The Basket of Summer Fruit
Amos 8
Amos sees a vision of a basket of summer fruit signifying that the end has come for Israel, denounces merchants who cheat the poor and cannot wait for the Sabbath to pass so they may profit dishonestly, and foretells a day of mourning and darkness at noon followed by a famine, not of bread, but of hearing the word of the Lord.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonSO the Lord God pointed out to me, and lo! a fowler’s basket.
BrentonAnd behold a fowler's basket.
GreekΚαὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγος ἰξευτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπε, τί σὺ βλέπεις Ἀμώς; καὶ εἶπα, ἄγγος ἰξευτοῦ·
KJVThus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.
JPSThus the Lord GOD showed me; and behold a basket of summer fruit.
2
ThomsonAnd he said, Amos, what dost thou see? And when I said, A fowler’s basket, the Lord said to me: The end is come upon My people Israel. I will no more permit them to transgress.
BrentonAnd he said, What seest thou, Amos? And I said, A fowler's basket. And the Lord said to me, The end is come upon my people Israel; I will not pass by them any more.
Greekκαὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς μὲ, ἥκει τὸ πέρας ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου Ἰσραὴλ, οὐ προσθήσω ἔτι τοῦ παρελθεῖν αὐτόν.
KJVAnd he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
JPSAnd He said: ‘Amos, what seest thou?’ And I said: ‘A basket of asummer fruit.’ Then said the LORD unto me: I will not again pardon them any more.
3
ThomsonIn that day indeed the vaulted ceilings of this temple shall resound with cries of woe, saith the Lord God. Multitudes are fallen everywhere; I will bring on silence.
BrentonAnd the ceilings of the temple shall howl in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many a fallen one in every place; I will bring silence upon them.
GreekΚαὶ ὀλολύξει τὰ φατνώματα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, λέγει Κύριος Κύριος· πολὺς ὁ πεπτωκὼς ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ, ἐπιῤῥίψω σιωπήν.
KJVAnd the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.
JPSAnd the songs of the palace shall be wailings in that day, Saith the Lord GOD; The dead bodies shall be many; In every place silence shall be cast.
4
Thomson(p) Hear this, I beseech you, ye who every morning oppress the needy, and by your tyranny drive the poor from the land,
BrentonHear now this, ye that oppress the poor in the morning, and drive the needy ones by tyranny from the earth,
GreekἈκούσατε δὴ ταῦτα οἱ ἐκτρίβοντες εἰς τοπρωῒ πένητα, καὶ καταδυναστεύοντες πτωχοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς,
KJVHear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
JPSHear this, O ye that would swallow the needy, And destroy the poor of the land,
5
Thomsonsaying, When will the new moon be over that we may buy? And the sabbaths, that we may open store? to make the measure small, and the weight heavy, and to make the balance uneven,
Brentonsaying, 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?
Greekλέγοντες, πότε διελεύσεται ὁ μὴν, καὶ ἐμπολήσομεν, καὶ τὰ σάββατα, καὶ ἀνοίξομεν θησαυρὸν τοῦ ποιῆσαι μέτρον μικρὸν, καὶ τοῦ μεγαλῦναι στάθμιον, καὶ ποιῆσαι ζυγὸν ἄδικον,
KJVSaying, 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?
JPSSaying: ‘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;
6
Thomsonthat we may purchase the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, when from every kind of product we shall have made gain.
BrentonThat we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes; and we will trade in every kind of fruit.
Greekτοῦ κτᾶσθαι ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ πτωχοὺς, καὶ πένητα ἀντὶ ὑποδημάτων, καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς γεννήματος ἐμπορευσόμεθα.
KJVThat we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
JPSThat we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of shoes, And sell the refuse of the corn?’
7
ThomsonThe Lord sweareth, in opposition to this arrogance of Jacob, that none of these works of yours shall ever be forgotten.
BrentonThe Lord swears against the pride of Jacob, None of your works shall ever be forgotten.
GreekὈμνύει Κύριος κατὰ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας Ἰακὼβ, εἰ ἐπιλησθήσεται εἰς νῖκος πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν,
KJVThe LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
JPSThe LORD hath sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their works.
8
ThomsonNow for these things shall not the land be troubled and every inhabitant therein mourn? Destruction indeed shall swell like a river, and flow down like the river of Egypt.
BrentonAnd shall not the land be troubled for these things, and shall not every one who dwells in it mourn? whereas destruction shall come up as a river, and shall descend as the river of Egypt.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐ ταραχθήσεται ἡ γῆ, καὶ πενθήσει πᾶς ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν αὐτῇ; καὶ ἀναβήσεται ὡς ποταμὸς συντέλεια, καὶ καταβήσεται ὡς ποταμὸς Αἰγύπτου.
KJVShall 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.
JPSShall not the land tremble for this, And every one mourn that dwelleth therein? Yea, it shall rise up wholly like the River; And it shall be troubled and sink again, like the River of Egypt.
9
ThomsonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, That the sun shall set at noonday, and the light on that day shall be darkened on the earth.
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that the sun shall go down at noon, and the light shall be darkened on the earth by day:
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, λέγει Κύριος Κύριος, δύσεται ὁ ἥλιος μεσημβρίας, καὶ συσκοτάσει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τὸ φῶς,
KJVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
JPSAnd it shall come to pass in that day, Saith the Lord GOD, That I will cause the sun to go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in the clear day.
10
ThomsonAnd I will turn your festivals into mourning, and all your songs into songs of lamentation. And I will bring sackcloth on every loin and baldness on every head, and cause a mourning for him like that for a beloved, and for them with him, like that of a day of sorrow.
Brentonand I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head; and I will make them as the mourning of a beloved friend, and those with them as a day of grief.
Greekκαὶ μεταστρέψω τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος, καὶ πάσας τὰς ᾠδὰς ὑμῶν εἰς θρῆνον, καὶ ἀναβιβῶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ὀσφὺν σάκκον, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν κεφαλὴν φαλάκρωμα· καὶ θήσομαι αὐτὸν ὡς πένθος ἀγαπητοῦ, καὶ τοὺς μετʼ αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡμέραν ὀδύνης.
KJVAnd I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
JPSAnd I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation; And I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, And baldness upon every head; And I will make it as the mourning for an only son, And the end thereof as a bitter day.
11
ThomsonBehold days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will send a famine against the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water; but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.
BrentonBehold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send forth a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.
GreekἸδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, οὐ λιμὸν ἄρτων, οὐδὲ δίψαν ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ λιμὸν τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τὸν λόγον Κυρίου.
KJVBehold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
JPSBehold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, That I will send a famine in the land, Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD.
12
ThomsonAnd they shall fluctuate as water from sea to sea, and run to and fro; from north to east seeking the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.
BrentonAnd the waters shall be troubled from sea to sea, and from the north to the east shall men run hither and thither, seeking the word of the Lord, and they shall not find it.
GreekΚαὶ σαλευθήσονται ὕδατα ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης, καὶ ἀπὸ Βοῤῥᾶ ἕως ἀνατολῶν περιδραμοῦνται ζητοῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρωσιν.
KJVAnd they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
JPSAnd they shall wander from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, And shall not find it.
13
ThomsonIn that day the fair virgins and young men shall faint for thirst.
BrentonIn that day shall the fair virgins and the young men faint for thirst;
GreekἘν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκλείψουσιν αἱ παρθένοι αἱ καλαὶ, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐν δίψει,
KJVIn that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
JPSIn that day shall the fair virgins And the young men faint for thirst.
14
ThomsonThey who swear by the atonement of Samaria, and they who say, Thy God, O Dan, liveth: thy God, O Bersabee, liveth, shall indeed fall and shall never rise any more.
Brentonthey who swear by the propitiation of Samaria, and who say, Thy god, O Dan, lives; and, Thy god, O Bersabee, lives; and they shall fall, and shall no more rise again.
Greekοἱ ὀμνύοντες κατὰ τοῦ ἱλασμοῦ Σαμαρείας, καὶ οἱ λέγοντες, ζῇ ὁ θεός σου Δὰν, καὶ ζῇ ὁ θεός σου Βηρσαβεέ· καὶ πεσοῦνται, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀναστῶσιν ἔτι.
KJVThey that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
JPSThey that swear by the sin of Samaria, And say: ‘As thy God, O Dan, liveth’; And: ‘As the way of Beer-sheba liveth’; Even they shall fall, and never rise up again.