Amos 5:10

Amos 5:10 condemns those who “hate the one who reproves in the gate” and “abhor the one who speaks the truth.”

The gate (שַׁעַר) was typically where elders judged disputes (Genesis 3:10plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGenesis 23:10

Hebrew וְעֶפְר֥וֹן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּת֣וֹךְ בְּנֵי חֵ֑ת וַיַּעַן֩ עֶפְר֨וֹן הַחִתִּ֤י אֶת אַבְרָהָם֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי חֵ֔ת לְכֹ֛ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר עִיר֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר ESV Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, NIV Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. δὲἐκάθητοἐνμέ…, Deuteronomy 21:19plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDeuteronomy 21:19

Hebrew וְתָ֥פְשׂוּ ב֖וֹ אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ וְהוֹצִ֧יאוּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל זִקְנֵ֥י עִיר֖וֹ וְאֶל שַׁ֥עַר מְקֹמֽוֹ ESV then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, NIV his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. καὶσυλλαβόντεςαὐτὸνὁπατὴραὐτοῦκαὶἡμήτηραὐτοῦκαὶἐξάξουσιναὐτὸνἐπὶτὴνγερουσίαντῆςπόλεωςαὐτοῦκαὶἐπὶτὴνπύληντοῦτόπουαὐτοῦ… and Ruth 4:1–11). Parallelism shows that the elite not only refused to uphold justice but actively opposed truth-tellers. And so while some have argued “gate” here might mean a political faction, the surrounding context of legal corruption fits the judicial setting.

These are the same “strong” (Amos 5:9plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAmos 5:9

Hebrew הַמַּבְלִ֥יג שֹׁ֖ד עַל עָ֑ז וְשֹׁ֖ד עַל מִבְצָ֥ר יָבֽוֹא ESV who makes destruction flash forth against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress. NIV he flashes destruction on the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin), NLT With blinding speed and power he destroys the strong, crushing all their defenses. ὁδιαιρῶνἐπἰσχὺνκαὶταλαιπωρίανἐπὶὀχύρωμαἐπάγων…) who “turn justice to wormwood” (Amos 5:7plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAmos 5:7

Hebrew הַהֹפְכִ֥ים לְלַעֲנָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה לָאָ֥רֶץ הִנִּֽיחוּ ESV O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth! NIV You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground NLT You twist justice, making it a bitter pill for the oppressed. You treat the righteous like dirt. κύριοςὁποιῶνεἰςὕψοςκρίμακαὶδικαιοσύνηνεἰςγῆνἔθηκεν…), making what should be sweet and life-giving into something bitter and deadly.