Amo 8:5-6, Mal 1:13 | JFB | STEP | 5. So greedy are they of unjust gain that they cannot spare a single day, however sacred, from pursuing it. They are strangers to God and enemies to themselves, who love market days better than sabbath days; and they who have lost piety will not long keep honesty. The new moons ( ) and sabbaths were to be kept without working or trading ( ). set forth wheat-- literally, "open out" stores of wheat for sale. ephah-- containing three seahs, or above three pecks. making ... small-- making it below the just weight to purchasers. shekel great-- taking from purchasers a greater weight of money than was due. Shekels used to be weighed out in payments ( ). Thus they committed a double fraud against the law ( , ).

‏ Amos 8:5-6

5. So greedy are they of unjust gain that they cannot spare a single day, however sacred, from pursuing it. They are strangers to God and enemies to themselves, who love market days better than sabbath days; and they who have lost piety will not long keep honesty. The new moons (Nu 10:10) and sabbaths were to be kept without working or trading (Ne 10:31).

set forth wheat--literally, "open out" stores of wheat for sale.

ephah--containing three seahs, or above three pecks.

making ... small--making it below the just weight to purchasers.

shekel great--taking from purchasers a greater weight of money than was due. Shekels used to be weighed out in payments (Ge 23:16). Thus they committed a double fraud against the law (De 25:13, 14).

6. buy ... poor for silver ... pair of shoes--that is, that we may compel the needy for money, or any other thing of however little worth, to sell themselves to us as bondmen, in defiance of Le 25:39; the very thing which brings down God's judgment (Am 2:6).

sell the refuse of ... wheat--which contains no nutriment, but which the poor eat at a low price, being unable to pay for flour.

‏ Malachi 1:13

13. what a weariness is it!--Ye regard God's service as irksome, and therefore try to get it over by presenting the most worthless offerings. Compare Mi 6:3, where God challenges His people to show wherein is the "weariness" or hardship of His service. Also Is 43:22-24, wherein He shows that it is they who have "wearied" Him, not He who has wearied them.

snuffed at--despised.

it--the table of the Lord, and the meat on it (Mal 1:12).

torn--namely, by beasts, which it was not lawful to eat, much less to offer (Ex 22:31).

thus ... offering--Hebrew, mincha; the unbloody offering of flour, &c. Though this may have been of ordinary ingredients, yet the sacrifices of blemished animals accompanying it rendered it unacceptable.