Amos uses water imagery to describe justice and righteousness as something continual and unstoppable, like flowing waters and a mighty stream. It comes in a section where God rejects worship that is disconnected from right conduct. See Amos 5:24.
This unit belongs to Amos 5’s broader indictment of Israel’s public life and worship. Nearby, the prophet condemns corruption at the city gate and urges a return to what is right (Amos 5:10–15).
This passage matters because it ties the detail to the larger movement of the book, keeping the answer connected to context rather than isolated wording.
A common mistake is to turn the wording into a slogan. The better reading keeps the phrase tied to the passage, the speaker, and the problem the book is addressing.
Start with Amos 5:24, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
24But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.