Amos 8:6that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the sweepings with the wheat?'"
The setting
Samaria slave market, ~760 BC. A wealthy merchant counts out silver coins to buy a family whose grain debt equals the price of his sandals. Mixed grain with chaff sells to those who can't afford pure wheat...
The emotion here: shepherd's heartbreak at humanity's capacity for cruelty
The original word
na'alayim (נַעֲלַיִם) — sandals; the phrase 'for a pair of shoes' means the debt was so small it equaled the price of footwear
Why it matters
Debt slavery was legal but regulated in Israel — this passage shows how the wealthy perverted even merciful laws
Read with care
What most readers miss in Amos 8:6
'Sweepings with the wheat' means selling grain mixed with floor debris — literally trash mixed with food
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about ancient slavery, but it's describing economic systems that trap people in poverty — payday loans, predatory lending, and exploiting desperation for profit.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Amos 8:6
Bible Genome reading
Amos 8:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Amos 8:6 comes from the book of Amos, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Amos. 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 exploitation, dehumanization. Notable phrases: buy the poor for silver; pair of shoes; sell the sweepings. 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 8:6 mean to you, today?
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