The Meaning of Amos 2:4 Explained

Amos 2:4

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, And for four, I do not reserve it, Because of their loathing the law of Jehovah, And His statutes they have not kept, And their lies do cause them to err, After which their fathers did walk,

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they have despised the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes; and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers walked.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers did walk:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  For three  transgressions  of Judah,  and for four,  I will not turn away  [the punishment] thereof; because they have despised  the law  of the LORD,  and have not kept  his commandments,  and their lies  caused them to err,  after  the which their fathers  have walked: 

What does Amos 2:4 Mean?

Study Notes

For three
The judgments on Judah and Israel were fulfilled as to Judah in the 70 years' captivity; as to Israel (the northern kingdom) in the world-wide dispersion which still continues.

Context Summary

Amos 2:1-5 - Judah Shall Be Judged Also
Edom was Esau; that is, the people were closely akin to Israel; perhaps for that very reason the hatred on either side became more and more inveterate from the days of the Exodus to the siege and fall of Jerusalem, Psalms 137:7-8. Teman and Bozrah were principal cities, the first being named after Esau's grandson, Genesis 36:11. Isaiah, in after years, saw the warrior Angel of Jehovah coming up from Edom to the foothills of Palestine, his garments stained with the blood of the foe whom he had overthrown, Isaiah 63:1. Thus Jesus Christ has overcome our foes, and now stands sentry between us and them.
Rabbah was the capital city of Ammon. The strife between the citizens and the Chosen People smoldered from the days of Saul, flaming out from time to time in terrible intensity. Moab-the terrible act referred to here was probably associated with 2 Kings 3:27. Alas that, in the divine vengeance, Judah should be associated with these heathen peoples! The indictment is not for sins against man, but for those committed against God. We are judged by the greater light and the higher standards that we possess. The fire here threatened was the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldeans, who have their modern counterparts. Man is often used by the Almighty for the chastening and purifying of his fellows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 2

1  God's judgments upon Moab,
4  upon Judah,
6  and upon Israel
9  God complains of their ingratitude

What do the individual words in Amos 2:4 mean?

Thus says Yahweh for three transgressions of Judah for four not I will turn away its [punishment] because they have despised - the law of Yahweh and His commandments have kept and lead them astray their lies [Lies] which followed their fathers after
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַל־ אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַֽל־ מָאֳסָ֞ם אֶת־ תּוֹרַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה וְחֻקָּיו֙ שָׁמָ֔רוּ וַיַּתְעוּם֙ כִּזְבֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ הָלְכ֥וּ אֲבוֹתָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם

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: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
שְׁלֹשָׁה֙  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
פִּשְׁעֵ֣י  transgressions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
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.
עַֽל־  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.
מָאֳסָ֞ם  they  have  despised 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תּוֹרַ֣ת  the  law  of 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
וְחֻקָּיו֙  and  His  commandments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
שָׁמָ֔רוּ  have  kept 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
וַיַּתְעוּם֙  and  lead  them  astray 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּעָה  
Sense: to err, wander, go astray, stagger.
כִּזְבֵיהֶ֔ם  their  lies 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּזָב  
Sense: a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing.
אֲשֶׁר־  [Lies]  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הָלְכ֥וּ  followed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אֲבוֹתָ֖ם  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם  after 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).