Amos 5:24

24 And doom shall be showed as water, and rightwiseness as a strong stream. (Let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a strong stream.)

Amos 5:24 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:24

But let judgments run down as waters
Or "roll" ^F15; in abundance, with great rapidity, bearing down all before them, which nothing can resist; signifying the plenty of justice done in the land, the full and free exercise of it, without any stoppage or intermission: and righteousness as a mighty stream;
the same thing expressed in different words; though some think that not the execution of judgment and justice by men is here exhorted to, but the vindictive justice of God is threatened; which like a mighty torrent of water should come down, overwhelm, bear away, and destroy all before it, even all the transgressors in Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (lgyw) "volvatur", Munster, Mercerus, Liveleus, Drusius; "volvat se", Montanus, Vatablus; "revolvet se", Piscator; "provolvatur", Cocceius.

Amos 5:24 In-Context

22 That if ye offer to me your burnt sacrifices, and gifts, I shall not receive, and I shall not behold the avows of your fat things. (And if ye offer me your burnt sacrifices, and gifts, I shall not receive them, and I shall not look upon the fat beasts of your vows, or of your offerings.)

23 Do thou away from me the noise of thy songs, and I shall not hear the songs of thine harp.

24 And doom shall be showed as water, and rightwiseness as a strong stream. (Let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a strong stream.)

25 Whether ye offered to me hosts, and sacrifices in desert forty years, ye house of Israel? (Did ye offer me gifts, and sacrifices, for forty years in the wilderness, ye house of Israel?)

26 And ye have borne tabernacles to Moloch, your god, and (the) image of your idols, the star of your god, which ye made to you. (No! but now ye carry about the tent, or the shrine, of your god Moloch, and your images of Chiun, the star of your god/your star god, which ye made for yourselves.)