King James Version

What Does Amos 8:6 Mean?

Amos 8:6 in the King James Version says “That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?” — study this verse from Amos chapter 8 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?”

Amos 8:6 · KJV

Context

4

Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

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? new: or, month set: Heb. open falsifying: Heb. perverting the balances of deceit

6

That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

7

The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

8

Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned , as by the flood of Egypt.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes—This verse exposes debt slavery as economic strategy. The Hebrew buy (לִקְנוֹת, liqnot) means purchase as property, and for silver (בְּכֶסֶף, bekhesef) indicates monetary debt as the mechanism. When poor Israelites couldn't repay loans (often at usurious rates), creditors enslaved them—violating Deuteronomy 15:1-18's debt forgiveness provisions and Leviticus 25:39-43's prohibition against treating fellow Israelites as slaves.

The phrase for a pair of shoes (בַּעֲבוּר נַעֲלַיִם, ba'avur na'alayim) appears in Amos 2:6, emphasizing the trivial debts triggering enslavement—people sold into bondage for amounts worth mere sandals. This reveals predatory lending: the wealthy deliberately loaned small amounts with harsh terms, then seized debtors as slaves when inevitable default occurred. They manufactured poverty to acquire cheap labor. Ruth 4:7-8 shows shoes symbolized legal transactions; here, the symbol becomes grotesque—enslavement for footwear-value debts.

The final accusation: yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat (וּמַפַּל בַּר נַשְׁבִּיר, umappal bar nashbir)—selling the sweepings, chaff, and spoiled grain unfit for consumption. Mappal (מַפָּל) means "falling, refuse, waste"—the debris swept from threshing floors, containing dirt, stones, and rotten kernels. They not only cheated on measures (verse 5) but sold contaminated products at full price, poisoning the poor they claimed to serve. This triple evil—predatory lending, debt slavery, and selling toxic food—demonstrates comprehensive contempt for covenant and neighbor.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Mosaic Law extensively protected debtors and the poor. Every seventh year required debt cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:1-2), prohibition against harsh lending terms (Exodus 22:25-27), and release of Hebrew slaves (Deuteronomy 15:12-15). The Jubilee year (every 50th year) restored ancestral lands and freed all slaves (Leviticus 25:8-55). These provisions prevented permanent poverty and protected family inheritance.

By Amos's time, Israel's elite ignored these laws entirely. They loaned at interest (forbidden in Exodus 22:25), seized land as collateral (violating Deuteronomy 24:6, 10-13), and kept slaves past release dates. Archaeological evidence shows land concentration in few hands—the wealthy accumulated estates by foreclosing on debtors, creating the landless underclass Amos describes. Selling refuse grain added insult to injury: not only enslaving the poor but selling them food that endangered health.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do predatory lending practices today mirror the debt enslavement Amos condemns, and what biblical principles should guide Christian responses?
  2. What does it mean to "sell the refuse of the wheat"—providing inferior goods/services to those least able to afford quality—and how prevalent is this in modern economies?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 9 words
לִקְנ֤וֹת1 of 9

“That we may buy”

H7069

to erect, i.e., create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own

בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙2 of 9

“for silver”

H3701

silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

דַּלִּ֔ים3 of 9

“the poor”

H1800

properly, dangling, i.e., (by implication) weak or thin

וְאֶבְי֖וֹן4 of 9

“and the needy”

H34

destitute

בַּעֲב֣וּר5 of 9
H5668

properly, crossed, i.e., (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on account of, in order that

נַעֲלָ֑יִם6 of 9

“for a pair of shoes”

H5275

properly, a sandal tongue; by extension a sandal or slipper (sometimes as a symbol of occupancy, a refusal to marry, or of something valueless)

וּמַפַּ֥ל7 of 9

“the refuse”

H4651

a falling off, i.e., chaff; also something pendulous, i.e., a flap

בַּ֖ר8 of 9

“of the wheat”

H1250

grain of any kind (even while standing in the field); by extension the open country

נַשְׁבִּֽיר׃9 of 9

“yea and sell”

H7666

to deal in grain

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Amos. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Amos 8:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Amos 8:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Amos 2:6Joel 3:6Amos 8:4Nehemiah 5:1-5Leviticus 25:39-42Nehemiah 5:8

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