John Calvin Commentary Amos 5:11

"Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof." — Amos 5:11 (ASV)

The Prophet here declares that though the judges enriched themselves by plunder, God would not allow them to enjoy their booty, but would deprive them of the great wealth they had accumulated. This is the import of the whole. We therefore see that the Prophet is not contending here with the common people, but openly attacks the chief men, since from them proceeded all the prevailing evil.

The first thing is, they imposed burdens on the poor, and then, they took away grain from them. He says first, “You have laid a burden,” or, “you have trodden on the poor;” for the verb can be taken in either sense, and it does not matter which regarding the meaning of the passage.

Indeed, it is not often that we encounter a verb of four letters; but interpreters explain this as meaning to tread underfoot or to lay a burden. The Prophet, I do not doubt, here accuses the judges of not sparing miserable men, but of burdening them with tributes and exactions; for this is to burden the poor.

Then he adds, “You have taken a load of grain.” The Prophet had undoubtedly focused here on a most detestable form of cruelty in robbing others. When judges take money, or any other gift, it is less hateful than when the poor are compelled to carry grain to them on their shoulders. It was as if they surrendered their very lives to their plunderers; for when judges forced loads of grain to be brought to them, it was as if they strangled the poor, or drew blood from their veins, since they robbed them of their food and support. We now perceive what the Prophet meant: You have, he says, oppressed the poor, and taken from them a load of grain. Some render בר, ber, chosen, but improperly.

You shall therefore build, etc. He declares here that they would not realize their hope, though they plundered on all sides to build palaces, and though they acquired great possessions to enrich themselves and their heirs: “This self-love,” he says, “will deceive you; defraud, rob, plunder; but the Lord will at last strip you of all your robberies: for after having been venal, and prostituted not only your souls but your shame for gain, and after having spent much labor and expense in building, you shall not dwell in your palaces; and when you shall have planted vineyards with great expense and care, you shall not drink their wine.” Isaiah also speaks in the same way,

O plunderer, thou shalt be exposed to plunders
(Isaiah 33:1)

Experience also teaches the same thing, for we see how the Lord transfers the possessions of this world from one person to another. He who seems to provide riches for his heirs forever after his death often passes his whole life, as we see, without enjoying his own property; for he is hungry in the midst of the greatest abundance and even starves himself. This is very often the case. Then, when his abundance comes to his heirs, it falls into the hands of prodigals who soon squander it all. And sometimes the Lord does not allow such vast wealth to have heirs; it is scattered here and there, and their very name is extinguished—though their name is a chief concern to such haughty and wealthy men, as they commonly wish it to be prominent in the world for centuries after their death.

This passage from the Prophet should therefore be especially noted. He tells us that unjust gains were accumulated by these robbers and wicked plunderers in order to amass great riches; but he adds, “The Lord will despoil them, and will not allow them to enjoy their abundance, however anxiously they had collected it from all quarters.”