Amos, Prophet of Ubuntu: New Insight on Amos’s Concept of Justice

The concept of hqdx in the book of Amos is broader than suggested by the English words often used to translate it, such as "righteousness" or "charity." Amos uses the Hebrew term in connection with indicting Israel’s enemies primarily for war crimes and Israel itself for the wanton disregard of its own poor. This essay analyzes Amos’s use of the term in dialogue with the (South) African concept of ubuntu, which concerns human dignity and solidarity, and demonstrates that Amos sees hqdx as the core of morality and reflective of God’s actions.