Amos 2:8
New International Version
They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.

New 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.

English 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.

Berean Standard Bible
They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, And drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

New American Standard Bible
“And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

NASB 1995
“On garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

NASB 1977
“And on garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

Legacy Standard Bible
On garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

Amplified Bible
“They stretch out beside every [pagan] altar on clothes taken in pledge [to secure a loan, disregarding God’s command], And in the house of their God [in contempt of Him] they frivolously drink the wine [which has been] taken from those who have been fined.

Christian 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.

Holman Christian 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.

American Standard Version
and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.

Contemporary English Version
They lie down beside altars on clothes taken as security for loans. And they drink wine in my temple, wine bought with the money they received from fines.

English Revised Version
and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Beside every altar, they spread themselves out on clothes taken as security. In the temples of their gods, they drink the wine that they bought with fines.

Good News Translation
At every place of worship people sleep on clothing that they have taken from the poor as security for debts. In the temple of their God they drink wine which they have taken from those who owe them money.

International Standard Version
They lay down beside every altar, on garments pledged as collateral, drinking wine paid for through fines imposed by the temple of their gods.

Majority Standard Bible
They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.

NET Bible
They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple of their God!

New Heart English Bible
and they lay themselves down beside every altar on clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
They lay themselves down beside every altar on clothes taken in pledge. In the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they stretch themselves on pledged garments near every altar, "" And the wine of fined ones they drink [in] the house of their gods.

Young's Literal Translation
And on pledged garments they stretch themselves near every altar, And the wine of fined ones they drink in the house of their gods.

Smith's Literal Translation
And upon garments taken in pledge they will turn by every altar, and they will drink the wine of the amerced in the house of their God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they sat down upon garments laid to pledge by every altar: and drank the wine of the condemned in the house of their God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they have lain on garments taken in pledge next to every altar. And they drank the wine of the damned in the house of their God.

New American Bible
Upon garments taken in pledge they recline beside any altar. Wine at treasury expense they drink in their temples.

New Revised Standard Version
they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines they imposed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they laid themselves down in filthy clothes on the sides of every altar, and they drank old wine in the houses of their gods.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they have been girding on defiled clothing on the side of every altar, and they have been drinking old wine in the house of their gods
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they lay themselves down beside every altar Upon clothes taken in pledge, And in the house of their God they drink The wine of them that have been fined.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And binding their clothes with cords they have made them curtains near the altar, and they have drunk wine gained by extortion in the house of their God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment on Moab, Judah, and Israel
7They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name. 8They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines. 9Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 24:12-13
If he is a poor man, you must not go to sleep with the security in your possession; / be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.

Exodus 22:26-27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Isaiah 3:14-15
The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. / Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Ezekiel 18:12-13
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. / He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

Micah 2:8-9
But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle. / You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.

Isaiah 58:6-7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Job 24:7-10
Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold. / Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter. / The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt. ...

Nehemiah 5:1-5
About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. / Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” / Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” ...

Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Luke 16:19-25
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores / and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. ...

James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...

1 Corinthians 6:8-10
Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers! / Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Luke 6:24-25
But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. / Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.


Treasury of Scripture

And they lay themselves down on clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

laid.

Exodus 22:26,27
If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: …

Deuteronomy 24:12-17
And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: …

Ezekiel 18:7,12
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; …

by.

Amos 6:4
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

Isaiah 57:7
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Ezekiel 23:41
And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.

they drink.

Amos 6:6
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Judges 9:27
And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

Hosea 4:8
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

the condemned.

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Amos 2
1. God's judgments upon Moab,
4. upon Judah,
6. and upon Israel.
9. God complains of their ingratitude.














They lie down
This phrase suggests a posture of rest or indulgence, often associated with comfort and complacency. In the Hebrew context, lying down can imply a sense of entitlement or misuse of privilege. The imagery here is of individuals who are at ease in their wrongdoing, highlighting a moral and spiritual laxity. It reflects a society that has become comfortable with sin, ignoring the call to righteousness and justice.

beside every altar
Altars in ancient Israel were places of worship and sacrifice, meant to honor God. The mention of "every altar" indicates a widespread corruption of worship practices. Instead of being sacred spaces, these altars have become sites of moral compromise. Historically, altars were central to community worship, and their misuse signifies a deep-seated spiritual decay. This phrase underscores the perversion of religious practices, where sacred rituals are overshadowed by sinful behavior.

on garments taken in pledge
In the Mosaic Law, taking a garment in pledge was permissible, but it was to be returned by evening (Exodus 22:26-27). This law was designed to protect the poor, ensuring they had their cloak for warmth at night. The phrase here indicates a violation of this compassionate law, showing a lack of empathy and justice. It reflects a society that prioritizes personal gain over the well-being of others, highlighting a disregard for God's commandments and the needs of the vulnerable.

and in the house of their God
The "house of their God" refers to places of worship, such as temples or sanctuaries. This phrase emphasizes the irony and audacity of committing acts of injustice in spaces dedicated to divine worship. It suggests a profound hypocrisy, where individuals outwardly participate in religious activities while inwardly engaging in sinful behavior. This duality is a call to examine the sincerity of one's faith and the alignment of actions with professed beliefs.

they drink wine obtained through fines
Wine, often a symbol of joy and celebration, here becomes a representation of corruption and exploitation. The phrase "obtained through fines" suggests that the wine was acquired through unjust means, possibly through excessive or unfair penalties imposed on others. This highlights a societal structure where the powerful exploit the weak, using their authority for personal indulgence. It serves as a critique of leaders and individuals who prioritize their desires over justice and righteousness.

(8) Rapacity and cruelty follow on pride, selfishness, and lust. With this verse compare the provisions of the Mosaic law (Exodus 22:25). Render, And upon garments received in pledge they stretch themselves, and for "condemned" adopt the marginal translation mulcted. The money that had been wrung from those who could not pay, or, who have been sold into slavery, is spent in rioting and feasting. The LXX. read this passage very differently, but the Masoretic text is justified by the translations of the Targum, Aquila, Symmachus, and Jerome.

In the house of their god.--Probably here, as in the previous verse, we are to understand the high places of syncretic, or heathenish, Jehovah worship as referred to. "They drank the wine of the amerced. Where? 'In the house of their God.' What hardheartedness to the wilfully forgotten poor is compensated by a little church-going! (Pusey.)

Verse 8. - The prophet condemns the cruel luxury which, contrary to the Law, made the poor debtor's necessities minister to the rich man's pleasures. They lay themselves down upon; Vulgate, accubuerunt. Ewald translates, "they cast lots upon;" but the Authorized Version is supported by the highest authorities, and gives the most appropriate meaning. The Septuagint, with which the Syriac partly agrees, refers the clause to the immoralities practised in heathen worship, which the perpetrators desired to screen from observation, Τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν δεσμεύοντες σχοινίοις παραπετάσματα ἐποίουν ἐχόμενα τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, "Binding their clothes with cords, they made them curtains near the altar." This is far from the intention of the prophet's words. Upon clothes laid to pledge; or, taken in pledge. The "clothes" (begadim) are the large outer garments which formed poor men's dress by day and cover by night, and which, if pledged, were ordered to be returned by nightfall (Exodus 22:26, etc.; Deuteronomy 24:12, etc.). These the hardhearted usurers kept as their own, and reclined luxuriously upon them at their feasts and carousals in their temples. By every altar. At the sacrificial feasts in the temples at Dan and Bethel. They drink the wine of the condemned; Septuagint, οϊνον ἐκ συκοφαντιῶν. Wine obtained by fines extorted from the oppressed. So it is better to translate, "of such as have been fined." In the house of their god. The true God, whom they worshipped there under the symbol of the calf.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They lie down
יַטּ֔וּ (yaṭ·ṭū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

beside
אֵ֖צֶל (’ê·ṣel)
Preposition
Strong's 681: A joining together, proximity

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

altar
מִזְבֵּ֑חַ (miz·bê·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

on
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

garments
בְּגָדִ֤ים (bə·ḡā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

taken in pledge,
חֲבֻלִים֙ (ḥă·ḇu·lîm)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 2254: To wind tightly, to bind, a pledge, to pervert, destroy, to writhe in pain

and in the house
בֵּ֖ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of their God,
אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

they drink
יִשְׁתּ֔וּ (yiš·tū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

the wine
וְיֵ֤ין (wə·yên)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3196: Wine, intoxication

of the sanctioned.
עֲנוּשִׁים֙ (‘ă·nū·šîm)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 6064: To urge, to inflict a, penalty, to fine


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OT Prophets: Amos 2:8 And they lay themselves down beside every (Amo. Am)
Amos 2:7
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