King James Version

Amos 8:5

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

לֵאמֹ֗רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…מָתַ֞יmataywhenמָתַיparticle, interrogative — “when”H4970properly, extent (of time); but used only adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative or interrogative)long, when.יַעֲבֹ֤רyaavoralienateעָבַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “alienate”, an unfinished actionH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…הַחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙hachodeshthe monthחֹדֶשׁdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the month”, the ordinary formH2320the new moon; by implication, a monthmonth(-ly), new moon.וְנַשְׁבִּ֣ירָהvenashbirahand sellשָׁבַרconjunction, verb, hiphil, cohortative, 1st person, common, plural — “and sell”, a determination or requestH7666to deal in grainbuy, sell.שֶּׁ֔בֶרshevercornשֶׁבֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “corn”, the ordinary formH7668grain (as if broken into kernels)corn, victuals.וְהַשַּׁבָּ֖תvehashabatand the sabbathשַׁבָּתconjunction, definite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “and the sabbath”, the ordinary formH7676intermission, i.e (specifically) the Sabbath([phrase] every) sabbath.וְנִפְתְּחָהveniftechahand openפָּתַחconjunction, verb, qal, cohortative, 1st person, common, plural — “and open”, a determination or requestH6605to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carveappear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave(-n), loose (self), (be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.בָּ֑רbarcornבָּרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “corn”, the ordinary formH1250grain of any kind (even while standing in the field); by extension the open countrycorn, wheat.לְהַקְטִ֤יןlehaqtinto be a smallקָטֹןpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to be a small”, the to-form of the verbH6994to diminish, i.e. be (causatively, make) diminutive or (figuratively) of no accountbe a (make) small (thing), be not worthy.אֵיפָה֙eyfahephahאֵיפָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “ephah”, the ordinary formH374an ephah or measure for grain; hence, a measure in generalephah, (divers) measure(-s).וּלְהַגְדִּ֣ילulehagdiland to beגָּדַלconjunction, preposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “and to be”, the to-form of the verbH1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), towe…שֶׁ֔קֶלsheqelshekelשֶׁקֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “shekel”, the ordinary formH8255probably a weight; used as a commercial standardshekel.וּלְעַוֵּ֖תuleavetand to crookedעָוַתconjunction, preposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “and to crooked”, the to-form of the verbH5791to wrestbow self, (make) crooked., falsifying, overthrow, deal perversely, pervert, subvert, turn upside down.מֹאזְנֵ֥יmoznebalancesמֹאזֵןnoun, common, masculine, dual, construct — “balances”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3976(only in the dual) a pair of scalesbalances.מִרְמָֽהmirmahcraftמִרְמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “craft”, the ordinary formH4820fraudcraft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Saying: 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the sabbath, that we may set forth corn? making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of deceit;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

Young’s Literal Translation

Saying, When doth the new moon pass, And we sell ground corn? And the sabbath, and we open out pure corn? To make little the ephah, And to make great the shekel, And to use perversely balances of deceit.

World English Bible

saying, ‘When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;

Darby Translation

saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances for deceit:

Douay-Rheims

Saying: When will the month be over, and we shall sell our wares: and the sabbath, and we shall open the corn: that we may lessen the measure, and increase the sicle, and may convey in deceitful balances,

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Saying: 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the sabbath, that we may set forth corn? making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of deceit;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

saying, When will the month pass away, and we shall sell, and the sabbath, and we shall open the treasure, to make the measure small, and to enlarge the weight, and make the balance unfair?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

λέγοντες, πότε διελεύσεται ὁ μὴν, καὶ ἐμπολήσομεν, καὶ τὰ σάββατα, καὶ ἀνοίξομεν θησαυρὸν τοῦ ποιῆσαι μέτρον μικρὸν, καὶ τοῦ μεγαλῦναι στάθμιον, καὶ ποιῆσαι ζυγὸν ἄδικον,