Amos 2
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
For three transgressions of Moab and for four - See an explanation of this form Amo 1:2. The land of the Moabites lay to the east of the Dead Sea. For the origin of this people, see Gen 19:37. He burned the bones on the king of Edom into lime - Possibly referring to some brutality; such as opening the grave of one of the Idumean kings, and calcining his bones. It is supposed by some to refer to the fact mentioned Kg2 3:26, when the kings of Judah, Israel, and Idumea, joined together to destroy Moab. The king of it, despairing to save his city, took seven hundred men, and made a desperate sortie on the quarter where the king of Edom was; and, though not successful, took prisoner the son of the king of Edom; and, on their return into the city, offered him as a burnt-offering upon the wall, so as to terrify the besieging armies, and cause them to raise the siege. Others understand the son that was sacrificed to be the king of Moab's own son.
Open source ↗CHARGES AGAINST MOAB, JUDAH, AND LASTLY ISRAEL, THE CHIEF SUBJECT OF AMOS' PROPHECIES. (Amos 2:1-16) burned . . . bones of . . . king of Edom into lime--When Jehoram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom, combined against Mesha king of Moab, the latter failing in battle to break through to the king of Edom, took the oldest son of the latter and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall (Kg2 3:27) [MICHAELIS]. Thus, "king of Edom" is taken as the heir to the throne of Edom. But "his son" is rather the king of Moab's own son, whom the father offered to Molech [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 9.3]. Thus the reference here in Amos is not to that fact, but to the revenge which probably the king of Moab took on the king of Edom, when the forces of Israel and Judah had retired after their successful campaign against Moab, leaving Edom without allies. The Hebrew tradition is that Moab in revenge tore from their grave and burned the bones of the king of Edom, the ally of Jehoram and Jehoshaphat, who was already buried. Probably the "burning of the bones" means, "he burned the king of Edom alive, reducing his very bones to lime" [MAURER].
Open source ↗Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Moab,.... Or the Moabites, who descended from the eldest son of Lot, by one of his daughters; and, though related, were great enemies to the Israelites; they sent for Balaam to curse them when on their borders, and greatly oppressed them in the times of the judges: and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; See Gill on Amo 1:3. Idolatry, as well as the sin next charged, must be one of these four transgressions: the idols of Moab were Chemosh and Baalpeor; of the former See Gill on Jer 48:7; and of the latter See Gill on Hos 9:10; because he burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime; either like "to lime", or "for lime"; he burnt them thoroughly, till they came to powder as small and as white as lime, and used them instead of it to plaster the walls of his palace, by way of contempt, as the Targum; and so Jarchi and Kimchi: this is thought probable by Quinquarboreus (m), for which he is blamed by Sanctius, who observes, there is no foundation for it in Scripture; and that the ashes of the bones of one man would not be sufficient to plaster a wall; and, besides, could never be brought to such a consistence as to be fit for such a purpose; yet, if it only means bare burning them, so as that they became like lime, as the colour of it, it could not be thought so very barbarous and inhuman, since it was the usage of some nations, especially the Romans, to burn their dead: no doubt something shocking is intended, and which usage to the dead is resented by the Lord. Sir Paul Rycaut (n) relates a piece of barbarity similar to this, that the city of Philadelphia was built with the bones of the besieged, by the prince that took it by storm. Kimchi thinks, as other interpreters also do, that it refers to the histo…
Open source ↗Moab. - Amo 2:1. "Thus saith Jehovah: for three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I shall not reverse it, because it has burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime, Amo 2:2. I send fire into Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kirioth, and Moab will perish in the tumult, in the war-cry, in the trumpet-blast. Amo 2:3. And I cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and all its princes do I strangle with it, saith Jehovah." The burning of the bones of the king of Edom is not burning while he was still alive, but the burning of the corpse into lime, i.e., so completely that the bones turned into powder like lime (D. Kimchi), to cool his wrath still further upon the dead man (cf. Kg2 23:16). This is the only thing blamed, not his having put him to death. No record has been preserved of this event in the historical books of the Old Testament; but it was no doubt connected with the war referred to in 2 Kings 3, which Joram of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah waged against the Moabites in company with the king of Edom; so that the Jewish tradition found in Jerome, viz., that after this war the Moabites dug up the bones of the king of Edom from the grace, and heaped insults upon them by burning them to ashes, is apparently not without foundation. As Amos in the case of all the other nations has mentioned only crimes that were committed against the covenant nation, the one with which the Moabites are charged must have been in some way associated with either Israel or Judah, that is to say, it must have been committed upon a king of Edom, who was a vassal of Judah, and therefore not very long after this war, since the Edomites shook off their dependence upon Judah in less than ten years from that time (Kg2 8:20). As a punishment for this, Moab was to be laid waste by t…
Open source ↗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 o…
Open source ↗2:1 desecrated the bones: In some past skirmish, the Moabites had captured Edom’s king. Cremation was considered a form of desecration; if the ashes (literally lime) of the king were used in plaster, the insult would be compounded.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice פֶּשַׁע (peshaʻ, H6588) — a revolt (national, moral or religious) מוֹאָב (Môwʼâb, H4124) — Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants אַרְבַּע (ʼarbaʻ, H702) — four שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… שָׂרַף (sâraph, H8313) — to be (causatively, set) on fire עֶצֶם (ʻetsem, H6106) — a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.)… מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king אֱדֹם (ʼĔdôm, H123) — Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him שִׂיד (sîyd, H7875) — lime (as boiling when slacked)
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) מוֹאָב (Môwʼâb, H4124) — Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) אַרְמוֹן (ʼarmôwn, H759) — a citadel (from its height) קְרִיּוֹת (Qᵉrîyôwth, H7152) — Kerioth, the name of two places in Palestine מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill שָׁאוֹן (shâʼôwn, H7588) — uproar (as of rushing); by implication, destruction תְּרוּעָה (tᵉrûwʻâh, H8643) — clamor, i.e. acclamation of joy or a battle-cry; especially clangorof trumpets, as an… קוֹל (qôwl, H6963) — a voice or sound שׁוֹפָר (shôwphâr, H7782) — a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn
Open source ↗כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to… שָׁפַט (shâphaṭ, H8199) — to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or… קֶרֶב (qereb, H7130) — properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial… הָרַג (hârag, H2026) — to smite with deadly intent שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice פֶּשַׁע (peshaʻ, H6588) — a revolt (national, moral or religious) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… אַרְבַּע (ʼarbaʻ, H702) — four שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… מָאַס (mâʼaç, H3988) — to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh, H8451) — a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) כָּזָב (kâzâb, H3577) — falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol) תָּעָה (tâʻâh, H8582) — to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both אַחַר (ʼachar, H310) — properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various…
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) אַרְמוֹן (ʼarmôwn, H759) — a citadel (from its height) יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice פֶּשַׁע (peshaʻ, H6588) — a revolt (national, moral or religious) יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity אַרְבַּע (ʼarbaʻ, H702) — four שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… מָכַר (mâkar, H4376) — to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or… צַדִּיק (tsaddîyq, H6662) — just כֶּסֶף (keçeph, H3701) — silver (from its pale color); by implication, money אֶבְיוֹן (ʼebyôwn, H34) — destitute נַעַל (naʻal, H5275) — properly, a sandal tongue; by extension a sandal or slipper (sometimes as a symbol of…
Open source ↗שָׁאַף (shâʼaph, H7602) — to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten עָפָר (ʻâphâr, H6083) — dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) רֹאשׁ (rôʼsh, H7218) — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of… דַּל (dal, H1800) — properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thin נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used… דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb עָנָו (ʻânâv, H6035) — depressed (figuratively), in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly) אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) נַעֲרָה (naʻărâh, H5291) — a girl (from infancy to adolescence) חָלַל (châlal, H2490) — properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane… קֹדֶשׁ (qôdesh, H6944) — a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
Open source ↗נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used… בֶּגֶד (beged, H899) — a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage חָבַל (châbal, H2254) — to wind tightly (as a rope), i.e. to bind; specifically, by a pledge; figuratively, to… אֵצֶל (ʼêtsel, H681) — a side; (as a preposition) near מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbêach, H4196) — an altar שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication עָנַשׁ (ʻânash, H6064) — properly, to urge; by implication, to inflict apenalty, specifically, to fine בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with…
Open source ↗שָׁמַד (shâmad, H8045) — to desolate אֱמֹרִי (ʼĔmôrîy, H567) — an Emorite, one of the Canaanitish tribes פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… גֹּבַהּ (gôbahh, H1363) — elation, grandeur, arrogance אֶרֶז (ʼerez, H730) — a cedar tree (from the tenacity of its roots) חָסֹן (châçôn, H2634) — powerful אַלּוֹן (ʼallôwn, H437) — {an oak or other strong tree} פְּרִי (pᵉrîy, H6529) — fruit (literally or figuratively) מַעַל (maʻal, H4605) — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from… שֶׁרֶשׁ (sheresh, H8328) — a root (literally or figuratively)
Open source ↗עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) אַרְבָּעִים (ʼarbâʻîym, H705) — forty שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time) מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… יָרַשׁ (yârash, H3423) — to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by… אֱמֹרִי (ʼĔmôrîy, H567) — an Emorite, one of the Canaanitish tribes
Open source ↗קוּם (qûwm, H6965) — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… נָבִיא (nâbîyʼ, H5030) — a prophet or (generally) inspired man בָּחוּר (bâchûwr, H970) — properly, selected, i.e. a youth (often collective) נָזִיר (nâzîyr, H5139) — separate, i.e. consecrated (as prince, a Nazirite); hence (figuratively from the latter)… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗נָזִיר (nâzîyr, H5139) — separate, i.e. consecrated (as prince, a Nazirite); hence (figuratively from the latter)… יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication שָׁקָה (shâqâh, H8248) — to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish apotion to צָוָה (tsâvâh, H6680) — (intensively) to constitute, enjoin נָבִיא (nâbîyʼ, H5030) — a prophet or (generally) inspired man אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) נָבָא (nâbâʼ, H5012) — to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
Open source ↗עוּק (ʻûwq, H5781) — to pack עֲגָלָה (ʻăgâlâh, H5699) — something revolving, i.e. a wheeled vehicle מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4392) — full (literally or figuratively) or filling (literally); also (concretely) fulness;… עָמִיר (ʻâmîyr, H5995) — a bunch of grain
Open source ↗מָנוֹס (mânôwç, H4498) — a retreat (literally or figuratively); abstractly, a fleeing אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) קַל (qal, H7031) — light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial) חָזָק (châzâq, H2389) — strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent) אָמַץ (ʼâmats, H553) — to be alert, physically (on foot) or mentally (in courage) כֹּחַ (kôach, H3581) — vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means,… גִּבּוֹר (gibbôwr, H1368) — powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant מָלַט (mâlaṭ, H4422) — properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness);… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in…
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Judah, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they reject the Law of the LORD and fail to keep His statutes; they are led astray by the lies in which their fathers walked.
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. But Moab will be trampled in his place as straw is trodden into the dung pile.
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.
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom and broke a covenant of brotherhood.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom.
So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.