The Meaning of Amos 6:5 Explained

Amos 6:5

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

YLT: Who are taking part according to the psaltery, Like David they invented for themselves instruments of music;

Darby: that chant to the sound of the lute, and invent them instruments of music, like David;

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Amos 6:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Amos 6:1-14 - "woe To Them That Are At Ease In Zion!"
Zion is included with Samaria in this prophecy and the nobles are especially condemned for their drunkenness, gluttony, and insolence. The prophet quotes the example of great neighboring peoples as a warning that the abuse of God's good gifts leads to their withdrawal. Calneh on the Tigris, and Hamath, had fallen before Assyria; Gath, also, had been recently overwhelmed-how unlikely, therefore, that Israel, eaten through by extravagance and luxury, could endure. National dissolution is not far away, when palaces are filled with riot while the poor rot in neglect. It was thus that Joseph's brethren ate their food at the pit's mouth, while Joseph lay beneath. Many professing Christians are similarly "at ease," indifferent to their brother's woe.
The greatness of approaching judgment is illustrated by a simple incident. A household of eleven is smitten by plague; ten die, one only survives. So great has been the mortality that no nearer relative than an uncle is left to carry out the dead for cremation; and when the matter of a funeral service is broached, the suggestion is instantly met by the remark, "Those old customs cannot be observed amid the stress of such a time; we do not now mention God's name." Funeral rites would pass out of use. God's dealings with His people had been as useless as plowing rocks would be. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 6

1  The wantonness of Israel,
7  shall be plagued with desolation;
12  and their incorrigibleness shall end in affliction

What do the individual words in Amos 6:5 mean?

who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments like David [And] invent for yourselves instruments musical
הַפֹּרְטִ֖ים עַל־ פִּ֣י הַנָּ֑בֶל כְּדָוִ֕יד חָשְׁב֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם כְּלֵי־ שִֽׁיר

הַפֹּרְטִ֖ים  who  sing  idly 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: פָּרַט  
Sense: (Qal) to improvise carelessly, chant, stammer.
פִּ֣י  the  sound 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
הַנָּ֑בֶל  of  stringed  instruments 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root:  
Sense: a skin-bag, jar, pitcher.
כְּדָוִ֕יד  like  David 
Parse: Preposition-k, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
חָשְׁב֥וּ  [And]  invent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לָהֶ֖ם  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
כְּלֵי־  instruments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
שִֽׁיר  musical 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.