Amos 8:5
New International Version
saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,

New Living Translation
You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales.

English Standard Version
saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,

Berean Standard Bible
asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.

King James Bible
Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

New King James Version
Saying: “When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit,

New American Standard Bible
saying, “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain; And the Sabbath, so that we may open the wheat market, To make the ephah smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales,

NASB 1995
saying, “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales,

NASB 1977
saying, “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales,

Legacy Standard Bible
saying, “When will the new moon pass over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with a deceptive balance,

Amplified Bible
saying, “When will the New Moon [festival] be over So that we may sell grain, And the Sabbath ended so that we may open the wheat market, Making the ephah [measure] smaller and the shekel bigger [that is, selling less for a higher price] And to cheat by falsifying the scales,

Christian Standard Bible
asking, “When will the New Moon be over so we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, so we may market wheat? We can reduce the measure while increasing the price and cheat with dishonest scales.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
asking, “When will the New Moon be over so we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, so we may market wheat? We can reduce the measure while increasing the price and cheat with dishonest scales.

American Standard Version
saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were saying: ”When will the month pass and we will buy grain and the Sabbath will pass and we will open the stores, and we will make small measures and we will make large shekels and we will make a scale of deceit

Brenton Septuagint Translation
saying, When will the month pass away, and we shall sell, and the sabbath, and we shall open the treasure, to make the measure small, and to enlarge the weight, and make the balance unfair?

Contemporary English Version
You say to yourselves, "How much longer before the end of the New Moon Festival? When will the Sabbath be over? Our wheat is ready, and we want to sell it now. We can't wait to cheat and charge high prices for the grain we sell. We will use dishonest scales

Douay-Rheims Bible
Saying: When will the month be over, and we shall sell our wares: and the sabbath, and we shall open the corn: that we may lessen the measure, and increase the sicle, and may convey in deceitful balances,

English Revised Version
saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You say to yourselves, "When will the New Moon Festival be over so that we can sell more grain? When will the day of worship be over so that we can sell more wheat? We can shrink the size of the bushel baskets, increase the cost, and cheat with dishonest scales.

Good News Translation
You say to yourselves, "We can hardly wait for the holy days to be over so that we can sell our grain. When will the Sabbath end, so that we can start selling again? Then we can overcharge, use false measures, and fix the scales to cheat our customers.

International Standard Version
and who are saying, 'When will the New Moon fade so we may sell grain, and the Sabbath conclude so we may market winnowed wheat?— shortchanging the measure, raising the price, falsifying the scales by treachery,

JPS Tanakh 1917
Saying: 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may set forth corn? Making the ephah small, and the shekel great, And falsifying the balances of deceit;

Literal Standard Version
Saying, “When does the new moon pass, | And we sell ground grain? And the Sabbath, and we open out pure grain? To make little the ephah, | And to make great the shekel, | And to use balances of deceit perversely.

Majority Standard Bible
asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.

New American Bible
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the grain-bins? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating!

NET Bible
You say, "When will the new moon festival be over, so we can sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, so we can open up the grain bins? We're eager to sell less for a higher price, and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales!

New Revised Standard Version
saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances,

New Heart English Bible
saying, 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

Webster's Bible Translation
Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

World English Bible
saying, ‘When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

Young's Literal Translation
Saying, When doth the new moon pass, And we sell ground corn? And the sabbath, and we open out pure corn? To make little the ephah, And to make great the shekel, And to use perversely balances of deceit.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Basket of Ripe Fruit
4Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, 5asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. 6Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”…

Cross References
Exodus 31:13
"Tell the Israelites, 'Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Numbers 28:11
At the beginning of every month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished,

1 Samuel 20:5
So David told him, "Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I am supposed to dine with the king. Instead, let me go and hide in the field until the third evening from now.

2 Kings 4:23
"Why would you go to him today?" he replied. "It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath." "Everything is all right," she said.

Nehemiah 13:15
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.

Hosea 12:7
A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.

Micah 6:10
Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?


Treasury of Scripture

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

When.

Numbers 10:10
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

Numbers 28:11-15
And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; …

2 Kings 4:23
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

new moon.

Malachi 1:13
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

and the.

Exodus 20:8-10
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy…

Nehemiah 13:15-21
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals…

Isaiah 58:13
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

set forth.

Leviticus 19:36
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16
Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small…

Proverbs 11:1
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

falsifying the balances by deceit.

Hosea 12:7
He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

Jump to Previous
Balances Bushel Corn Dealing Deceit Ephah Falsely Forth Grain Great Large Making Market Moon New Open Sabbath Sell Shekel Small Smaller Wheat
Jump to Next
Balances Bushel Corn Dealing Deceit Ephah Falsely Forth Grain Great Large Making Market Moon New Open Sabbath Sell Shekel Small Smaller Wheat
Amos 8
1. By a basket of summer fruit is shown the approach of Israel's end.
4. Oppression is reproved.
11. A famine of the word of God threatened.














(5) When . . . gone.--They desired that the festivals of the New Moon and Sabbath should be over, when they might not only return to their secular employments, but pursue their search for ill-gotten gains--a proof that these festivals were observed in the northern nation, even if they were disliked.

Set forth wheat.--The original signifies the opening of the sacks, or granaries, where the wheat was stored. The greedy mercantile class is referred to. The ephah, which was a dry measure (= three English pecks), was "made small," so that a smaller quantity might be sold. The shekel was the weight against which the precious metal was weighed. If this were fraudulently augmented, more of the gold or silver than was due was demanded for the impoverished ephah.

Falsifying the balances . . .--More accurately, falsifying the deceitful balances, so that the very symbol of justice became the implement of committing injustice. This is frequently condemned in the Law and Prophets (Leviticus 19:35-36; Deuteronomy 25:15; Proverbs 11:1; Micah 6:11).

Verse 5. - When? expresses impatience and desire, as in the hymn -

"Thy joys when shall I see?" The new moon. The first day of the month was a holiday, on which all trade was suspended. It is not mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy; but its observance is enjoined in Numbers 28:11, and various notices of this occur in later Scriptures; e.g. 1 Samuel 20:5; 2 Kings 4:23; Hosea 2:11; Colossians 2:16. These greedy sinners kept the festivals, indeed, but they grudged the time given to them, and considered it as wasted. The sabbath. Compare the difficulties with which Nehemiah had to contend in upholding the sanctity of the sabbath (Nehemiah 10:31; Nehemiah 13:15-22). May set forth; literally, open; so Septuagint, καὶ ἀνοίξομεν θησαυρόν. The word expresses the opening of the granaries and storehouses. The ephah, by which corn was measured (see note on Micah 6:10). This they made small, and so gave lees than was paid for. The shekel. The weight by which money was weighed. This they made great, and thus gained too high a price for the quantity of corn. Coined money of determined value seems not to have been used before the return from Captivity, all payments of fixed amount previous to that period being made by weighing (comp. Genesis 23:16; Genesis 33:19; Genesis 43:21; Exodus 30:13; Isaiah 46:6). Falsifying the balances by deceit; better, as in the Revised Version, dealing falsely with balances of deceit. To increase their gains they falsified their scales or used fraudulent weights (see Leviticus 19:36). Thus they cheated the poor probably in three ways - by small measure, exorbitant price, and light weight.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
asking,
לֵאמֹ֗ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“When
מָתַ֞י (mā·ṯay)
Interrogative
Strong's 4970: Extent, when

will the New Moon
הַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ (ha·ḥō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

be over
יַעֲבֹ֤ר (ya·‘ă·ḇōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

that we may sell
וְנַשְׁבִּ֣ירָה (wə·naš·bî·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 7666: To deal in grain

grain?
שֶּׁ֔בֶר (še·ḇer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7668: Corn, grain

When will the Sabbath [end],
וְהַשַּׁבָּ֖ת (wə·haš·šab·bāṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

that we may market
וְנִפְתְּחָה־ (wə·nip̄·tə·ḥāh-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 6605: To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

wheat?
בָּ֑ר (bār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1250: Grain, the open country

Let us reduce
לְהַקְטִ֤ין (lə·haq·ṭîn)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6994: To diminish, be, diminutive, of no account

the ephah
אֵיפָה֙ (’ê·p̄āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 374: Ephah -- an ephah (a measure of grain)

and increase
וּלְהַגְדִּ֣יל (ū·lə·haḡ·dîl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great

the shekel;
שֶׁ֔קֶל (še·qel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8255: A weight, a commercial standard

let us cheat
וּלְעַוֵּ֖ת (ū·lə·‘aw·wêṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5791: To be bent or crooked

with dishonest
מִרְמָֽה׃ (mir·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4820: Deceit, treachery

scales.
מֹאזְנֵ֥י (mō·zə·nê)
Noun - mdc
Strong's 3976: A pair of scales


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OT Prophets: Amos 8:5 Saying 'When will the new moon be (Amo. Am)
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