Amos 8:5

"Hear this, you who desire to swallow up the needy, and cause the poor of the land to fail,"

Key Reflection

In Amos 8:5, the prophet addresses those who exploit the poor by using economic and social power to oppress them, effectively stripping them of their resources and livelihoods. This practice was common in Israelite society where wealth disparities were stark, and the wealthy often manipulated market systems to their advantage, as noted in first-century Near Eastern economic practices. The original audience would have recognized this behavior as a violation of justice and ethical standards, highlighting the prophetic call for moral reform and compassion towards the marginalized.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

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?”Psalms 42:2. These said, perhaps in their hearts only which God reads to them, “when will this service be over, that we may be our own masters again?” They loathed the rest of the sabbath, because they had, thereon, to rest from their frauds. He instances “the new moons” and “sabbaths,” because these, recurring weekly or monthly, were a regular hindrance to their covetousness.

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