Amos 8:4
"Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,"

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy,.... Like a man that pants after a draught of water when thirsty; and, when he has got it, greedily swallows it down at one gulp;

so these rich men swallowed up the poor, their labours, gains, and profits, and persons too; got all into their own hands, and made them bondsmen and slaves to them; see Amo 2:7 ; these are called upon to hear this dreadful calamity threatened, and to consider what then would become of them and their ill gotten riches; and suggesting, that their oppression of the needy was one cause of this destruction of the land: even to make the poor of the land to fail; or "cease" (a); to die for want of the necessaries of life, being obliged to such hard labour; so unmercifully used, their faces ground, and pinched with necessity; and so sadly paid for their work, that they could not live by it. (a) "ad cessare faciendum", Mercerus; "et facitis cessare", Munster, Drusius.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (8 words)

H8085 שָׁמַע
Definition:

52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb 52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb

Possible Meanings:
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • have sense of hearing (semantic_range)
  • shew oneself obedient (semantic_range)
H2063 זֹאת
Definition:

Irregular feminine ofzeh; this (often used adverb) -- hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she, so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing), thus.see HEBREWzehNAS Irregular feminine ofzeh; this (often used adverb) -- hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she, so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing), thus.see HEBREWzehNAS

H7602 שָׁאַף
Definition:

A primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten -- desire (earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.Brown-Driver-BriggsI.שָׁאַףver A primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten -- desire (earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.Brown-Driver-BriggsI.שָׁאַףver

Possible Meanings:
  • crush (semantic_range)
  • trample on (semantic_range)
H0034 אֶבְיוֹן
Definition:

440t;אֶבְיֹנְךָExodus 23:6;Deuteronomy 15:11;אֶבְיוֺנִיםAmos 4:114t.;(אֶבְיֹנֵי) אֶבְיוֺנֵיExodus 23:11;Isaiah 29:19;אֶבְיוֺנֶיהָPsalm 132:15—; (Hexateuch only J E D; mostly poetry, 23 t. Psalms)needy 440t;אֶבְיֹנְךָExodus 23:6;Deuteronomy 15:11;אֶבְיוֺנִיםAmos 4:114t.;(אֶבְיֹנֵי) אֶבְיוֺנֵיExodus 23:11;Isaiah 29:19;אֶבְיוֺנֶיהָPsalm 132:15—; (Hexateuch only J E D; mostly poetry, 23 t. Psalms)needy

Possible Meanings:
  • in want (semantic_range)
  • poor (semantic_range)
  • poor (semantic_range)
H7673 שָׁבַת
Definition:

A primitive root; to repose, i.e. Desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific) -- (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sab A primitive root; to repose, i.e. Desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific) -- (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sab

Possible Meanings:
  • observe (semantic_range)
H6035 עָנָו
Definition:

3(Kt; Qrעָנָיוis to ensure theָ֯according to Di Köii. 1. 76); elsewhere pluralעֲנָוִיםIsaiah 29:1911t. + KtעֲנָוִיםIsaiah 32:7;Psalm 9:19(Qrעֲנִיִּים); QrעֲנָוִיםPsalm 9:13;Psalm 10:12;Proverbs 3:34;P 3(Kt; Qrעָנָיוis to ensure theָ֯according to Di Köii. 1. 76); elsewhere pluralעֲנָוִיםIsaiah 29:1911t. + KtעֲנָוִיםIsaiah 32:7;Psalm 9:19(Qrעֲנִיִּים); QrעֲנָוִיםPsalm 9:13;Psalm 10:12;Proverbs 3:34;P

Possible Meanings:
  • poor (semantic_range)
  • afflicted (semantic_range)
  • humble (semantic_range)
  • meek (semantic_range)
H6041 עָנִי
Definition:

1251t.; pluralעֲיִּיםIsaiah 3:156t.; constructעֲנִיֵּיIsaiah 10:24t. (see also Kt and Qr belowעָנָוabove); suffixעֲנִיֶּיךָPsalm 72:2;Psalm 74:19,עֲנִיֶּ֑ךָDeuteronomy 15:11,עֲנִיָּוIsaiah 49:13; femi 1251t.; pluralעֲיִּיםIsaiah 3:156t.; constructעֲנִיֵּיIsaiah 10:24t. (see also Kt and Qr belowעָנָוabove); suffixעֲנִיֶּיךָPsalm 72:2;Psalm 74:19,עֲנִיֶּ֑ךָDeuteronomy 15:11,עֲנִיָּוIsaiah 49:13; femi

Possible Meanings:
  • poor (semantic_range)
  • needy (semantic_range)
H0776 אֶרֶץ
Definition:

11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,) 11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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