Amos 1 4

Amos 1:4 kjv

But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

Amos 1:4 nkjv

But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad.

Amos 1:4 niv

I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.

Amos 1:4 esv

So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.

Amos 1:4 nlt

So I will send down fire on King Hazael's palace,
and the fortresses of King Ben-hadad will be destroyed.

Amos 1 verses

Amos 1 4 Meaning

God declares an absolute and devastating judgment, metaphorically depicted as "fire," upon the dynasty and kingdom of Aram (Syria), specifically targeting the line of Hazael and the opulent strongholds of its capital, Damascus, symbolized by the "palaces of Ben-hadad." This signifies the divine retribution for Aram's extensive wickedness, marking the beginning of a series of pronouncements demonstrating God's sovereign authority over all nations.

Amos 1 4 Context

Amos 1:4 is the second verse in a series of eight "oracles against the nations" (Amos 1:3–2:16), which set the stage for Amos's main prophecies against the northern kingdom of Israel. This particular oracle targets Aram (Syria), with its capital Damascus. Historically, Aram under kings like Hazael and his son Ben-hadad had been a relentless oppressor of Israel, brutally assaulting and conquering territories. By beginning with judgment upon the surrounding Gentile nations, God, through Amos, firmly establishes His universal sovereignty, demonstrating that His moral laws and judgments apply to all peoples, not just Israel. This also prepares the audience to understand that if nations who do not possess the Law are judged, Israel, with whom God had a covenant, faces an even stricter reckoning.

Amos 1 4 Word analysis

• But I will send: Hebrew: וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי (ve·shillakh·ti). This emphasizes divine initiative. Yahweh is the active agent and orchestrator of the impending destruction, not merely human armies. It highlights God's sovereignty over history and nations.
• a fire: Hebrew: אֵשׁ (esh). A powerful biblical metaphor for divine wrath, judgment, purification, and absolute destruction. It suggests an unstoppable, consuming force that leaves nothing untouched.
• upon the house of Hazael: Hebrew: בֵּית חֲזָאֵל (beit Khaza'el). "House" denotes the dynasty, the ruling family, and by extension, the entire kingdom of Aram-Damascus. Hazael was a historical king of Aram known for his brutality and oppression of Israel (2 Kgs 8, 10, 13). The judgment is therefore aimed at the core of their political power and the line of succession that engaged in cruelty.
• which shall devour: Hebrew: אָכְלָה (akhĕlah). Means to consume entirely, to eat up, to utterly destroy. It stresses the comprehensive and complete nature of the judgment, that the "fire" will leave nothing viable behind.
• the palaces of Ben-hadad: Hebrew: אַרְמְנוֹת בֶּן־הֲדָד (armĕnot ben-Hadad). "Palaces" represent the seat of power, the royal wealth, luxury, and authority of the Aramaic kingdom, particularly in its capital, Damascus. Ben-hadad was a dynastic title for Aramaean kings. While Hazael murdered Ben-hadad II and was succeeded by Ben-hadad III, the mention of "palaces of Ben-hadad" here collectively signifies the royal institutions, pride, and strongholds of the Aramaic kingdom centered in Damascus, the enduring symbol of Aram's power.

• "But I will send a fire... which shall devour": This phrase underlines God's direct, personal, and absolute agency in executing judgment. It is not a passive observation but an active, destructive intervention by the Almighty.
• "the house of Hazael... the palaces of Ben-hadad": These two phrases collectively pinpoint the specific target: the entire political and royal structure of Aram-Damascus. It emphasizes that judgment will fall upon both the rulers (Hazael's line) and the symbols of their power, wealth, and national identity (Damascus's palaces), which often represented their pride and the source of their oppression.

Amos 1 4 Bonus section

• The phrase "For three transgressions... and for four" preceding this verse (in Amos 1:3) is a literary device, an increasing numerical proverb that signifies an overflow or completion of sin, past the point of return, necessitating inevitable divine judgment. Amos 1:4 then provides the specific execution of that judgment against Damascus.
• Historically, the destruction of Damascus prophesied here was largely fulfilled by the Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III, who conquered and devastated the city in 732 BC (as noted in 2 Kgs 16:9). While not necessarily a literal fire in every structure, the prophecy speaks of utter ruination, which the Assyrian conquest brought upon Damascus, dismantling its power and glory.
• The very specific naming of historical figures like Hazael and Ben-hadad grounds the prophecy in the political realities of the 8th century BC, showing that God's word is precise and His intervention in human affairs is tangible.

Amos 1 4 Commentary

Amos 1:4 unequivocally proclaims God's decisive and destructive judgment on Aram, represented by its dynastic power (Hazael's house) and its opulent capital (Ben-hadad's palaces). This oracle, delivered by Yahweh, uses "fire" as a powerful metaphor for total consumption, illustrating that no stronghold or oppressive power is beyond divine reckoning. It serves as a profound demonstration of God's universal sovereignty, establishing that He judges nations outside the covenant for their cruelty and injustice, thereby laying the groundwork for Israel to grasp the gravity of their own impending judgment. It underscores that the Lord is the true King of all creation, actively involved in the moral governance of humanity, ensuring that wickedness, particularly oppression and violence, will not go unpunished.