The Meaning of Amos 6:6 Explained

Amos 6:6

KJV: That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

YLT: Who are drinking with bowls of wine, And with chief perfumes anoint themselves, And have not been pained for the breach of Joseph.

Darby: that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but are not grieved for the breach of Joseph.

ASV: that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That drink  wine  in bowls,  and anoint  themselves with the chief  ointments:  but they are not grieved  for the affliction  of Joseph. 

What does Amos 6:6 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 6:6 mean?

who drink from bowls wine and with the best ointments anoint yourselves but not are grieved for the affliction of Joseph
הַשֹּׁתִ֤ים בְּמִזְרְקֵי֙ יַ֔יִן וְרֵאשִׁ֥ית שְׁמָנִ֖ים יִמְשָׁ֑חוּ וְלֹ֥א נֶחְל֖וּ עַל־ שֵׁ֥בֶר יוֹסֵֽף‪‬‪‬

הַשֹּׁתִ֤ים  who  drink 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
בְּמִזְרְקֵי֙  from  bowls 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מִזְרָק  
Sense: bowl, basin.
יַ֔יִן  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
וְרֵאשִׁ֥ית  and  with  the  best 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רֵאשִׁית  
Sense: first, beginning, best, chief.
שְׁמָנִ֖ים  ointments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
יִמְשָׁ֑חוּ  anoint  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָשַׁח  
Sense: to smear, anoint, spread a liquid.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נֶחְל֖וּ  are  grieved 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
שֵׁ֥בֶר  the  affliction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.
יוֹסֵֽף‪‬‪‬  of  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.