Because they sold the righteous— That is to say, they received the money as a bribe, to condemn the just; and for a little paltry gain,—for a pair of sandals, they sacrificed the interests and the cause of the poor. It is a proverbial manner of speaking, similar to that in Ezekiel 13:19. See also Joel 3:3 and chap. Amos 8:6 of our prophet. The author of the Observations remarks, that Maillet speaks diminutively of the cobeal, or the sandals of the ladies, which are carried in their nuptial processions, with the rest of the bride's furniture; though, according to his account, they are not wholly without ornament. Shoes perhaps of this kind are here referred to; where shoes have been commonly, and as should hence seem justly, understood to mean something of small value. "The Turkish officers, and also their wives, (says Rauwolff, speaking of Tripoli on the coast of Syria,) go very richly clothed with flowered silks artificially made, and mixed of divers colours. But these clothes (he observes) are commonly given them by those who have causes depending before them, (for they do not love to part with their own money,) to promote their cause, and to be favourable to them." We seem here to have a picture of that corruption of the Jewish judges, which Amos complains of. Silver made them pervert the judgment of the righteous; nay, so mean a piece of finery, as a pair of wooden sandals for their wives, would make them condemn the innocent poor, who could not afford to make them a present of equal value. Chap. Amos 8:6 may possibly in like manner be understood of the rich defrauding the poor; knowing that if those poor complained, they could carry their point against them for a little silver, if not for a pair of cobeal. Observations, p. 244.
Related Commentaries of Amos 2:6
Amos 2:6
6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;