Bible Strands
Amos 2:8
They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet Amos addresses the northern kingdom of Israel, detailing the specific social and religious violations that precipitate divine judgment. The passage describes the ruling class's exploitation of the vulnerable while corrupting worship.
The words — The term חֲבֻלִים (chavulim) literally means "taken in pledge," referring to goods seized as collateral. The verb יַטּוּ (yattu) translates to "they stretch out" or "they lie down," depicting the physical act of reclining on these garments.
The thread — This practice directly violates the collateral regulations in Exodus 22:26 and Deuteronomy 24:12, which require the prompt return of a neighbor's cloak. The verse also parallels Amos 6:6, where the elite consume wine while ignoring the nation's impending destruction.
Why it lands — The text records the illegal seizure of pledged garments and the consumption of wine obtained through unjust fines within a sanctuary. Readers are confronted with the reality that religious rituals lose their legitimacy when accompanied by systemic injustice.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 24:12 If he is a poor man, you must not go to sleep with the security in your possession;
- Exodus 22:26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
- Amos 6:6 You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
- Judges 9:27 And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
- Ezekiel 18:7 He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
- Ezekiel 18:12 He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
- Ezekiel 23:41 You sat on a couch of luxury with a table spread before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil,
- Hosea 4:8 They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
- Amos 4:1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”
- Amos 6:4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.