Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:
Do horses gallop on cliffs? Would anyone try to plow rocky ground with oxen? Of course not, that would be absolutely ridiculous. But that's exactly how backwards you've made things. You've turned justice into something bitter and poisonous, and you've made doing what's right feel toxic.
You've made justice and righteousness so backwards that it's like trying to farm on a mountain, completely against how things are supposed to work.
📚 Historical Context
Amos was a prophet from the southern kingdom of Judah who was called to warn the northern kingdom of Israel about their sins during a period of economic prosperity under King Jeroboam II in the 8th century BC. In this verse, he uses rhetorical questions with agricultural metaphors, such as horses running on rocks or plowing with oxen on unsuitable ground, to highlight the absurdity of Israel's corruption, where they had twisted justice into bitterness and righteousness into poison. This reflects a broader biblical narrative of God's impending judgment on a society that prioritized wealth and oppression over moral integrity.
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