Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Amos 4:1

Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, "Bring us another drink!"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bashan;   Cattle;   Cow;   Kine (Bovine);   Oppression;   Poor;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Animals;   Cattle;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Mountains;   Ox, the;   Poor, the;   Samaria, Ancient;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Servant;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Bashan;   Jeroboam;   Wealth;   Wisdom literature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bashan;   Heifer;   Jeroboam;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bashan;   Heifer;   Meals;   Shechem (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Animals;   Cattle;   Ethics;   Poor, Orphan, Widow;   Trachonitis;   Transjordan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amos;   Bashan;   Government;   Poverty;   Sin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bashan ;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Kine;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Samaria;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Calf, Golden;   Cow;   Drunkenness;   Kine;   Master;   Poor;   Relationships, Family;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bashan;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - City;   Isaiah, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Listen to me, you cows of Bashan on Samaria's mountain. You hurt the poor and crush those in need. You tell your husbands, "Bring us something to drink!"
New American Standard Bible
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who exploit the poor, who oppress the needy, And say to their husbands, "Bring now, that we may drink!"
New Century Version
Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan on the Mountain of Samaria. You take things from the poor and crush people who are in need. Then you command your husbands, "Bring us something to drink!"
New English Translation
Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria! You oppress the poor; you crush the needy. You say to your husbands, "Bring us more to drink!"
Update Bible Version
Hear this word, you kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say to their lords, Bring, and let us drink.
Webster's Bible Translation
Hear this word, ye heifers of Bashan, that [are] in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
Amplified Bible
Hear this word, you [well-fed, pampered] cows (women) of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to their husbands, "Bring [the wine] now, and let us drink!"
English Standard Version
"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!'
World English Bible
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 lords, "Bring, and let us drink."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye fatte kien, that ben in the hil of Samarie, here this word; whiche maken fals caleng to nedi men, and breken pore men; which seien to youre lordis, Bringe ye, and we schulen drynke.
English Revised Version
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink.
Berean Standard Bible
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, "Bring us more to drink."
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said: You women of Samaria are fat cows! You mistreat and abuse the poor and needy, then you say to your husbands, "Bring us more drinks!"
American Standard Version
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink.
Bible in Basic English
Give ear to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the hill of Samaria, by whom the poor are kept down, and those in need are crushed; who say to their lords, Get out the wine and give us drink.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Listen, you [lovely] cows of Bashan, who live on Mount Shomron, who oppress the poor and grind down the needy, who say to their husbands, ‘Bring something to drink':
Darby Translation
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say to their lords, Bring, and let us drink:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say unto their lords: 'Bring, that we may feast.'
King James Version (1611)
Heare this word yea kine of Bashan, that are in the mountaine of Samaria, which oppresse the poore, which crush the needy, which say to their masters; Bring, and let vs drinke.
New Life Bible
Listen to this, you fat cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria. You make it hard for the poor. You crush those in need. You say to your husbands, "Bring us something to drink!"
New Revised Standard
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on Mount Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, "Bring something to drink!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Heare this worde, ye kine of Bashan that are in the mountaine of Samaria, which oppresse the poore, & destroy the needie, and they say to their masters, Bring, and let vs drinke.
George Lamsa Translation
HEAR this word, O vicious men of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their lords, Bring, and let us drink:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hear ye this word, ye heifers of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, - who say to their lords, Bring in, and let us drink!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Hear this word, ye fat kine that are in the mountains of Samaria: you that oppress the needy, and crush the poor: that say to your masters: Bring, and we will drink.
Revised Standard Version
"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Sama'ria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, 'Bring, that we may drink!'
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Heare this worde ye kyne of Basan, that are in the mountaine of Samaria, which oppresse the poore, & destroy the needy, which say to their maisters, Bring and let vs drinke.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Hear ye this word, ye heifers of the land of Basan that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, and trample on the needy, which say to their masters, Give us that we may drink.
Good News Translation
Listen to this, you women of Samaria, who grow fat like the well-fed cows of Bashan, who mistreat the weak, oppress the poor, and demand that your husbands keep you supplied with liquor!
Christian Standard Bible®
Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan
Hebrew Names Version
Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Shomron, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their lords, "Bring, and let us drink."
King James Version
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
Lexham English Bible
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who live on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the powerless, who crush the poor, who say to their husbands, "Bring something so that we may drink!"
Literal Translation
Hear this word, cows of Bashan who are in the mountain of Samaria, who press down the helpless, who crush the poor, who say to their husbands, Bring in, that we may drink.
Young's Literal Translation
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, Who [are] in the mountain of Samaria, Who are oppressing the poor, Who are bruising the needy, Who are saying to their lords: `Bring in, and we do drink.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Heare this worde, o ye fat kyne, that be vpon the hill of Samaria: ye that do poore me wronge, and oppresse the nedy: ye that saye to youre lordes: brynge hyther, let vs drynke.
THE MESSAGE
"Listen to this, you cows of Bashan grazing on the slopes of Samaria. You women! Mean to the poor, cruel to the down-and-out! Indolent and pampered, you demand of your husbands, ‘Bring us a tall, cool drink!'
New King James Version
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria,Who oppress the poor,Who crush the needy,Who say to your husbands, [fn] "Bring wine, let us drink!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, "Bring now, that we may drink!"
Legacy Standard Bible
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,Who say to their husbands, "Bring now, that we may drink!"

Contextual Overview

1 Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, "Bring us another drink!" 2 The Sovereign Lord has sworn this by his holiness: "The time will come when you will be led away with hooks in your noses. Every last one of you will be dragged away like a fish on a hook! 3 You will be led out through the ruins of the wall; you will be thrown from your fortresses," says the Lord . 4 "Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel. Keep on disobeying at Gilgal. Offer sacrifices each morning, and bring your tithes every three days. 5 Present your bread made with yeast as an offering of thanksgiving. Then give your extra voluntary offerings so you can brag about it everywhere! This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do," says the Sovereign Lord .

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye kine: By the "kine of Bashan," some understand the proud, luxurious matrons of Israel; but it is probable the prophet speaks catachrestically, and means the wealthy, effeminate, and profligate rulers and nobles of Samaria. Deuteronomy 32:14, Deuteronomy 32:15, Psalms 22:12, Jeremiah 50:11, Jeremiah 50:27, Ezekiel 39:18

the mountain: Amos 6:1, 1 Kings 16:24

which oppress: Amos 2:6, Amos 2:7, Amos 3:9, Amos 3:10, Amos 5:11, Amos 8:4-6, Exodus 22:21-25, Deuteronomy 15:9-11, Psalms 12:5, Psalms 140:12, Proverbs 22:22, Proverbs 22:23, Proverbs 23:10, Proverbs 23:11, Ecclesiastes 4:1, Ecclesiastes 5:8, Isaiah 1:17-24, Isaiah 5:8, Isaiah 58:6, Jeremiah 5:26-29, Jeremiah 6:6, Jeremiah 7:6, Ezekiel 22:7, Ezekiel 22:12, Ezekiel 22:27, Ezekiel 22:29, Micah 2:1-3, Micah 3:1-3, Zechariah 7:10, Zechariah 7:11, Malachi 3:5, James 5:1-6

crush: Deuteronomy 28:33, Job 20:19,*marg. Jeremiah 51:34

Bring: Amos 2:8, Joel 3:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 3:9 - and I have Numbers 21:33 - Bashan Deuteronomy 24:14 - General 2 Kings 18:10 - they took it Proverbs 22:7 - rich Proverbs 28:16 - prince Proverbs 30:14 - to devour Isaiah 3:5 - the people Isaiah 3:14 - ye have eaten Isaiah 5:17 - the waste Jeremiah 5:5 - get me Jeremiah 5:28 - waxen Jeremiah 17:20 - General Ezekiel 18:12 - oppressed Ezekiel 34:16 - but I Hosea 12:7 - he loveth Hosea 13:16 - Samaria Joel 1:2 - Hear Zephaniah 3:1 - to the Luke 6:24 - woe James 2:6 - Do

Cross-References

Genesis 3:15
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
Genesis 4:25
Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth, for she said, "God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed."
Genesis 5:29
Lamech named his son Noah, for he said, "May he bring us relief from our work and the painful labor of farming this ground that the Lord has cursed."
Numbers 31:17
So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.
1 John 3:12
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan,.... Or "cows of Bashan" n; a country beyond Jordan, inhabited by the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh, very fruitful of pasturage, and where abundance of fat cattle were brought up; to whom persons of distinction, and of the first rank, are here compared. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi, interpret them of the wives of the king, princes, ministers of state, and great men; and so it may be thought that Amos, a herdsman, in his rustic manner, compliments the court ladies with this epithet, for their plumpness, wantonness, and petulancy. Though it may be the princes and great men themselves may be rather intended, and be so called for their effeminacy, and perhaps with some regard to the calves they worshipped; and chiefly because being fat and flourishing, and abounding with wealth and riches, they became wanton and mischievous; like fat cattle, broke down their fences, and would be under no restraint of the laws of God and man; entered into their neighbours' fields, seized on their property, and spoiled them of it. So the Targum paraphrases it,

"ye rich of substance.''

In like manner the principal men among the Jews, in the times of Christ, are called bulls of Bashan, Psalms 22:12;

that [are] in the mountains of Samaria; like cattle grazing on a mountain; the metaphor is still continued: Samaria was the principal city of Ephraim, the metropolis of the ten tribes, Isaiah 7:9; situated on a mountain; Mr. Maundrell o says, upon a long mount, of an oval figure, having first a fruitful valley, and then a ring of hills running about it. Here the kings of Israel had their palace, and kept their court, and where their princes and nobles resided. Ahab is said to be king of Samaria, 1 Kings 21:1;

which oppress the poor, which crush the needy; by laying heavy taxes upon them; exacting more of them than they are able to pay; lessening their wages for work done, or withholding it from them; or by taking from them that little they have, and so reducing them to the utmost extremity, and refusing to do them justice in courts of judicature:

which say to their masters, bring, and let us drink; Kimchi, who interprets these words of the wives of great men, supposes their husbands are here addressed, who are, and acknowledged to be, their masters or lords; see 1 Peter 3:6; whom they call upon to bring them money taken from the poor, or for which they have sold them, that they may have wherewith to eat and drink, fare sumptuously, and live in a grand manner, feasting themselves and their visitors: or these are the words of inferior officers to superior ones, desiring they might have leave to pillage the poor, that so they might live in a more gay and splendid manner, and in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness. So the Targum,

"give us power, that we may spoil it.''

Or rather these words are directed to the masters of the poor, who had power over them, had them in their clutches, in whose debt they were; or they had something against them, and therefore these corrupt judges, and wicked magistrates, desire they might be brought before them; who for a bribe would give the cause against them, right or wrong, so long as they got something to feast themselves with; or they are spoken by the rich, to the masters of the poor, to whom they had sold them, to bring them the purchase money, that they might indulge and gratify their sensual appetites; see Amos 2:6.

n פרות הבשן "vaccae Basan", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vatablus, Drusius, Mercerus, Grotius, Cocceius. o Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 59. Ed. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hear ye this, ye kine of Bashan - The pastures of Bashan were very rich, and it had its name probably from its richness of soil . The Batanea of later times was a province only of the kingdom of Bashan, which, with half of Gilead, was given to the half tribe of Manasseh. For the Bashan of Og included Golan Deuteronomy 4:43, (the capital of the subsequent Gaulonitis, now Jaulan) Beeshterah Joshua 21:27, (or Ashtaroth) 1 Chronicles 6:71, very probably Bostra (see ab. on 1 Chronicles 1:12), and Elrei Deuteronomy 1:4, in Hauran or Auranitis; the one on its southern border, the other perhaps on its northern boundary toward Trachonitis . Its eastern extremity at Salkah Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 13:11, (Sulkhad) is the southern point of Batanea (now Bathaniyyeh); Argob, or Trachonitis , (the Lejah) was its north eastern fence.

Westward it reached to Mount Hermon Deuteronomy 3:8; Joshua 12:5; Joshua 13:11; 1 Chronicles 5:23. It included the subsequent divisions, Gaulonitis, Auranitis, Batanea, and Trachonitis. Of these the mountain range on the northwest of Jaulan is still “everywhere clothed with oak-forests.” The Ard-el-Bathanyeh , “the country of Batanea or Bashan, is not surpassed in that land for beauty of its scenery, the richness of its pastures, and the extent of its oak forests.” “The Arabs of the desert still pasture their flocks on the luxuriant herbage of the Jaulan” . Its pastures are spoken of by Micah Micah 7:14 and Jeremiah Jeremiah 50:19. The animals fed there were among the strongest and fattest Deuteronomy 32:14. Hence, the male animals became a proverb for the mighty on the earth Exodus 39:18, the bulls furnished a type for fierce, unfeeling, enemies Psalms 22:12. Amos however, speaks of “kine;” not, as David, of “bulls.” He upbraids them not for fierceness, but for a more delicate and wanton unfeelingness, the fruit of luxury, fullness of bread, a life of sense, which destroy all tenderness, dull the mind, “banker out the wits,” deaden the spiritual sense.

The female name, “kine,” may equally brand the luxury and effeminacy of the rich men, or the cruelty of the rich women, of Samaria. He addresses these “kine” in both sexes, both male and female . The reproachful name was then probably intended to shame both; men, who laid aside their manliness in the delicacy of luxury; or ladies, who put off the tenderness of womanhood by oppression. The character of the oppression was the same in both cases. It was done, not directly by those who revelled in its fruits, but through the seduction of one who had authority over them. To the ladies of Samaria, “their lord” was their husband, as the husband is so called; to the nobles of Samaria, he was their king, who supplied their extravagances and debaucheries by grants, extorted from the poor.

Which oppress - Literally, “the oppressing!” The word expresses that they habitually oppressed and crushed the poor. They did it not directly; perhaps they did not know that it was done; they sought only, that their own thirst for luxury and self-indulgence should be gratified, and knew not, (as those at ease often know not now,) that their luxuries are continually watered by the tears of the poor, tears shed, almost unknown except by the Maker of both. But He counts willful ignorance no excuse. “He who doth through another, doth it himself,” said the pagan proverb. God says, they did “oppress,” were “continually oppressing, those in low estate,” and “crushing the poor” (a word is used expressing the vehemence with which they “crushed” them.) They “crushed” them, only through the continual demand of pleasures of sense, reckless how they were procured; “bring and let us drink.” They invite their husband or lord to joint self-indulgence.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV

Israel reproved for their oppression, 1-3;

idolatry, 4, 5;

and for their impenitence under the chastising hand of God,

6-11.

The omniscience and uncontrollable power of God, 12, 13.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV

Verse Amos 4:1. Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan — Such an address was quite natural from the herdsman of Tekoa. Bashan was famous for the fertility of its soil, and its flocks and herds; and the prophet here represents the iniquitous, opulent, idle, lazy drones, whether men or women, under the idea of fatted bullocks, which were shortly to be led out to the slaughter.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile