the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Amos 6:5
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- InternationalParallel Translations
They improvise songs to the sound of the harpand invent their own musical instruments like David.
Who strum on the strings of a harp; Who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
That chaunt to the sound of the Uiole, and inuent to themselues instruments of musicke, like Dauid:
That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,
You make up songs on your harps, and, like David, you compose songs on musical instruments.
Who improvise to the sound of the harp— Like David they have composed songs for themselves—
They sing to the sounde of the viole: they inuent to themselues instruments of musike like Dauid.
Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,
Who improvise to the sound of the harp,And like David have composed songs for themselves,
You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.
You sing foolish songs to the music of harps, and you make up new tunes, just as David used to do.
You make up wild songs at your parties, playing the lute and inventing other instruments — [imagining that you're] like David!
that chant to the sound of the lute, [and] invent them instruments of music, like David;
Who chant to the sound of the harp, and consider themselves skilled in the musical instruments like David;
You like to compose songs, as David did, and play them on harps.
Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music.
those chanting with the mouth of the harp; they invent instruments of song for themselves like David;
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Making foolish songs to the sound of corded instruments, and designing for themselves instruments of music, like David;
That thrum on the psaltery, that devise for themselves instruments of music, like David;
They sing to the sounde of the viole, they inuent to them selues instrumentes of musicke, like Dauid.
who excel in the sound of musical instruments; they have regarded them as abiding, not as fleeting pleasures;
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that devise for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Who strum on the strings of a harp; Who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
and ye syngen at vois of sautree. As Dauid thei gessiden hem for to haue instrumentis of song, and drynken wyn in viols;
that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
That chant to the sound of the viol, [and] invent to themselves instruments of music, like David;
They sing to the tune of stringed instruments; like David they invent musical instruments.
Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;
You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.
You sing songs to the sound of the harp. Like David you write songs for yourselves.
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music;
Who are bawling at the bidding of the harp, - like David, have they invented for themselves instruments of song:
You that sing to the sound of the psaltery: they have thought themselves to have instruments of music like David;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
Who are taking part according to the psaltery, Like David they invented for themselves instruments of music;
ye that synge to the lute, and in playenge off instrumentes compare youre selues vnto Dauid:
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
chant: or, quaver
to the: Genesis 31:27, Job 21:11, Job 21:12, Ecclesiastes 2:8, Isaiah 5:12, 1 Peter 4:3, Revelation 18:22
like: Amos 5:23, Amos 8:3, 1 Chronicles 23:5
Reciprocal: Genesis 4:21 - the harp 2 Samuel 6:5 - David 2 Samuel 23:1 - sweet psalmist 1 Chronicles 13:8 - with harps 2 Chronicles 7:6 - which David 2 Chronicles 29:26 - the instruments Nehemiah 12:36 - musical instruments Isaiah 24:9 - General Ezekiel 11:3 - It is not Daniel 3:10 - the cornet 1 Timothy 5:6 - she
Cross-References
The number of people on earth continued to increase. When these people had daughters, the sons of God saw how beautiful they were. So they chose the women they wanted. They married them, and the women had their children. Then the Lord said, "People are only human. I will not let my Spirit be troubled by them forever. I will let them live only 120 years." During this time and also later, the Nephilim people lived in the land. They have been famous as powerful soldiers since ancient times.
This is the history of Noah's family. He was a good man all his life, and he always followed God.
Also, you will take two of every living thing on the earth with you into the boat. Take a male and female of every kind of animal so that they might survive with you.
Two of every kind of bird, animal, and creeping thing will come to you so that you might keep them alive.
Also bring every kind of food into the boat, for you and for the animals."
The Lord smelled these sacrifices, and it pleased him. The Lord said to himself, "I will never again curse the earth as a way to punish people. People are evil from the time they are young, but I will never again destroy every living thing on the earth as I did this time.
The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.
"Some people might hear these curses and comfort themselves by saying, ‘I will continue doing what I want. Nothing bad will happen to me.' But that attitude will bring total disaster.
People are even worse. They are disgusting and dirty. They drink up evil like water.
God looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who looks to him for help.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
That chant to the sound of the viol,.... Or psaltery; an instrument of twelve cords, and that gave twelve sounds, as Josephus x says, being stricken with the fingers; and to these sounds these men chanted or quivered, made like sounds with their voice, which they raised higher or lower, according to the sound of the instrument: they "particularized", as the word signifies y; or observed the divisions and distinctions of notes and sounds, by the modulation of their voice:
[and] invent to themselves instruments of music, like David: not content with old ones, such as were used in former times, they invented new instruments and new tunes, and new songs to sing to them; as David made songs and invented several instruments of music to sing them upon and to, in religious worship, and for the praise and glory of God; so these men invented new ones to indulge their carnal mirth and jollity, in which they thought themselves to be justified by the example of David.
x Antiqu. l. 7. c. 19. sect. 3. y ×פ×ר××× "particularizantes", Montanus; "qui particularia habent cantica", Pagninus; "qui particulatim canunt", Vatablus, Mercerus; "variis modulationibus concinunt", Tigurine version.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That chant to the voice of the lyre - Accompanying âthe voice of the lyreâ with the human voice; giving vocal expression and utterance to what the instrumental music spoke without words. The word, which Amos alone uses in this one place, describes probably a hurried flow of unmeaning, unconsidered words, in which the rhythm of words and music was everything, the sense, nothing; much like most glees.
The English margin âquaverâ has also some foundation in the root, but does not suit the idiom so well, which expresses that the act was something done âto the voice of the lyre,â accompanying the music, not altering the music itself. In fact, they would go together. An artificial, effeminate music which should relax the soul, frittering the melody, and displacing the power and majesty of divine harmony by tricks of art, and giddy, thoughtless, heartless, soulless versifying would be meet company. Debased music is a mark of a nationâs decay, and promotes it. The Hebrew music seems to have been very simple; and singing appears to have been reserved almost exclusively for solemn occasions, the temple-service, or the greeting of victory 1 Samuel 18:7. âSinging men and singing womenâ were part of the state of David and Solomon 2 Samuel 19:35; Ecclesiastes 2:8. Else the music at the feasts of the rich appears rather to be mentioned with blame Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 24:9. Songs they had Proverbs 25:20; but the songs, for which the Hebrew exiles were celebrated, and which their Babylonian masters required them to sing, âthe songs of Zionâ Psalms 137:3-4, were the hymns of the temple, âthe Lordâs song.â
And invent to themselves instruments of music - The same pains, which David employed on music to the honor of God, they employed on their light, enervating unmeaningful music, and, if they were in earnest enough, justified their inventions by the example of David. Much as people have justified our degraded, sensualizing, immodest dancing, by the religious dancing of Holy Scripture! The word can mean no other than devised. David then did âdeviseâ and âinventâ instruments of music for the service of God. He introduced into the temple-service the use of the stringed instruments, the âkinnor,â (the âlyreâ) and the ânebelâ (the âharpâ) in addition to the cymbals. Whence these, in contrast with the trumpets, are called âthe instruments of Davidâ (2 Chronicles 29:26, compare 2 Chronicles 29:25, and 1 Chronicles 15:16, 1 Chronicles 15:19-21, 1 Chronicles 15:24). Probably, in adapting them to the temple-service, he, in some way, improved the existing instrument; having been, in early youth, remarkable for his skill upon the harp 1Sa 16:16, 1 Samuel 16:18, 1 Samuel 16:23. As he elevated the character and powers of the, perhaps rude, instrument which he found, and suited it to the service of God, so these people refined it doubtless, as they thought, and suited it for the service of luxury and sensuality. But what harm, they thought, in amending the music of their day, since so did David?
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Amos 6:5. And invent to themselves instruments of music, like David — 2 Chronicles 23:5; and see especially Clarke's note on "2 Chronicles 29:25". I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to introduce that multitude of musical instruments into the Divine worship of which we read, and I am satisfied that his conduct in this respect is most solemnly reprehended by this prophet; and I farther believe that the use of such instruments of music, in the Christian Church, is without the sanction and against the will of God; that they are subversive of the spirit of true devotion, and that they are sinful. If there was a wo to them who invented instruments of music, as did David under the law, is there no wo, no curse to them who invent them, and introduce them into the worship of God in the Christian Church? I am an old man, and an old minister; and I here declare that I never knew them productive of any good in the worship of God; and have had reason to believe that they were productive of much evil. Music, as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music; and here I register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of the Author of Christianity. The late venerable and most eminent divine, the Rev. John Wesley, who was a lover of music, and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instruments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Methodists said, in his terse and powerful manner, "I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither HEARD nor SEEN." I say the same, though I think the expense of purchase had better be spared.
The word ×פר××× happoretim, which we render chant, and the margin quaver, signifies to dance, to skip, &c. In the sight of such a text, fiddlers, drummers, waltzers, &c., may well tremble, who perform to excite detestable passions.
