Amos 2:6Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes;
The setting
760 BC, Northern Kingdom courts. Wealthy landowners buy judges with silver, selling innocent people into slavery for tiny debts...
The emotion here: rural outsider shocked by urban corruption and greed
The original word
naalayim (נַעֲלַיִם) — sandals, the cheapest item imaginable, showing how little they valued human life
Why it matters
A pair of sandals cost about one day's wages for a laborer — people were enslaved over pocket change
Read with care
What most readers miss in Amos 2:6
This isn't about stealing — it's about corrupting the legal system to exploit the powerless
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about charity, but it's about systemic exploitation — corrupting courts and enslaving people over trivial debts.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Amos 2:6
Bible Genome reading
Amos 2:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Amos 2:6 comes from the book of Amos, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include injustice, judgment. Notable phrases: sold the righteous for silver. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Amos 2:6 mean to you, today?
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