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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Amos 2:1–8. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. The judgment of Moab, another of the nations that bordered upon Israel. They are reckoned with and shall be punished for three transgressions and for four, as those before. Now, 1. Moab's fourth transgression, as theirs who were before set to the bar, was cruelty. The instance given refers not to the people of God, but to a heathen like themselves: The king of Moab burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime. We find there was war between the Edomites and the Moabites, in which the king of Moab, in distress and rage, offered his own son for a burnt-offering, to appease his deity, Kg2 3:26, Kg2 3:27. And it should seem that afterwards he, or some of his successors, in revenge upon the Edomites for bringing him to that extremity, having an advantage against the king of Edom, seized him alive and burnt him to ashes, or slew him and burnt his body, or dug up the bones of their dead king, of that particularly who had so straitened him, and, in token of his rage and fury, burnt them to lime. and perhaps made use of the powder of his bones for the white-washing of the walls and ceilings of his palace, that he might please himself with the sight of that monument of his revenge. Est vindicta bonum vita jucundius ipsa - Revenge is sweeter than life itself. It is barbarous to abuse human bodies, for we ourselves also are in the body; it is senseless to abuse dead bodies, nay, it is impious, for we believe and look for their resurrection; and to abuse the dead bodies of kings (whose persons and names ought to be in a particular manner respected and had in veneration) is an affront to majesty; it is an argument of a base spirit for those to trample upon a dead lion who, were he alive, would tremble before him. 2. Moab's doom for this transgression is, (1.) A judgment of death. Those that deal cruelly shall be cruelly dealt with (Amo 2:2): Moab shall die; the Moabites shall be cut off with the sword of war, which kills with tumult, with shouting, and with sound of trumpet, circumstances that make it so much the more terrible, as the lion's roaring aggravates his tearing. Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, Isa 9:5. (2.) It is a judgment upon their judge, who had passed the sentence upon the bones of the king of Edom that they should be burnt to lime: I will cut him off, says God (Amo 2:3); he shall know there is a judge that is higher than he. The king, the chief judge, and all the inferior judges and princes, shall be cut off together. If the people sometimes suffer for the sin of their princes, yet the princes themselves shall not escape, Jer 48:47. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
II.Judah also is a near neighbour to Israel, and therefore, now that justice is riding the circuit, that shall not be passed by; that nation has made itself like the heathen and mingled with them, and therefore the indictment here runs against them in the same form in which it had run against all the rest: For these transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; their sins are as many as the sins of other nations, and we find them huddled up with them in the same character, Jer 9:26, "As for Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, jumble them together; they are all alike;" the sentence here also is the same (Amo 2:5): "I will send a fire upon Judah, though it is the land where God is known, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, though it is the holy city, and God has formerly been known in its palaces for a refuge," Psa 48:3. But the sin here charged upon Judah is different from all the rest. The other nations were reckoned with for injuries done to men, but Judah is reckoned with for indignities done to God, Amo 2:4.
1.They put contempt upon his statutes and persisted in disobedience to them: They have despised the law of the Lord, as if it were not worth taking notice of, nor had any thing in it valuable; and herein they despised the wisdom, justice, and goodness, as well as the authority and sovereignty, of the Lawmaker; this they did, in effect, when they kept not his commandments, made no conscience of them, took no care about them.
2.They put honour upon his rivals, their idols, here called their lies which caused them to err; for an image is a teacher of lies, Hab 2:18. And those that are led away into the error of idolatry are by that led into a multitude of other errors, Uno dato absurdo mille sequuntur - One absurdity draws after it a thousand. God is an infinite eternal Spirit; but, when the truth of God is by idolatry changed into a lie, all his other truths are in danger of being so changed likewise; thus their idols caused them to err, and God justly gave them up to strong delusions; nor was it any excuse for their sin that they were lies after which their father walked, for they should rather have taken warning than taken pattern by those that perished with these lies in their right hand.
III.We now at length come to the words which Amos saw concerning Israel.
The reproofs and threatenings having walked the round, here they centre, here they settle. He begins with them as with the rest: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; it all these nations must be punished for their iniquities, shall Israel go unpunished? Observe here what their sins were, for which God would reckon with them.
1.Perverting justice. This was the sin of those who were entrusted with the administration of justice, the judges and magistrates, and all parties concerned. They made nothing of selling a righteous man, and his righteous cause when it came to be tried before them, for a piece of silver; sentence was passed, not according to the merits of the cause, but the bribe always turned the scale, and judgment was set to sale by auction to the highest bidder. They would sell the life and livelihood of a poor man for a pair of shoes, for the least advantage to themselves that could be proposed to them; give them but a pair of shoes, and the cause of a poor man, who could not give them as much as that, should be betrayed, and left at the mercy of those that will have no mercy. They will rather play at small game that sit out. For a piece of bread such a man will transgress. Note, Those who will wrong their consciences for any thing will come at length to do it for next to nothing; those who begin to sell justice for silver will in time be so sordid as to see it for a pair of shoes, for a pair of old shoes.
2.Oppressing the poor, and seeking to benefit themselves by doing them a mischief: They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor; they swallow up the poor with the utmost greediness, and make a prey of those that are in sorrow with dust on their heads, poor orphans that are in mourning for their parents; they catch at them to get their estates into their hands; they never rest till they have got the heads of the poor in the dust, to be trodden on. Or, They pant after the dust of the earth, that is, silver and gold, white and yellow dust; they covet it earnestly, and levy it upon the head of the poor by their unjust exactions. Note, Men's seeking to enrich themselves by the impoverishing of others is a transgression which God will not long turn away the punishment of. This is turning aside the way of the meek, contriving to do injury to those who, they know, are mild and patient and will bear injury. They invade their rights, break their measures, and obstruct the course of justice in favour of them, not suffering them to go on with their righteous cause; this is turning aside their way. Note, The more patiently men bear injuries that are done them the greater is the sin of those that injure them, and the more occasion they have to expect that God will give them redress, and take vengeance for them. I, as a deaf man, heard not, and then thou wilt hear.
3.Abominable uncleanness, even incest itself, such as it not named among the Gentiles, that a man should have his father's wife (Co1 5:1), his father's concubine: A man and his father will go in unto the same young woman, as black an instance as any other of an unbounded promiscuous lust; and yet where the former iniquities of oppression and extortion are this also is found; for laws of modesty seldom hold those that have broken the bands of justice and cast away its cords from them. This wickedness is such a scandal to religion, and the profession of it, that those who are guilty of it are looked upon as designing thereby to profane God's holy name, and to render it odious among the heathen, as if he countenanced the villainies which those who pretend relation to him allow themselves in, and were altogether such a one as they.
4.Regaling themselves and yet pretending to honour their God with that which they had got by oppression and extortion, Amo 2:8. They add idolatry to their injustice, and then think to atone for their injustice with their idolatry.
(1.)They make merry with that which they have unjustly squeezed from the poor. They lay themselves down at ease, and in state, and stretch themselves upon clothes laid to pledge, which they ought to have restored the same night, according to the law, Deu 24:12, Deu 24:13. And they drink the wine of the condemned, of such as they have fined and laid heavy mulcts upon, spending that in sensuality which they have got by injustice.
(2.)They think to make atonement for this by feasting on the gains of oppression before their altars, and drinking this wine in the house of their God, in the temples where they worshipped their calves, as if they would make God a partner in their crimes by making him a partner of the profits of them - service good enough for false gods; but the true God will not thus be mocked; he has declared that he hates robbery for burnt-offerings, and cannot be served acceptably but with that which is got honestly.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Chapter 2, Verse 1 and following) Thus says the Lord: Concerning the three sins of Moab, and concerning four, I will not revoke my punishment, because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to ashes. And I will send fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth, and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And I will cut off the judge from the midst of her, and will slay all her princes with him, says the Lord. LXX: Thus says the Lord: Concerning the three impious acts of Moab, and concerning four, I will not turn away from them, because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to ashes. And I will send fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the foundations of its cities, and Moab shall die with affliction, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And I will cut off the judge from her, and will slay all her princes with him, says the Lord. Not only the sons of Ammon, but also Moab, was descended from Lot, who was the son of Abraham's brother. And in order to demonstrate that He is the Lord of all and that all souls belong to Him, who is their creator, He avenges the injustice of the king of Edom, indeed the crime that was perpetrated against him by the Moabites, that they burned his bones to ashes, and their cruelty and rage did not end even in death. The Hebrews tell that the bones of the king of Edom, who had gone up with the king of Israel, Joram, and the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, against Moab in revenge for a grievance, were later torn apart and burned by the Moabites (2 Kings 3). Therefore, they say, God declares that he will send fire upon Moab, or the capital city of the Moabites, from which the whole province is named, or the entire province, to devour the city of Carioth, which is the name of the city. Although the Seventy translated it as 'the cities of Moab', that is, Moab: and it will perish in the sound and wailing of the conquering army, of which one is called Saon in Hebrew, the other Therua; and in the blast of the trumpet or horn, for this is what Sophar means. And when Moab shall perish, the counsel of the princes and judges shall be in vain, with the cities and leaders being overthrown. However, it is necessary to transfer the perfect captivity, or Solomon's, and conclude it in Edom, so that it may make them humble and earthly from the high and heavenly, as Gaza and Tyre are said to have done. Thus, we should not burn the bones of the king of Edom and dissolve them into ash and dust. The Jews transfer spiritual understanding into Edomite flesh, and weaken and diminish the royal sense, which is found in scripture and is most solid and firm, with certain genealogies and unnecessary traditions, reducing it to dust. And it is not only they who do this, but all heretics who want to sit God on a high and elevated throne in a human likeness, and to place feet on the ground so that they do not hang; to have a nose to smell the fragrance of good scent, eyes to see, hands to work, feet to walk, ears to hear, a mouth to speak, teeth to chew food. He who reads that Judah went in to Thamar the harlot and from her begot two sons (Gen. XXXVIII): if he follows the disgraceful letter and does not ascend to the beauty of spiritual understanding, he will burn the bones of the king of Edom. He who thinks that Hosea took a harlot as a wife (Hosea I), and understands nothing more in the statement than what is contained in simple words, he will burn the bones of the king of Edom. And therefore the Lord will send fire into Moab, which is interpreted 'from the father,' because although he was indeed born from God, yet he has forsaken him. And it shall devour cities, or towns, because it is interpreted as Carioth. Hence Cariathiarim is translated into our language as the village of the woods. And Moab shall not die in any other way except in a clamor, and a noise, and a wailing, and the blast of the trumpet, so that they may be overwhelmed in their high senses, which are compared in holy books to the blasts of the trumpet. Then the judges and princes, and all those who are in charge of earthly works, are destroyed by the divine word, and the Church commands to the teachers: \"Climb up to a high mountain, you who preach Zion, lift up your voice, you who proclaim Jerusalem\" (Isaiah XL, 9).
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Summary
Amos 2:1 initiates the prophet's oracle against Moab, a neighboring nation to Israel, declaring God's unwavering judgment for a specific, abhorrent transgression. The verse highlights the cumulative nature of Moab's sin, signified by the numeric idiom "For three transgressions... and for four," indicating that their wickedness had reached a full and undeniable measure. The particular act condemned is the desecration of the bones of the king of Edom by burning them into lime, an act of extreme contempt that violated fundamental ancient Near Eastern norms regarding the dignity of the deceased, thereby warranting divine retribution from the sovereign LORD.
Context
Literary Context
Amos 2:1 is part of a meticulously structured series of oracles against the nations (Amos 1:3-2:16), which precedes the prophet's pronouncements against Judah and Israel. This section begins with Damascus (Amos 1:3-5), then moves geographically through Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and finally Moab, as seen in this verse. The recurring formula, "For three transgressions... and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof," serves as a literary device to link these judgments, emphasizing God's consistent and universal standard of justice. Each oracle culminates in a specific, egregious sin that transcends mere political or military conflict, demonstrating God's moral governance over all humanity, not just His covenant people. This particular judgment against Moab sets the stage for the subsequent, even more severe, condemnations of Judah and Israel, implying that if God judges pagan nations for their ethical failures, His own people, who possess His law, will face even greater accountability.
Historical & Cultural Context
Moab was a Transjordanian kingdom, east of the Dead Sea, with a long and often hostile relationship with Israel, dating back to the time of the Exodus (Numbers 22-24) and the Judges (Judges 3). Their rivalry with Edom, another neighboring kingdom to the south, was also well-documented. In the ancient Near East, the proper burial and preservation of human remains were profoundly important. Desecrating the dead was considered one of the most heinous acts, often reserved for the most despised enemies or as a sign of complete annihilation. Burning bones to "lime" (a process that reduces them to powder, making reburial impossible) was an act of ultimate contempt, designed to utterly erase the identity and honor of the deceased, denying them any peace in the afterlife and inflicting the greatest possible insult upon their lineage and kingdom. This act went beyond the accepted cruelties of warfare; it was a profound violation of universal human dignity, making it an offense against God's created order and His inherent moral law, even for those outside His covenant.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Amos. Foremost is the theme of Universal Divine Justice, asserting that God's moral authority extends over all nations, not just Israel. He holds all peoples accountable for their actions, particularly for violations of basic human decency and justice, as seen in His judgment against the nations. Another key theme is the Severity of Desecration and Inhumanity. The specific nature of Moab's sin—the burning of the Edomite king's bones—underscores God's abhorrence of extreme cruelty and the desecration of the dead, highlighting the sanctity of human life and dignity, even in death. Finally, the phrase "I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof" emphasizes the theme of Irrevocable Judgment. Once a nation's sin has reached its full measure, divine judgment becomes certain and unavoidable, demonstrating the consequences of unrepentant wickedness and the absolute nature of God's righteous decrees, a truth echoed in God's steadfastness.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "a revolt (national, moral or religious); rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass." This word denotes a deliberate act of rebellion or a breaking of a covenant or moral standard. It's not merely a mistake but an intentional crossing of a boundary, implying a defiant attitude towards divine or universal ethical norms. In Moab's case, it refers to their cumulative acts of rebellion against God's moral order.
A primitive root meaning "to be (causatively, set) on fire; (cause to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, [idiom] utterly." This verb emphasizes the destructive and consuming nature of the act. It implies a deliberate and thorough incineration, leaving nothing but ashes or residue, signifying the complete obliteration of the remains.
Meaning "a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame." In ancient cultures, bones represented the very essence of a person, their identity, and their continued existence in the afterlife. Their desecration was an assault on the individual's memory, honor, and lineage, and a profound act of disrespect.
Meaning "lime (as boiling when slacked); lime, plaister." Lime is produced by burning limestone at high temperatures, reducing it to a fine, white powder. To burn bones "into lime" means to reduce them to such a fine, indistinguishable powder that no trace of the original form remains, making reburial or recognition utterly impossible. This signifies the ultimate act of annihilation and contempt.
Verse Breakdown
"Thus saith the LORD;"
This opening phrase, a common prophetic formula, establishes the divine authority behind the message. It signifies that the following pronouncement is not merely Amos's opinion but a direct, authoritative word from YHWH (H3068, Yᵉhôvâh), the self-existent, covenant God of Israel, whose sovereignty extends over all nations. It underscores the certainty and inevitability of the judgment to follow.
"For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof;"
This clause employs a numerical proverb, "three... and for four," which is an idiom for a full, complete, and overflowing measure of sin. It doesn't mean exactly seven transgressions, but rather "not just a few, but so many that the limit has been reached and exceeded." The phrase "I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof" (H7725, shûwb) declares God's firm resolve; His judgment is now fixed and will not be revoked or averted due to the accumulated weight of Moab's offenses.
"because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:"
This final clause specifies the particular, egregious act that serves as the culminating "fourth" transgression, pushing Moab's sin past the point of no return. The burning of the Edomite king's bones (H6106, ʻetsem) into lime (H7875, sîyd) was an act of extreme desecration and contempt (H8313, sâraph). It was an ultimate insult, denying the deceased proper burial and erasing their identity, violating universally recognized norms of human dignity, even in warfare. This act, rather than an offense directly against Israel, highlights God's universal moral standard.
Literary Devices
Amos 2:1 employs several powerful Literary Devices. The most prominent is the Numerical Proverb or Ascending Parallelism in the phrase "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four." This idiomatic expression does not denote a precise count but signifies a complete and overflowing measure of sin, indicating that Moab's wickedness has reached its absolute limit, demanding immediate and unyielding divine judgment. This device builds anticipation and emphasizes the cumulative nature of their guilt. The description of burning bones "into lime" uses vivid Imagery that evokes the extreme nature of the desecration, painting a picture of utter annihilation and contempt. This act is also an example of Hyperbole, as it represents an extreme and shocking violation of ancient Near Eastern burial customs, designed to underscore the depth of Moab's depravity. The entire oracle functions as a Pronouncement of Judgment, a common prophetic genre, characterized by the authoritative "Thus saith the LORD" and a declaration of specific offenses leading to inevitable punishment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Amos 2:1 profoundly illustrates that God's justice is not confined to His covenant people, Israel, but extends universally to all nations. The specific condemnation of Moab for an act of extreme desecration against the dead king of Edom underscores that God's moral law transcends national boundaries and religious affiliations. He holds all humanity accountable for basic ethical conduct, especially regarding the sanctity of human dignity, even in death. This demonstrates God's character as a righteous and impartial judge who governs all the earth, enforcing a universal moral order that even pagan nations are expected to uphold. The severity of the punishment reflects the gravity of violating fundamental human decency, revealing that God's wrath is justly kindled against those who commit acts of wanton cruelty and contempt for life.
Reflection and Application
Amos 2:1 serves as a sobering reminder that God is deeply concerned with how all human beings treat one another, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or religious beliefs. The specific nature of Moab's sin—an act of extreme dehumanization and desecration—challenges us to reflect on our own attitudes and actions towards others, especially those we might consider "enemies" or "outsiders." It compels us to uphold the inherent dignity of every human being, recognizing that all are created in God's image, and that acts of cruelty, contempt, or desecration against anyone are ultimately offenses against God Himself. This verse calls us to cultivate compassion, justice, and respect for all, even in the midst of conflict or disagreement. It also underscores the principle that there are divine consequences for unrepentant wickedness and inhumane acts, both on a personal and societal level, urging us to pursue righteousness and to advocate for justice in our communities and the wider world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the phrase "For three transgressions... and for four"?
This is a poetic and idiomatic expression known as a numerical proverb or ascending parallelism, common in ancient Near Eastern literature, including the Bible. It does not mean exactly seven transgressions. Instead, it signifies a complete, overflowing, or excessive measure of sin. It implies that Moab's cumulative wickedness has not just reached a certain threshold ("three"), but has gone beyond it ("and for four"), reaching a point where divine judgment is no longer avoidable and is fully deserved. It emphasizes the certainty and finality of God's decision to punish, indicating that their moral account is full and running over. This literary device is also used for other nations in Amos 1.
Why was burning the bones of the king of Edom considered such a severe sin?
In the ancient Near East, proper burial and respect for the dead were paramount. Bones symbolized the essence of a person and their lineage, and their preservation was crucial for honor and peace in the afterlife. To burn the bones of a king "into lime" was an act of extreme desecration, designed to utterly obliterate the deceased's identity, deny them any possibility of reburial, and inflict the ultimate insult on their memory, family, and kingdom. This act went beyond the accepted cruelties of warfare; it was a profound violation of universal human dignity and moral standards, demonstrating a deep-seated contempt for humanity itself. God, as the Creator and upholder of moral order, condemned this act as a heinous offense against His inherent design for human dignity, regardless of the person's nationality or status as an enemy. It was an act of wanton cruelty that crossed a fundamental ethical boundary, making it an offense worthy of irrevocable divine judgment.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Amos 2:1, with its declaration of God's universal judgment against Moab for an act of extreme desecration, points forward to the ultimate and perfect justice embodied in Jesus Christ. While Amos reveals God's righteous wrath against sin and humanity's failure to uphold even basic moral standards, the New Testament reveals how God's justice is fully satisfied and His mercy extended through Christ. The severity of Moab's sin, demanding an unyielding judgment, foreshadows the absolute holiness of God and the depth of human sin that required the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the full measure of God's wrath against all human transgressions, including those acts of cruelty and injustice that violate human dignity. Through His crucifixion, Christ experienced the ultimate desecration and humiliation, yet by His resurrection, He conquered death and established a new covenant of grace. Furthermore, Christ is revealed as the appointed Judge of the living and the dead, assuring that His universal justice, as seen in Amos, will ultimately prevail. Every act of injustice, every violation of human dignity, will be brought before His throne, and He will render perfect judgment, while simultaneously offering redemption and reconciliation to all who turn to Him, fulfilling the promise of a kingdom where righteousness and peace will reign.