Amos 2:6 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

For three transgressions: see Amos 1:3. Israel; the kingdom of the ten tribes, under the government of Jeroboam the Second at this time, against which the prophet was chiefly sent, though he began with Syria and others, by the threats against which nations he prepared both Judah and Israel to hearken and consider. I will not turn away the punishment: see Amos 1:3. They; those who by the appointment of the law had power to hear and decide causes between man and man; judges and witnesses, like the corrupt judges, sold, for bribes were their aim, and they would at any time sell justice to the highest bidder. The righteous; the innocent, or those who had a just and righteous cause, for the prophet here speaks of the justness of the cause, not of the exact justice or absolute righteousness of the person. For silver: money was the most current and prevailing commodity with these judges, but money's worth would do the feat too, if money were out of the way. The poor: when poor men went to law with poor men before these judges, and the thing they contended for was of small value, the contenders too had light purses, and could not give a considerable bribe; a pair of shoes, a very poor bribe, expressed here proverbially, would sway with these judges, who gaped still after somewhat of gain from all.