¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}; For three {H7969} transgressions {H6588} of Damascus {H1834}, and for four {H702}, I will not turn away {H7725} the punishment thereof; because they have threshed {H1758} Gilead {H1568} with threshing instruments {H2742} of iron {H1270}:
Here is what ADONAI says: "For Dammesek's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it - because they threshed Gil'ad with an iron-spiked threshing-sledge;
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Damascus, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.
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2 Kings 10:32
In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; -
2 Kings 10:33
From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which [is] by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. -
Amos 2:6
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; -
Amos 1:9
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: -
Isaiah 8:4
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. -
2 Kings 8:12
And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. -
Amos 1:6
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:
Amos 1:3 KJV: "¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:"
Context
Amos, a shepherd and fig-picker from Tekoa in Judah, was called by God to prophesy primarily to the northern kingdom of Israel, though his message also encompassed Judah and the surrounding nations. This verse initiates a series of judgment oracles against various neighboring peoples (Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab) before turning to Judah and Israel themselves. The phrase "For three transgressions... and for four" is a poetic and rhetorical device, signifying not a literal count of sins, but rather a complete, overflowing measure of iniquity, indicating that God's patience has been exhausted and irreversible judgment is due. Damascus was the capital of Aram (Syria), a powerful neighbor often in conflict with Israel. Gilead was a region east of the Jordan River, frequently contested territory between Aram and Israel.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "threshing instruments of iron" translates the Hebrew charutsot habbarzel (חֲרֻצוֹת הַבַּרְזֶל). A "threshing instrument" or "sledge" was a heavy wooden board or cart embedded with sharp stones or iron teeth, pulled by oxen over harvested grain to separate the kernels from the stalks. Applying this agricultural implement to human beings underscores the horrific, grinding, and utterly destructive nature of the violence inflicted by Damascus upon the people of Gilead. It signifies a deliberate and systematic effort to crush and annihilate.
Related Scriptures
The theme of God's universal judgment is echoed throughout the prophets, such as in Isaiah 13:1 concerning Babylon or Jeremiah 46:1 concerning Egypt. The concept of a "full measure" of sin leading to judgment can be seen in God's promise to Abraham regarding the Amorites in Genesis 15:16. The "for three... and for four" pattern is a numerical proverb also found in wisdom literature, such as Proverbs 30:15-31, highlighting a complete set or an overflowing amount.
Practical Application
Amos 1:3 reminds us that God is not indifferent to human suffering or injustice, regardless of who perpetrates it. His moral standards apply to all, not just those who claim to follow Him. This verse challenges us to: