. 38 Heb “his fruit from above.”
  7. 39 Heb “and his roots from below.”
  8. 40 Or perhaps “religious devotees” (also in the following verse). The Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) refers to one who “consecrated” or “devoted” to God (see Num 6:1–21).
  9. 41 Nazirites were strictly forbidden to drink wine (Num 6:2–3).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

they lay themselves down beside every altar

on garments taken in pledge,

and in the house of their God they drink

the wine of those who have been fined.

“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,

whose height was like the height of the cedars

and who was as strong as the oaks;

I destroyed his fruit above

and his roots beneath.

Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt

and led you forty years in the wilderness,

to possess the land of the Amorite.

And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,

and some of your young men for Nazirites.

Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?”

declares the Lord.

“But you made the Nazirites drink wine,

and commanded the prophets,

saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

They lie down beside every altar

on garments taken in pledge.

In the house of their god

they drink wine taken as fines.

“Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them,

though they were tall as the cedars

and strong as the oaks.

I destroyed their fruit above

and their roots below.

I brought you up out of Egypt

and led you forty years in the wilderness

to give you the land of the Amorites.

“I also raised up prophets from among your children

and Nazirites from among your youths.

Is this not true, people of Israel?”

declares the Lord.

“But you made the Nazirites drink wine

and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They stretch out beside every altar

on garments taken as collateral,

and in the house of their God

they drink wine obtained through fines.

Yet I destroyed the Amorite as Israel advanced;

his height was like the cedars,

and he was as sturdy as the oaks;

I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath.

And I brought you from the land of Egypt

and led you forty years in the wilderness

in order to possess the land of the Amorite.

I raised up some of your sons as prophets

and some of your young men as Nazirites.

Is this not the case, Israelites?

This is the Lord’s declaration.

But you made the Nazirites drink wine

and commanded the prophets,

“Do not prophesy.”

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

At their religious festivals,

they lounge in clothing their debtors put up as security.

In the house of their gods,

they drink wine bought with unjust fines.

“But as my people watched,

I destroyed the Amorites,

though they were as tall as cedars

and as strong as oaks.

I destroyed the fruit on their branches

and dug out their roots.

It was I who rescued you from Egypt

and led you through the desert for forty years,

so you could possess the land of the Amorites.

I chose some of your sons to be prophets

and others to be Nazirites.

Can you deny this, my people of Israel?”

asks the Lord.

“But you caused the Nazirites to sin by making them drink wine,

and you commanded the prophets, ‘Shut up!’

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

They stretch themselves out beside every altar on clothing taken in pledge and they drink wine, bought with fines imposed, in the house of their God. Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, who was as tall as cedars and was as strong as the oaks. I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. And I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and I led you in the wilderness forty years to take possession of the land of the Amorite. And I raised up some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is it not so, O people of Israel? This is the declaration of Yahweh! But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar,

And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them,

Whose height was like the height of the cedars,

And he was strong as the oaks;

Yet I destroyed his fruit from above,

And his roots from beneath.

Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

And led you forty years through the wilderness,

To possess the land of the Amorite.

And I raised up of your sons for prophets,

And of your young men for Nazarites.

Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.

But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink;

And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

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