Amos 5 12

Amos 5:12 kjv

For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

Amos 5:12 nkjv

For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.

Amos 5:12 niv

For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Amos 5:12 esv

For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins ? you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.

Amos 5:12 nlt

For I know the vast number of your sins
and the depth of your rebellions.
You oppress good people by taking bribes
and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Amos 5 verses

Amos 5 12 Meaning

Amos 5:12 unveils God's profound awareness of Israel's pervasive and severe moral failings. The Lord declares His intimate knowledge of their numerous acts of rebellion and significant sins. Specifically, the verse highlights three key manifestations of their iniquity: the oppression of the innocent, the acceptance of bribes to pervert justice, and the denial of legal recourse for the poor and vulnerable in the very public forums where justice should have prevailed. This declaration sets the stage for divine judgment, demonstrating that their unrighteous deeds are fully seen by God.

Amos 5 12 Context

Amos chapter 5 is a profound lament and a stern indictment of Israel's spiritual and moral decay. While the nation was enjoying a period of prosperity under Jeroboam II, their religiosity had become formalistic and devoid of true righteousness. Amos declares God's imminent judgment, likening Israel to a virgin fallen, never to rise (v. 2). He calls the people to "seek the Lord and live" (v. 4, 6), not by religious pilgrimages to unholy shrines, but by turning away from evil and loving good (v. 14-15). Verse 12 serves as a foundational charge in this prophetic lawsuit, providing the explicit reasons for God's impending wrath. It directly addresses the corruption of the justice system, which was meant to be the safeguard for the vulnerable but had become an instrument of their oppression. The "gate" (sha'ar) was the central place in ancient Near Eastern towns where legal disputes were heard, commercial transactions conducted, and community decisions made. Corruption at the gate, therefore, signified the complete breakdown of righteous societal order and the blatant disregard for God's covenant laws that championed justice for all, especially the needy.

Amos 5 12 Word analysis

• For I know (כִּ֣י יָ֠דַעְתִּי - ki yada'ti):

  • "For" (ki): A strong causal conjunction, introducing the reason for the lament and impending judgment stated in previous verses (e.g., Amos 5:11). It signifies that God's action is not arbitrary but a consequence of their specific sins.
  • "I know" (yada'ti): The Hebrew verb yada' means "to know," implying not just intellectual awareness but a deep, intimate, experiential knowledge, encompassing observation, understanding, and even previous interaction. Here, it conveys God's omniscience and His personal witness to every injustice committed. This is a divine declaration, an indictment from the supreme Judge. It underscores that no wrongdoing, however hidden or seemingly inconsequential, escapes His perfect sight.

• how many are your transgressions (רַבִּ֤ים פִשְׁעֵיכֶם֙ - rabbim pish'eichem):

  • "many" (rabbim): Emphasizes the sheer quantity and frequency of their rebellious acts, suggesting a pattern, not isolated incidents.
  • "transgressions" (pish'eichem): From the Hebrew pesha'. This term denotes open rebellion, revolt, or willful disobedience against an authority or covenant, often implying a breaking of a trust or a breach of fidelity. It's a strong word for sin, pointing to intentional acts of defiance against God's law and His divine covenant.

• and how great are your sins (וַֽעֲצֻמִ֖ים חַטֹּאותֵיכֶ֑ם - va'atzumim chatto'oteichem):

  • "how great" (va'atzumim): From atsum, meaning mighty, powerful, enormous. It indicates the gravity, severity, and magnitude of their sins, not just in number but in their impact and offensiveness to God.
  • "sins" (chatto'oteichem): From the Hebrew chatta'ah. This term broadly means "missing the mark" or falling short of a standard, often associated with impurity or guilt. While pesha' emphasizes rebellion, chatta'ah highlights deviation from God's perfect standard and its consequent guilt. Together, "transgressions" and "sins" paint a complete picture of moral failure, both in terms of active rebellion and falling short of divine expectations.

• you who afflict the righteous (צֹרְרֵי צַדִּיק - tsorerey tzaddiq):

  • "afflict" (tsorerey): From tsarar, meaning to bind, besiege, oppress, distress, or be hostile toward. This word describes an active and aggressive harassment or persecution. It speaks of those who inflict pain, trouble, or injustice upon others.
  • "the righteous" (tzaddiq): Refers to individuals who are upright, just, and walk according to God's will. In the context of judicial proceedings, this highlights the profound perversion of justice where those who should be protected are instead targeted and harassed by the very system designed to uphold their rights. This points to the corruption of ethical norms where good is persecuted and evil allowed to thrive.

• take a bribe (לֹקְחֵ֣י כֹּ֔פֶר - loq'chey kofer):

  • "take" (loq'chey): From laqach, meaning to grasp, seize, take possession of. It signifies a deliberate act of accepting.
  • "a bribe" (kofer): Literally means a "covering" or "atonement," often used for a ransom payment or a bribe. Here, it denotes money or anything of value exchanged to pervert justice. In biblical law, a bribe (often distinct from "ransom" or "price") was strictly forbidden because it twists judgment and undermines the very foundation of societal equity. The act of "taking a bribe" means directly participating in corruption.

• and turn aside the needy in the gate (וּמַטִּ֥ים אֶבְיֹונִ֖ים בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃ - u'mattim evyonim ba'sha'ar):

  • "turn aside" (u'mattim): From natah, meaning to incline, stretch out, or turn away. In a legal context, it implies subverting, distorting, or denying justice, or pushing someone's rights aside. This describes actively denying rightful judgment or access to it.
  • "the needy" (evyonim): Refers to the poor, the destitute, those lacking resources and power. Biblical law consistently mandates special protection for the evyon because they are vulnerable. Denying them justice is a direct assault on God's character and covenant instructions.
  • "in the gate" (ba'sha'ar): The gate of the city was not just an entrance; it was the hub of community life, including commerce, public assembly, and critically, the place where elders and judges convened courts of law. Justice was literally dispensed "in the gate." To turn aside the needy "in the gate" means to obstruct justice for them where it was supposed to be most accessible and impartial, showcasing systemic corruption and public disregard for divine law.

Amos 5 12 Bonus section

The accusations in Amos 5:12 stand in stark contrast to the ethical and judicial principles embedded within the Mosaic Law, highlighting Israel's wholesale departure from their covenant obligations. God's knowledge of their sins emphasizes His role as the ultimate covenant Keeper and Judge. This verse serves as a crucial component of Amos's "indictment speech" format, building a compelling legal case against Israel that necessitates divine intervention. The vividness of the language, using active participles like "afflicting," "taking," and "turning aside," paints a dynamic picture of ongoing and intentional acts of injustice by the powerful elite. This not only signifies individual failings but speaks to a societal structure rotten at its core, where those in authority actively perpetuated unrighteousness rather than upheld justice.

Amos 5 12 Commentary

Amos 5:12 lays bare the core reasons for God's impending judgment on Israel: profound moral depravity masked by religious ritual. The verse underscores God's perfect omniscience; He is intimately aware of both the quantity (rabbim) and severity (atzumim) of their "transgressions" (acts of rebellious defiance against His covenant) and "sins" (failures to meet His righteous standards). This comprehensive indictment immediately zeroes in on three specific, grievous offenses that represent a systemic breakdown of justice.

First, "afflicting the righteous" speaks to active persecution and oppression of those who sought to live by God's ways. This was not merely passive neglect but deliberate harm to the upright, reversing the very order God intended for His people. Second, "taking a bribe" directly violates Mosaic Law (Ex 23:8, Deut 16:19), indicating judicial corruption where monetary gain outweighed truth and fairness. This rendered the legal system a tool for the powerful, rather than a recourse for the wronged. Third, and perhaps most poignant, "turning aside the needy in the gate" encapsulates the denial of justice to the most vulnerable members of society—the poor and destitute—at the very place where equity should have been assured. The "gate" symbolizes open, public justice, yet it had become a place of injustice. This trifecta of sins reveals a society where justice was not just distorted but systematically overthrown, violating the core of God's covenant which commanded care for the marginalized and impartiality in judgment (Deut 10:18-19). This moral decay demonstrated that Israel's outward religiosity was hollow, triggering the certain divine response of judgment.