Through Amos God said: “Hear this, you men snapping at someone poor, even in order to cause the meek ones of the earth to cease, saying, ‘How long will it be before the new moon passes and we may sell cereals? Also, the sabbath, and we may offer grain for sale; in order to make the ephah [the container for measuring out an ephah of grain] small and to make the shekel [the shekel weight used for weighing items when buying] great and to falsify the scales of deception;

Amos 8:4-6.

So these Israelites scrupulously observed the festival of the new moon and the weekly sabbath by refraining from all business activities. But they could not wait until these days of rest were over to resume their lawless practices. Their dishonesty brought ruin to the lowly and afflicted. Thus they caused the meek ones “to cease.” These wicked men would callously defraud the poor by using false weights and measures.