Examples Of Some Of Israel's Transgressions (Amos 2:6-8).
He commenced his condemnation by outlining different ways in which they had broken YHWH's Law (in the same way as Judah had done). They had flagrantly gone against His word.
“Thus says YHWH.
For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four,
I will not turn away their punishment,
Because they have sold the righteous for silver,
And the needy for a pair of shoes.
“Those who pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor,
And turn aside the way of the meek,
And a man and his father go in to the same maiden,
To profane my holy name,
And on clothes taken in pledge they lay themselves down,
Beside every altar,
And they drink the wine of such as have been fined,
In the house of their God.”
Amos's indictment of Israel was comprehensive and severe. While they were relaxing, enjoying their prosperity, Amos was determined to bring home to them the true position about themselves which was that although they thought that they were being religiously pleasing to YHWH, the fact was that all the time they were arousing His anger, even while they were worshipping.
The repetition of the introductory words ‘for three transgressions and for four' demonstrated that he wanted them to apply what had previously been said to others to their own situation as well. They too had overflowed with transgressions. While they may not have directly indulged in the slave trade, they had undoubtedly equally sold men into slavery, for they had sold ‘the righteous' for silver, and ‘the needy', for a pair of shoes. In other words they had harshly foreclosed on debtors, selling them into bondage in order to obtain payment of their debts, when what they should have done was shown mercy (Deuteronomy 15:1-11). Consequently they too had been inhumane, and were slave traders in their own way. Note the reference to ‘the righteous'. This referred to those who did still seek to follow the Law of YHWH and to do what was ‘right'. And these were found mainly among the poor. Thus those whom YHWH truly loved were being mistreated, and all for the sake of silver.
The selling of the needy ‘for a pair of shoes' may indicate the smallness of the debts for which they were sold (the value of a pair of shoes), or may be indicating that they had been sold off simply so that the vendors could obtain for themselves a pair of shoes, which otherwise they would had to expend their own money on. (It is unlikely to have in mind the symbolic use of the sandal in Deuteronomy 25:9-10; Ruth 4:8 because in those cases only one sandal was involved).
The social transgressions of Israel were then expanded on. They ‘pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor'. The picture is a vivid one and deliberately exaggerated. They are so greedy after land that they cannot even bear to see the poor workman walking away with soil on his hair without straining every sinew to obtain it. In other words they are determined to grab every bit of land available, however small, by fair means or foul, usually foul. (The amendment of the text in the MT to read ‘trample' (reading suph rather than s'ph) is not necessary and is at the expense of this very vivid picture, although the final meaning is the same). Others see it as meaning that they pant to see the dust of the earth poured onto the head of the poor as deceitful judges give verdicts against them. Furthermore, they ‘turn aside the way of the meek', that is, by arranging for them not to receive justice in respect of their tiny bits of land (compare Proverbs 17:23). In Israel it was the meek who should have inherited the land (Psalms 37:11), but instead the land-grabbers were busy at work, and they did not mind how they got what they wanted. All this was contrary to Deuteronomy 15:1-11.
Then followed a list of further specific transgressions of the Law :
And a man and his father go in to the same maiden,
To profane my holy name.
This may refer to both father and son sharing the same cult prostitute (so prominent a feature of Baalism), or the misuse by both of a helpless servant girl, or a father insisting on his right as head of the family to have sex with his son's wife, or a son marrying his deceased father's beautiful young second wife. Whichever way it was, it was contrary to the Law which banned such behaviour (Leviticus 18:15; Leviticus 20:12; Deuteronomy 22:30) and also protected servant girls (Exodus 21:7-11; Deuteronomy 22:28-30). Note that this kind of sin above all was seen as so abhorrent that it profaned YHWH's holy Name (consider the similar phrase in Leviticus 18:21 which was clearly seen by Amos as covering all the previous verses). It is a reminder of how seriously God treats sexual sins.
And on clothes taken in pledge they lay themselves down,
Beside every altar,
An outer robe taken in pledge from a poor man had to be returned to its owner for his use at night (Exodus 22:25-27; Deuteronomy 24:12), and in some cases must not be taken at all (Deuteronomy 24:17). But these people were so sinful that they flagrantly presented themselves before God at nightfall at the feasts, laying down before the altar wearing these very garments that they had taken in pledge. They thus (without meaning too, it was all done callously) flaunted their disobedience before YHWH at a time when they fondly believed that they were honouring Him.
And they drink the wine of such as have been fined,
In the house of their God.”
The purpose of fining was in order to make restitution to the victim (Exodus 21:19; Exodus 21:30; Exodus 21:34; Exodus 22:14; Deuteronomy 22:19). But here these Israelites were using the fines to finance their own drinking habit rather than in compensating the victim. And they were doing it in the very house of God. ‘ Their God' may be Amos's way of indicating that the god that they worshipped was not the real YHWH at all.