Amos 6:5

5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

Amos 6:5 in Other Translations

5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,

5 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.

5 Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them!

5 that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

5 How horrible it will be for those who make up songs as they strum a harp. Like David, they write all kinds of songs for themselves.

5 They improvise songs to the sound of the harp and invent their own musical instruments like David.

5 You pluck away on your harps as David did. You play new songs on musical instruments.

Amos 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 6:5

That chant to the sound of the viol
Or psaltery; an instrument of twelve cords, and that gave twelve sounds, as Josephus

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 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 ^F25; 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.
F24 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 19. sect. 3.
F25 (Myjrwph) "particularizantes", Montanus; "qui particularia habent cantica", Pagninus; "qui particulatim canunt", Vatablus, Mercerus; "variis modulationibus concinunt", Tigurine version.

Amos 6:5 In-Context

3 You put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of terror.

4 You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.

5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 137:2; S Isaiah 14:11; Isaiah 5:12; Amos 5:23
• 2. S 1 Chronicles 15:16