Amo 2:6 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Amos 2:6-16: 2:6-16 Israel: After leading the people through a litany of sins committed by Israel’s neighbors, Amos arrived at his real point: The Israelites would suffer a similar fate (cp. Nathan’s use of prophetic rhetoric to induce self-indictment, 2 Sam 12:1-13 ). 2:6 Honorable people are the “righteous,” those who enjoyed a right relationship with God and other people. The parallel with poor people creates the idea of the “righteous needy.” The law of Moses urged those who had much to help those in need by lending freely (Deut 15:7-11 ). As a last resort, those too poor to pay their debts could become bond servants to repay their debts through labor (Lev 25:39-43 ). These righteous needy were being sold into bond servitude for a pair of sandals , a hyperbole for the pittance they owed (see Amos 8:6 ). The sandals were a pledge given for the debt or a token used to seal a bargain (see Ruth 4:7 ).

a2:6-16►

b2 Sam 12:1-13►

dDeut 15:7-11►

eLev 25:39-43►

fAmos 8:6►

gRuth 4:7►

‏ Amos 2:6

Summary for Amos 2:6-16: 2:6-16 ^a Israel: After leading the people through a litany of sins committed by Israel’s neighbors, Amos arrived at his real point: The Israelites would suffer a similar fate (cp. Nathan’s use of prophetic rhetoric to induce self-indictment, 2 Sam 12:1-13 ^b). 2:6 ^c Honorable people are the “righteous,” those who enjoyed a right relationship with God and other people. The parallel with poor people creates the idea of the “righteous needy.” The law of Moses urged those who had much to help those in need by lending freely (Deut 15:7-11 ^d). As a last resort, those too poor to pay their debts could become bond servants to repay their debts through labor (Lev 25:39-43 ^e). These righteous needy were being sold into bond servitude for a pair of sandals, a hyperbole for the pittance they owed (see Amos 8:6 ^f). The sandals were a pledge given for the debt or a token used to seal a bargain (see Ruth 4:7 ^g).