Amos 5:7
Amos 5:7 in Multiple Translations
There are those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground.
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,
Ye who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth,
You who make the work of judging a bitter thing, crushing down righteousness to the earth;
You twist justice and make it bitter, you throw integrity to the ground.
They turne iudgement to wormewood, and leaue off righteousnes in the earth.
Ye who are turning to wormwood judgment, And righteousness to the earth have put down,
You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth!
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness on the earth,
You that turn judgment into wormwood, and forsake justice in the land,
You people distort what is fair/right and cause people to think that it is something that is very bitter; you treat good things as though they are evil.
Berean Amplified Bible — Amos 5:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Amos 5:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/הֹפְכִ֥ים
לְ/לַעֲנָ֖ה
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
לָ/אָ֥רֶץ
הִנִּֽיחוּ
הַ/הֹפְכִ֥ים
hâphak
H2015
to overturn
Art | V-Qal
לְ/לַעֲנָ֖ה
laʻănâh
H3939
wormwood
Prep | N-fs
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
mishpâṭ
H4941
justice
N-ms
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
righteousness
Conj | N-fs
לָ/אָ֥רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
Prep | N-cs
הִנִּֽיחוּ
yânach
H3240
to rest
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Amos 5:7
הַ/הֹפְכִ֥ים
hâphak
H2015
"to overturn"
Art | V-Qal
To overturn means to turn something around or change it completely, often implying a reversal or transformation. This can be seen in the Bible when something is turned upside down or changed radically.
Definition: 1) to turn, overthrow, overturn 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to overturn, overthrow 1a2) to turn, turn about, turn over, turn around 1a3) to change, transform 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to turn oneself, turn, turn back 1b2) to change oneself 1b3) to be perverse 1b4) to be turned, be turned over, be changed, be turned against 1b5) to be reversed 1b6) to be overturned, be overthrown 1b7) to be upturned 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to transform oneself 1c2) to turn this way and that, turn every way 1d) (Hophal) to turn on someone
Usage: Occurs in 92 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way). See also: Genesis 3:24; Job 30:15; Psalms 30:12.
לְ/לַעֲנָ֖ה
laʻănâh
H3939
"wormwood"
Prep | N-fs
Wormwood is a poisonous plant, often used to symbolize bitterness. It is mentioned in the Bible as a metaphor for something accursed or evil, and is sometimes translated as hemlock or wormwood.
Definition: 1) wormwood 1a) bitterness (metaph.)
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: hemlock, wormwood. See also: Deuteronomy 29:17; Lamentations 3:15; Proverbs 5:4.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
mishpâṭ
H4941
"justice"
N-ms
Mishpat means justice or judgment, and is often used to describe God's righteous judgment, as well as human laws and decisions, in books like Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) judgment, justice, ordinance 1a) judgment 1a1) act of deciding a case 1a2) place, court, seat of judgment 1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges) 1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment) 1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment) 1a6) execution (of judgment) 1a7) time (of judgment) 1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man) 1c) ordinance 1d) decision (in law) 1e) right, privilege, due (legal) 1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
Usage: Occurs in 406 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong. See also: Genesis 18:19; 1 Kings 2:3; Psalms 1:5.
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
"righteousness"
Conj | N-fs
Encompasses the idea of righteousness, including justice, virtue, and morality, often describing God's attribute or the standard for human behavior. It is used to describe the ideal for personal conduct and societal norms, emphasizing the importance of living a righteous life.
Definition: 1) justice, righteousness 1a) righteousness (in government) 1a1) of judge, ruler, king 1a2) of law 1a3) of Davidic king Messiah 1b) righteousness (of God's attribute) 1c) righteousness (in a case or cause) 1d) righteousness, truthfulness 1e) righteousness (as ethically right) 1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification, salvation 1f1) of God 1f2) prosperity (of people) 1g) righteous acts Aramaic equivalent: tsid.qah (צִדְקָה "righteousness" H6665)
Usage: Occurs in 150 OT verses. KJV: justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness). See also: Genesis 15:6; Proverbs 16:31; Psalms 5:9.
לָ/אָ֥רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
Prep | N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
הִנִּֽיחוּ
yânach
H3240
"to rest"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp
To rest or settle down, implying a sense of calmness or stillness, as described in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rest, settle down and remain 1a2) to repose, have rest, be quiet 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet 1b2) to cause to rest, cause to alight, set down 1b3) to lay or set down, deposit, let lie, place 1b4) to let remain, leave 1b5) to leave, depart from 1b6) to abandon 1b7) to permit 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to obtain rest, be granted rest 1c2) to be left, be placed 1c3) open space (subst)
Usage: Occurs in 73 OT verses. KJV: bestow, cast down, lay (down, up), leave (off), let alone (remain), pacify, place, put, set (down), suffer, withdraw, withhold. (The Hiphil forms with the dagesh are here referred to, in accordance with the older grammarians; but if any distinction of the kind is to be made, these should rather be referred to H5117 (נוּחַ), and the others here.) See also: Genesis 2:15; 1 Kings 13:30; Psalms 17:14.
Study Notes — Amos 5:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Amos 5:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Amos 5:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 5:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Amos 5:7
- Trapp's Commentary on Amos 5:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on Amos 5:7
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Amos 5:7
- Cambridge Bible on Amos 5:7
- Barnes' Notes on Amos 5:7
- Sermons on Amos 5:7
Context — A Call to Repentance
5Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.
6Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.
7There are those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground.
8He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth— the LORD is His name— 9He flashes destruction on the strong, so that fury comes upon the stronghold.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amos 6:12 | “Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood— |
| 2 | Amos 5:11–12 | Therefore, 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. For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate. |
| 3 | Zephaniah 1:6 | and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.” |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 29:18 | Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit, |
| 5 | Hosea 10:4 | They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 3:20 | Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. And I will hold you responsible for his blood. |
| 7 | Ezekiel 33:12–13 | Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous man be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.’ If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed. |
| 8 | Isaiah 10:1 | Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, |
| 9 | Isaiah 59:13–14 | rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart. So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. |
| 10 | Habakkuk 1:12–14 | Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction. Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler. |
Amos 5:7 Summary
[This verse is talking about people who are making what is right and fair into something bad and hurtful, like taking something sweet and making it bitter, as seen in the use of wormwood in Deuteronomy 29:18. It's like taking a beautiful garden and filling it with weeds, which is similar to what Jesus says in Matthew 13:25 where an enemy sows weeds among the wheat. When we do this, we are rejecting what is right and just, and instead, we are doing what is wrong and unfair. As it says in Proverbs 21:15, justice is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers, so we should strive to uphold righteousness and justice in our lives.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to turn justice into wormwood?
To turn justice into wormwood means to corrupt and distort what is right and fair, making it bitter and harmful, as referenced in Amos 5:7 and also seen in Deuteronomy 29:18 where wormwood is a symbol of bitterness and curse.
How can righteousness be cast to the ground?
Righteousness can be cast to the ground when individuals or societies reject and disregard what is right and just, as mentioned in Amos 5:7, similar to how Isaiah 5:7 describes the wickedness of God's people who have rejected righteousness.
Is this verse talking about a specific group of people?
The verse is addressing those who are responsible for perverting justice and righteousness, likely the leaders and powerful individuals in Israel, as seen in the context of Amos 5:6 where it warns of God's judgment on the house of Joseph.
What is the consequence of turning justice into wormwood and casting righteousness to the ground?
The consequence is God's judgment and wrath, as seen in Amos 5:6 and 5:9, where it warns of fire sweeping through the house of Joseph and destruction on the strong, similar to the warnings in Proverbs 21:15 where it says that justice is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I might be unknowingly contributing to the perversion of justice in my own life or community?
- How can I ensure that I am upholding righteousness and not casting it to the ground in my daily interactions and decisions?
- What are some areas in my life where I need to seek God's guidance and wisdom to ensure that I am acting justly and righteously, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6?
- How can I be a voice for justice and righteousness in a world that often seems to value other things, as seen in Micah 6:8 where it says to do justice and love mercy?
Gill's Exposition on Amos 5:7
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood,.... This seems to be spoken to kings and judges, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; in whose hands is the administration of justice, and who often pervert it, as these
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 5:7
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, Ye who turn judgment to wormwood - i:e. pervert it to most bitter wrong. As justice is sweet, so injustice is bitterness to the injured.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Amos 5:7
Ye; rulers and judges. Judgment; the righteous sentence of the law, the equity of it, which is sweet and pleasing to just men, and safe for all. Wormwood; proverbially understood, bitterness, grief, injustice, and oppression. Leave off righteousness; make it to cease in your courts of judicature, and tread it under foot. In the earth; or among men, in the land: the latter part of this verse explains the former.
Trapp's Commentary on Amos 5:7
Amos 5:7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,Ver. 7. Ye who turn judgment to wormwood] Ye grandees and governors of the people, that turn the sweetest thing into the sourest (as corruptio optimi pessima), right into wrong dealing; that follow the administration of justice as a trade only, with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain; not caring what becomes of righteousness, but leaving it off in the earth, or rather not leaving it at all upon earth ( terras Astraea reliquit), but chasing it out of the world as much as in you lieth; while you cast it down to the ground, and tread it underfoot, Daniel 8:12, while you oppress the just, crush the needy, &c., Amos 4:1 : see the note there. Some read the text, by way of exclamation, thus: O ye that turn judgment, &c.; q.d. What strange creatures are you! what monsters of men! what public scourges! what scabs! Isaiah 5:7, God "looked for judgment, but behold oppression" (in the original it is, behold a scab); "for righteousness, but behold a cry": such a cry as entereth into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, Iudices instar scabiei molesti sunt oppressis (Piscator in loc.).
Ellicott's Commentary on Amos 5:7
(7) Is placed after Amos 5:9 by Ewald, since Amos 5:7-8 stand in the Heb. without any connecting-link. The holy thing “judgment” is perverted into the bitter thing “wormwood,” that which is execrated. Leave off.—Or rather, cast down righteousness to the earth, i.e., by false judgments and unjust decrees. Pusey sees here the analogue of the humiliation of the Holy One by wicked hands, when He was crowned with thorns, and fell beneath His cross.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Amos 5:7
Verse 7. Ye who turn judgment to wormwood] Who pervert judgment; causing him who obtains his suit to mourn sorely over the expenses he has incurred in gaining his right.
Cambridge Bible on Amos 5:7
7. Jehovah demands righteousness: the prophet, with passion and indignation, declares abruptly how far Israel is from righteousness, and then proceeds to announce again the doom which it may in consequence confidently expect. As before (Amos 2:6-8, Amos 4:1), Israel’s crying sin is neglect of civil justice, and oppression of the poor: it is the aristocracy who arouse the moral indignation of Amos, as afterwards, in Judah, they aroused that of Isaiah, Micah, and Jeremiah. turn judgment to wormwood] Instead of being something wholesome and grateful, it is bitter and cruel to those who have to receive it. For wormwood (always as a figure for something bitter), cf. Amos 6:12; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15; Lamentations 3:15; Lamentations 3:19; Proverbs 5:4; Revelation 8:11. The plant in question (Heb. la‘ǎ ?nβh; Aq. [Prov. and Jer.] ἀψίνθιον, whence Vulg. [everywhere] apsinthium: LXX. paraphrases,—in Amos 6:12 by πικρία) is a species of the genus Artemisium, of which several varieties are found in Palestine (Tristram, N.H.[157]. p. 493; Fauna and Flora of Palestine, p. 331). [157] .H.B … H. B. Tristram, Natural History of the Bible (1868).and lay righteousness down on the earth] instead of maintaining it erect, in its place (cf. Amos 5:15), they (Pusey) ‘dethrone’ it, and lay it (Isaiah 28:2) ignominiously on the ground: we should rather say, ‘trample it under foot’ (Hitz.). ‘Righteousness,’ as the context shews, means here civil justice (as 2 Samuel 8:15, Jeremiah 22:3, and frequently). The virtue is almost personified (cf.
Isaiah 59:14).
Barnes' Notes on Amos 5:7
Ye who turn - Those whom he calls to seek God, were people filled with all injustice, who turned the sweetness of justice into the bitterness of wormwood .
Sermons on Amos 5:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Amos) Yet You Have Not Returned to Me by David Guzik | In this sermon, the speaker begins by sharing a personal anecdote about watching the Rocky movies and how the preparation for the boxing matches is the main focus of the plot. The |
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The Seven Levels of Judgment - Improper Response Part 3 by Dan Biser | This sermon emphasizes the importance of responding properly to God's call, highlighting the consequences of improper responses seen in various biblical examples. It discusses the |
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Bitterness by Harold E. Schmul | In this sermon, the preacher begins by expressing his dissatisfaction with a fellow believer whom he considers a compromiser and a danger to their movement. He then discusses the d |
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Hebrews 12:14-17 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom emphasizes the importance of love, peace, and holiness in Christianity, quoting Jesus and Paul to highlight the significance of following peace with all men and pur |
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The Curse of Disobedience by John Hames | John Hames emphasizes the importance of obedience in the Christian walk, highlighting how disobedience can lead to destruction and separation from God. He warns that past obedience |
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(Isaiah) the Glory of the Messiah’s Reign by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher addresses the issue of unfairness and exploitation in society. He condemns those who take advantage of the weak and vulnerable, such as the poor, widow |
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When the Enemy Comes in Like a Flood by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher begins by quoting Isaiah 59:14, where Isaiah laments the state of society, with judgment turned away and truth fallen in the street. The preacher then |