John Trapp on Amos 2:6

Ver. 6. For three transgreſſions of Iſrael, &c,] The ten Tribes come in laſt: leſt they (with whom his main buſineſſe lay, and to whom he will hence-forth apply himſelf) ſhould conceit themſelves priviledged, becauſe for preſent proſpered: leſt they ſhould read, or hear the menaces of Gods mouth, as men do the old ſtories of forrein wars, that nothing concern them.

becauſe they ſold the righteous for ſilver,] Even Gods own paſture-ſheep, that had golden-fleeces, precious ſouls: theſe they made ſale of for a little money, which ever was, and ſtill is a common medler; and drives the bargain, and buſineſſe to an upſhot. Money, ſaith One, is the worlds great Monarch, and bears moſt Maſtery: whence it is, that the Hebrew word Adarcon, uſed for money, 1 Chron. 29.7. Eſay 8.27. comes of Adar, ſtrong, or mighty, and Con, to prepare: to ſhew that a moneyed man is a mighty man, as this world goes. Unleſſe we may ſay of money, as one doth wittily of Sardanapalus, the laſt of the Aſſyrian. Monarchs: Sardanapalus, ſaith He, had a terrible name. Sar noteth a Prince, Dan a Judge, Niphal an overthrower, or Conquerour: no otherwiſe appliable to him, but that his Luxury was the overthrow of both Soveraignty and Judgement. So is money mighty and well prepared, but it is to blind the eyes of the wiſe, and to pervert the matters of the righteous, Deut. 16.10. who becauſe not ſo well underlaid as his adverſary, lies long languiſhing many times at Hopes hoſpital; as that lame man did at the pool of Betheſda, but might not be ſped, becauſe (for want, belike, of ſtirring Angels) he could get none to put him into the Pool immediatly after the Angel had ſtirred it. That was a ſad complaint made by the Prophet Habakkuk, chap. 1.4. Behold the law is ſlacked, and judgement doth never go forth: for the wicked doth circumvent the righteous, viz. by his bribery and baſeneſſe, therefore wrong judgement proceedeth. A Judge is to retain the decency and gravity of the Law; yea of the Law-maker, with whom their is none iniquity, nor reſpect of perſons, nor taking of gifts, 2 Chron. 19.7. Nec prece, nec precio, ſhould be the Magiſtrates Motto: he ſhould be above all price or ſale.

and the poor for a pair of ſhooes,] For a cup of wine, Joel 3.3. for handfulls of barley, or peeces of bread, Ezek. 13.19. for a thing of nothing, ſo baſe they were grown at length: a very ſmall deal of gain would win them over. See chap. 8.6. At firſt, a little matter would not hire them: it muſt bee ſilver, and a conſiderable ſumme too; as an harlot, that requires at firſt no ſmall reward: but afterwards proſtituteth her ſelf light-cheap to all commers. Sinne ſeemeth modeſt and maidenly at firſt: but meddle not, for it ſooneth woadeth an impudency in mens foreheads, and debaucheth them.