Amos 5:9

Bible in Basic English

Who sends sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the walled town.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He brings destruction on the strong,and it falls on the fortress.

Hebrew Names Version
Who brings sudden destruction on the strong, So that destruction comes on the fortress.

King James Version
That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

English Standard Version
who makes destruction flash forth against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

New American Standard Bible
It is He who makes destruction flash upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

New Century Version
He destroys the protected city; he ruins the strong, walled city.

Amplified Bible
It is He who causes [sudden] destruction to flash forth on the strong So that destruction comes on the fortress.

Geneva Bible (1587)
He strengtheneth the destroyer against the mightie: and the destroyer shal come against the fortresse.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

Legacy Standard Bible
It is He who flashes forth with devastation upon the strongSo that devastation comes upon the fortification.

Berean Standard Bible
He flashes destruction on the strong, so that fury comes upon the stronghold.

Contemporary English Version
God destroys mighty soldiers and strong fortresses.

Complete Jewish Bible
he flashes destruction on the strong, so that destruction overcomes the fortress.

Darby Translation
He causeth destruction to break forth suddenly upon the strong, and bringeth destruction upon the fortress.

George Lamsa Translation
Who makes the weak to rule over the mighty, and exalts the meek over the proud.

Good News Translation
He brings destruction on the mighty and their strongholds.

Lexham English Bible
The one who makes destruction flash upon the fierce, so that destruction comes upon the fortification.

Literal Translation
who flashes out with destruction on the strong; yea, destruction comes on the fortress.

American Standard Version
that bringeth sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
That causeth destruction to flash upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.

King James Version (1611)
That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong: so that the spoiled shall come against the fortresse.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He strengthneth the destroyer against the mightie, & the destroyer shall come against the fortresse.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
who dispenses ruin to strength, and brings distress upon the fortress.

English Revised Version
that bringeth sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.

World English Bible
Who brings sudden destruction on the strong, So that destruction comes on the fortress.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Which scorneth distriyng on the stronge, and bringith robbyng on the myyti.

Update Bible Version
that brings sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the fortress.

Webster's Bible Translation
That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

New English Translation
He flashes destruction down upon the strong so that destruction overwhelms the fortified places.)

New King James Version
He rains ruin upon the strong, So that fury comes upon the fortress.

New Living Translation
With blinding speed and power he destroys the strong, crushing all their defenses.

New Life Bible
He destroys the strong, so that the strong city is laid waste.

New Revised Standard
who makes destruction flash out against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Him who flasheth force on the strong, - and, force, on the fortress, alighteth!

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that with a smile bringeth destruction upon the strong, and waste upon the mighty.

Revised Standard Version
who makes destruction flash forth against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

Young's Literal Translation
Who is brightening up the spoiled against the strong, And the spoiled against a fortress cometh.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He rayseth destruccion vpon the mightie people, & bryngeth downe the stronge holde:

Contextual Overview

⁴ For these are the words of the Lord to the children of Israel: Let your hearts be turned to me, so that you may have life: ⁵ Do not be looking for help to Beth-el, and do not go to Gilgal, or make your way to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal will certainly be taken prisoner, and Beth-el will come to nothing. ⁶ Go to the Lord for help so that you may have life; for fear that he may come like fire bursting out in the family of Joseph, causing destruction, and there will be no one to put it out in Beth-el. ⁷ You who make the work of judging a bitter thing, crushing down righteousness to the earth; ⁸ Go for help to him who makes Orion and the Pleiades, by whom the deep dark is turned into morning, who makes the day black with night; whose voice goes out to the waters of the sea, sending them out over the face of the earth: the Lord is his name; ⁹ Who sends sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the walled town. ¹⁰ They have hate for him who makes protest against evil in the public place, and he whose words are upright is disgusting to them. ¹¹ So because the poor man is crushed under your feet, and you take taxes from him of grain: you have made for yourselves houses of cut stone, but you will not take your rest in them; the fair vine-gardens planted by your hands will not give you wine. ¹² For I have seen how your evil-doing is increased and how strong are your sins, you troublers of the upright, who take rewards and do wrong to the cause of the poor in the public place. ¹³ So the wise will say nothing in that time; for it is an evil time.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

strengtheneth: 2 Kings 13:17, 2 Kings 13:25, Jeremiah 37:10, Hebrews 11:34

spoiled: Heb. spoil

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 14:11 - nothing Psalms 8:2 - strength

Cross-References

1 Chronicles 1:2
Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

Luke 3:37
The son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong,.... Such as have been taken by an enemy, who have been stripped of their armour, and spoiled of all their goods and substance, and have no friends nor allies, nor anything to help themselves with; the Lord can supply them with strength, furnish them with weapons, and send them helpers, so that they shall rise up against their conquerors and spoilers, and in their turn subdue them. The Targum is,

"that strengthens the weak against the strong;''

or causes the weak to prevail over the strong. A learned man, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, chooses to render it, "who intends", or "designs, destruction to the strong" d; that is, in his secret purposes, and which he brings about in providence; though he is doubtful whether it may not have the signification of recreation and refreshment, and whether the construction and circumstances will admit of it; and some do so translate it, "who refreshes himself with destruction against the strong" e; takes delight and pleasure in it; it is a recreation to him:

so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress: lay siege to it and take it, in which the spoiler thought himself secure with the spoil and substance he had taken from the spoiled; such sudden changes and vicissitudes can God bring upon men when he pleases. Some apply this to the Romans strengthened against the Jews, and besieging their fortified city Jerusalem; but not very aptly.

d המבליג שד על עז "qui intendit destinat destructionem forti", Hottinger, Smegma Orientale, l. 1. c. 7. p. 129. e "Qui recreat se vastatione contra fortem [sive] robustum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Tarnovius. So Stockius, p. 136.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That strengtheneth the spoiled - (Literally, “spoil” English margin) probably That “maketh devastation to smile on the strong.” . The “smile,” in anger, attests both the extremity of anger, and the consciousness of the ease, wherewith the offence can be punished. They were strong in their own strength; strong, as they deemed, in their “fortress” ; “strong with an evil strength, like one phrensied against his physician.” But their strength would be weakness. “Desolation” when God willed, would “smile at” all which they accounted “might,” and would “come against the fortress,” which, as they deemed, “cut off” all approach.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 5:9. That strengtheneth the spoiled — Who takes the part of the poor and oppressed against the oppressor; and, in the course of his providence, sets up the former, and depresses the latter.