The Meaning of Amos 1:6 Explained

Amos 1:6

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their removing a complete captivity, To deliver up to Edom,

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gazah, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  For three  transgressions  of Gaza,  and for four,  I will not turn away  [the punishment] thereof; because they carried away captive  the whole  captivity,  to deliver [them] up  to Edom: 

What does Amos 1:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Gaza was the chief city of Philistia, as Damascus was of Aram. The particular sin for which God would judge the Philistines was their capture and deportation of whole communities (or people at peace, Heb. shelema), possibly Israelites and or Judahites, to Edom as slaves (cf. Joel 3:4-8). During the reign of Israel"s King Jehoram (852-841 B.C.) Philistines and Arabs had carried off the royal household ( 2 Chronicles 21:16-17), plundered the temple ( Joel 3:5), and sold the people into slavery ( Joel 3:3; Joel 3:6).
"The concern of Amos seems to have been the freedom and dignity of persons regardless of their national origin. Sale of such captives for use as slave laborers was to treat precious humans made in the image of God ( Genesis 1:26-27) as mere commodities. The driving force behind these atrocities was nothing higher than the profit of the mighty.
"Broken treaties have marred the pages of history from ancient to modern times. God has a low tolerance level for those who break treaties, who take away human freedom and dignity, and whose motive is material profit. Such people should brace themselves for the destructive judgment of God." [1]

Context Summary

Amos 1:1-10 - Outside Nations Shall Suffer Judgment
Amos opens his prophecies with predictions against neighboring peoples, that Israel may be led to appreciate her guilt and to bear the approach of God's righteous judgment, Luke 12:47. The formula of three transgressions and for four, Amos 1:3, etc., means several or many. Compare Job 5:19.
The order followed is Syria, Amos 1:3; Philistia, Amos 1:6; Tyre, Amos 1:9; Edom, Amos 1:11; Ammon, Amos 1:13; Moab, Amos 1:1. Each of these neighboring kingdoms was successively overwhelmed by the invasion of the great countries that lay in the valley of the Euphrates. Tiglath-pileser began and ultimately Nebuchadnezzar finished the work of desolation. But in turn the conquerors, becoming enervated by uninterrupted success and prosperity, were also swept away. We may be sure that there is One who judges in the earth and that, although might may assert its claims to be right, it is but for a moment. The constitution of the universe is in harmony with Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Calvary: and only a Christian civilization can be permanent. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 1

1  The time when Amos prophesied
3  He shows God's judgment upon Syria,
6  upon the Philistines,
9  upon Tyrus,
11  upon Edom,
13  upon Ammon

What do the individual words in Amos 1:6 mean?

Thus says Yahweh for three transgressions of Gaza for four not I will turn away its [punishment] because they took captive the captivity whole to deliver [them] up to Edom
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י עַזָּ֔ה וְעַל־ אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־ הַגְלוֹתָ֛ם גָּל֥וּת שְׁלֵמָ֖ה לְהַסְגִּ֥יר לֶאֱדֽוֹם

כֹּ֚ה  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שְׁלֹשָׁה֙  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
פִּשְׁעֵ֣י  transgressions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
עַזָּ֔ה  of  Gaza 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַזָּה  
Sense: another name for ‘Gaza’, a city of the Philistines located in the extreme southwest of Palestine close to the Mediterranean.
אַרְבָּעָ֖ה  four 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ  I  will  turn  away  its  [punishment] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַגְלוֹתָ֛ם  they  took  captive 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
גָּל֥וּת  the  captivity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גָּלוּת  
Sense: exile, exiles.
שְׁלֵמָ֖ה  whole 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace.
לְהַסְגִּ֥יר  to  deliver  [them]  up 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סָגוּר 
Sense: to shut, close.
לֶאֱדֽוֹם  to  Edom 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.