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THE MESSAGE

Amos 6:5

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amusements and Worldly Pleasures;   Confidence;   Conscience;   David;   Feasts;   Gluttony;   Invention;   Music;   Rich, the;   Worldliness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Amusements;   Idle Songs;   Instruments, Chosen;   Music;   Musical Instruments;   Singing;   Songs;   Viols;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amusements and Pleasures, Worldly;   Beds;   Diet of the Jews, the;   Entertainments;   Music;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Feasts;   Viol;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Government;   House;   Jeroboam;   Joy;   Music;   Self-discipline;   Singing;   Wealth;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Ethics;   Funeral;   Psalms, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Music;   Pipe;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Banquets;   David;   Harp;   Meals;   Music;   Neginah;   Poetry;   Rechab;   Viol;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Remnant;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Day of the Lord;   Music and Musical Instruments;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Day of Judgment;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Inventions;   Psaltery;   Viol;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Bed;   Chant;   Commerce;   David;   Jeroboam;   Psalms, Book of;   Viol;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Banquets;   Ethics;   Harp and Lyre;   Music and Musical Instruments;   Organ;   Viol;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They improvise songs to the sound of the harpand invent their own musical instruments like David.
Hebrew Names Version
Who strum on the strings of a harp; Who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
King James Version (1611)
That chaunt to the sound of the Uiole, and inuent to themselues instruments of musicke, like Dauid:
King James Version
That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
English Standard Version
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
New American Standard Bible
Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,
New Century Version
You make up songs on your harps, and, like David, you compose songs on musical instruments.
Amplified Bible
Who improvise to the sound of the harp— Like David they have composed songs for themselves—
Geneva Bible (1587)
They sing to the sounde of the viole: they inuent to themselues instruments of musike like Dauid.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,
Legacy Standard Bible
Who improvise to the sound of the harp,And like David have composed songs for themselves,
Berean Standard Bible
You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.
Contemporary English Version
You sing foolish songs to the music of harps, and you make up new tunes, just as David used to do.
Complete Jewish Bible
You make up wild songs at your parties, playing the lute and inventing other instruments — [imagining that you're] like David!
Darby Translation
that chant to the sound of the lute, [and] invent them instruments of music, like David;
Easy-to-Read Version
You play your harps, and like David, you practice on your musical instruments.
George Lamsa Translation
Who chant to the sound of the harp, and consider themselves skilled in the musical instruments like David;
Good News Translation
You like to compose songs, as David did, and play them on harps.
Lexham English Bible
Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music.
Literal Translation
those chanting with the mouth of the harp; they invent instruments of song for themselves like David;
American Standard Version
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Bible in Basic English
Making foolish songs to the sound of corded instruments, and designing for themselves instruments of music, like David;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
That thrum on the psaltery, that devise for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They sing to the sounde of the viole, they inuent to them selues instrumentes of musicke, like Dauid.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
who excel in the sound of musical instruments; they have regarded them as abiding, not as fleeting pleasures;
English Revised Version
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that devise for themselves instruments of music, like David;
World English Bible
Who strum on the strings of a harp; Who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and ye syngen at vois of sautree. As Dauid thei gessiden hem for to haue instrumentis of song, and drynken wyn in viols;
Update Bible Version
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Webster's Bible Translation
That chant to the sound of the viol, [and] invent to themselves instruments of music, like David;
New English Translation
They sing to the tune of stringed instruments; like David they invent musical instruments.
New King James Version
Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;
New Living Translation
You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.
New Life Bible
You sing songs to the sound of the harp. Like David you write songs for yourselves.
New Revised Standard
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who are bawling at the bidding of the harp, - like David, have they invented for themselves instruments of song:
Douay-Rheims Bible
You that sing to the sound of the psaltery: they have thought themselves to have instruments of music like David;
Revised Standard Version
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
Young's Literal Translation
Who are taking part according to the psaltery, Like David they invented for themselves instruments of music;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
ye that synge to the lute, and in playenge off instrumentes compare youre selues vnto Dauid:

Contextual Overview

1 Woe to you who think you live on easy street in Zion, who think Mount Samaria is the good life. You assume you're at the top of the heap, voted the number-one best place to live. Well, wake up and look around. Get off your pedestal. Take a look at Calneh. Go and visit Great Hamath. Look in on Gath of the Philistines. Doesn't that take you off your high horse? Compared to them, you're not much, are you? 3Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster! Catastrophe is just around the corner! Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them! Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain! those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin. 7 But here's what's really coming: a forced march into exile. They'll leave the country whining, a rag-tag bunch of good-for-nothings.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

chant: or, quaver

to the: Genesis 31:27, Job 21:11, Job 21:12, Ecclesiastes 2:8, Isaiah 5:12, 1 Peter 4:3, Revelation 18:22

like: Amos 5:23, Amos 8:3, 1 Chronicles 23:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:21 - the harp 2 Samuel 6:5 - David 2 Samuel 23:1 - sweet psalmist 1 Chronicles 13:8 - with harps 2 Chronicles 7:6 - which David 2 Chronicles 29:26 - the instruments Nehemiah 12:36 - musical instruments Isaiah 24:9 - General Ezekiel 11:3 - It is not Daniel 3:10 - the cornet 1 Timothy 5:6 - she

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When the human race began to increase, with more and more daughters being born, the sons of God noticed that the daughters of men were beautiful. They looked them over and picked out wives for themselves.
Genesis 6:3
Then God said, "I'm not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly. Eventually they're going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years."
Genesis 6:4
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.
Genesis 6:9
This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 13:13
The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God .
Jeremiah 17:9
"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God , search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."
Ezekiel 8:9
He said, "Now walk through the door and take a look at the obscenities they're engaging in."
Ezekiel 8:12
He said, "Son of man, do you see what the elders are doing here in the dark, each one before his favorite god-picture? They tell themselves, ‘ God doesn't see us. God has forsaken the country.'"
Titus 3:3
It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this. I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It's obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off. As soon as I send either Artemas or Tychicus to you, come immediately and meet me in Nicopolis. I've decided to spend the winter there. Give Zenas the lawyer and Apollos a hearty send-off. Take good care of them. Our people have to learn to be diligent in their work so that all necessities are met (especially among the needy) and they don't end up with nothing to show for their lives. All here want to be remembered to you. Say hello to our friends in the faith. Grace to all of you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That chant to the sound of the viol,.... Or psaltery; an instrument of twelve cords, and that gave twelve sounds, as Josephus x says, being stricken with the fingers; and to these sounds these men chanted or quivered, made like sounds with their voice, which they raised higher or lower, according to the sound of the instrument: they "particularized", as the word signifies y; or observed the divisions and distinctions of notes and sounds, by the modulation of their voice:

[and] invent to themselves instruments of music, like David: not content with old ones, such as were used in former times, they invented new instruments and new tunes, and new songs to sing to them; as David made songs and invented several instruments of music to sing them upon and to, in religious worship, and for the praise and glory of God; so these men invented new ones to indulge their carnal mirth and jollity, in which they thought themselves to be justified by the example of David.

x Antiqu. l. 7. c. 19. sect. 3. y הפורטים "particularizantes", Montanus; "qui particularia habent cantica", Pagninus; "qui particulatim canunt", Vatablus, Mercerus; "variis modulationibus concinunt", Tigurine version.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That chant to the voice of the lyre - Accompanying “the voice of the lyre” with the human voice; giving vocal expression and utterance to what the instrumental music spoke without words. The word, which Amos alone uses in this one place, describes probably a hurried flow of unmeaning, unconsidered words, in which the rhythm of words and music was everything, the sense, nothing; much like most glees.

The English margin “quaver” has also some foundation in the root, but does not suit the idiom so well, which expresses that the act was something done “to the voice of the lyre,” accompanying the music, not altering the music itself. In fact, they would go together. An artificial, effeminate music which should relax the soul, frittering the melody, and displacing the power and majesty of divine harmony by tricks of art, and giddy, thoughtless, heartless, soulless versifying would be meet company. Debased music is a mark of a nation’s decay, and promotes it. The Hebrew music seems to have been very simple; and singing appears to have been reserved almost exclusively for solemn occasions, the temple-service, or the greeting of victory 1 Samuel 18:7. “Singing men and singing women” were part of the state of David and Solomon 2 Samuel 19:35; Ecclesiastes 2:8. Else the music at the feasts of the rich appears rather to be mentioned with blame Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 24:9. Songs they had Proverbs 25:20; but the songs, for which the Hebrew exiles were celebrated, and which their Babylonian masters required them to sing, “the songs of Zion” Psalms 137:3-4, were the hymns of the temple, “the Lord’s song.”

And invent to themselves instruments of music - The same pains, which David employed on music to the honor of God, they employed on their light, enervating unmeaningful music, and, if they were in earnest enough, justified their inventions by the example of David. Much as people have justified our degraded, sensualizing, immodest dancing, by the religious dancing of Holy Scripture! The word can mean no other than devised. David then did “devise” and “invent” instruments of music for the service of God. He introduced into the temple-service the use of the stringed instruments, the “kinnor,” (the “lyre”) and the “nebel” (the “harp”) in addition to the cymbals. Whence these, in contrast with the trumpets, are called “the instruments of David” (2 Chronicles 29:26, compare 2 Chronicles 29:25, and 1 Chronicles 15:16, 1 Chronicles 15:19-21, 1 Chronicles 15:24). Probably, in adapting them to the temple-service, he, in some way, improved the existing instrument; having been, in early youth, remarkable for his skill upon the harp 1Sa 16:16, 1 Samuel 16:18, 1 Samuel 16:23. As he elevated the character and powers of the, perhaps rude, instrument which he found, and suited it to the service of God, so these people refined it doubtless, as they thought, and suited it for the service of luxury and sensuality. But what harm, they thought, in amending the music of their day, since so did David?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 6:5. And invent to themselves instruments of music, like David2 Chronicles 23:5; and see especially Clarke's note on "2 Chronicles 29:25". I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to introduce that multitude of musical instruments into the Divine worship of which we read, and I am satisfied that his conduct in this respect is most solemnly reprehended by this prophet; and I farther believe that the use of such instruments of music, in the Christian Church, is without the sanction and against the will of God; that they are subversive of the spirit of true devotion, and that they are sinful. If there was a wo to them who invented instruments of music, as did David under the law, is there no wo, no curse to them who invent them, and introduce them into the worship of God in the Christian Church? I am an old man, and an old minister; and I here declare that I never knew them productive of any good in the worship of God; and have had reason to believe that they were productive of much evil. Music, as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music; and here I register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of the Author of Christianity. The late venerable and most eminent divine, the Rev. John Wesley, who was a lover of music, and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instruments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Methodists said, in his terse and powerful manner, "I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither HEARD nor SEEN." I say the same, though I think the expense of purchase had better be spared.

The word הפרטים happoretim, which we render chant, and the margin quaver, signifies to dance, to skip, &c. In the sight of such a text, fiddlers, drummers, waltzers, &c., may well tremble, who perform to excite detestable passions.


 
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