Amos 6:5

They sing ¹  to the tune of ²  stringed instruments; ³  like David they invent ⁴  musical instruments.

Ge 31:27; 1Ch 23:5; Job 21:11,12; Ec 2:8; Isa 5:12; Am 5:23; Am 8:3; 1Pe 4:3; Re 18:22

¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”

² tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”

³ sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).

⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).