Amos 2 1

Amos 2:1 kjv

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

Amos 2:1 nkjv

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.

Amos 2:1 niv

This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent. Because he burned to ashes the bones of Edom's king,

Amos 2:1 esv

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom.

Amos 2:1 nlt

This is what the LORD says: "The people of Moab have sinned again and again,
and I will not let them go unpunished!
They desecrated the bones of Edom's king,
burning them to ashes.

Amos 2 verses

Amos 2 1 Meaning

The Lord declares an irreversible judgment against Moab because of an atrocious act: they desecrated the remains of the king of Edom by burning his bones into lime. This specific sin, which transcends the typical brutality of warfare, exemplifies an egregious violation of basic human decency and universally recognized principles regarding the deceased, solidifying Moab's full measure of guilt and rendering divine punishment inevitable.

Amos 2 1 Context

Amos 2:1 is part of a prophetic judgment speech series delivered by the prophet Amos (chapters 1-2). This section condemns various surrounding nations for their transgressions before turning the focus to Judah and Israel. Each oracle begins with the formula "Thus says the LORD: 'For three transgressions... and for four, I will not revoke the punishment...'" This formula, using a numerical proverb, signifies a cumulative and overflowing measure of sin that has exhausted divine patience, making the impending judgment certain and irreversible.

Historically, Moab was a Transjordanian kingdom, frequently at odds with Israel, despite their shared ancestry through Lot. The specific sin detailed in 2:1—the burning of the Edomite king's bones to lime—is particularly heinous. While specific historical accounts for this event are scarce, it represents an ultimate act of hatred and dehumanization. In the ancient Near East, respectful burial was paramount; to desecrate the remains of even a defeated enemy, especially a king, was an unparalleled act of barbarity that violated widely accepted (though often brutal) conventions of warfare and decency. Some scholars link this possibly to the incident in 2 Kings 3:26-27 where the king of Moab sacrificed his own son to repel the combined forces of Israel, Judah, and Edom, but the act in Amos is distinctly specified as the desecration of an Edomite king's remains, highlighting Moab's exceptional cruelty and disdain for human dignity, even in death.

Amos 2 1 Word analysis

• Thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar YHWH): This is the standard prophetic messenger formula, signifying that the following words are not human opinions but direct pronouncements from God, carrying ultimate authority and truth. It emphasizes divine revelation and the unshakeable certainty of the judgment.
• For three transgressions (עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה פִּשְׁעֵי - 'al shəloshah pish'e ): "Transgressions" (pesha') here denotes a rebellion, a willful act of breaking covenant or divine/moral law. The number "three" acts as a rhetorical device indicating sufficiency or completeness of their sins.
• of Moab (מוֹאָב - Mo'av): Moab was a descendant of Lot (Gen 19:37), and an enduring enemy of Israel. Their history included enmity, idolatry (Baal of Peor), and antagonism against God's people. This highlights that judgment falls on all nations, even those related, for their sins.
• and for four (וְעַל אַרְבָּעָה - wə'al 'arba'ah): The numerical progression "three, and for four" is a well-known Hebrew idiom (found also in Proverbs), signifying not a literal count but rather a completed, overflowing, or utterly exhausted measure. It indicates that the culminating, unpardonable sin has pushed Moab's wickedness beyond the point of return.
• I will not revoke (וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ - wəlo' ashîvennū): Lit. "I will not turn it back" or "I will not avert it." This underscores the finality and irreversibility of the divine judgment once pronounced. God's patience is at an end, and His decree will certainly be executed.
• because (עַל כֵּן - 'al ken): This phrase connects the accumulated sin to its specific, defining action that brings about the final judgment. It provides the precise reason for the unrevoked punishment.
• he burned (שָׂרַף - sāraf): This verb means to "burn," typically to ashes. In the context of bodies or bones, it denotes complete destruction or deep desecration. Israelite tradition usually involved burial, not cremation, except for extreme cases like purifying something utterly detestable or in punitive judgment.
• the bones (עַצְמוֹת - 'atzmōth): Bones are the lasting physical remnant of a person after death, holding cultural and symbolic significance. Their desecration was an ultimate insult, striking at the dignity and memory of the deceased.
• of the king of Edom (מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם - melekh 'Ědōm): Edom was a neighboring kingdom, descendants of Esau (Jacob's brother). While also an enemy of Israel, the act against their king (even in death) indicates an extraordinary level of contempt and cruelty, surpassing ordinary acts of war.
• into lime (לַשִּׂיד - lassîdh): "Lime" or "quicklime" (calcium oxide) is produced by intensely burning limestone. Applying this term to burnt bones signifies that they were not merely burnt, but reduced to powder, to dust—utterly annihilated and removed from any state resembling human remains. It's an act of ultimate malice and dehumanization, preventing any proper burial or remembrance.

• "three transgressions... and for four": This common literary device in prophetic oracles indicates a complete measure of sin has been filled. It's not a quantitative tally but an intensive declaration of abundant guilt. It highlights divine patience that reached its limit.
• "burned the bones... into lime": This phrase encapsulates an act of extreme barbarity and deep hatred. It goes beyond merely killing an enemy to posthumously dishonor and obliterate their remains. In ancient cultures, where respectful burial was crucial for the soul's rest and communal memory, this act was profoundly shocking and a violation of universal norms of decency, even between enemies. It signifies absolute contempt.

Amos 2 1 Bonus section

• The emphasis on the highly specific, non-religiously charged nature of Moab's crime—desecration of human remains—sets it apart from the more generalized sins of other nations mentioned in Amos 1 (e.g., selling captives, breaking treaties). This specificity highlights the particularly abhorrent nature of this transgression in God's eyes, illustrating that universal moral laws concerning human dignity are divinely instituted.
• While some scholars ponder if this act relates to the Moabite King Mesha's infamous sacrifice of his son in 2 Kings 3, the detail of "burning bones into lime" strongly points to an act of extreme posthumous desecration rather than a battlefield human sacrifice. It's an act of vengeful, total annihilation of a defeated enemy's memory and remains.
• The absence of clear extra-biblical historical records for this specific incident might imply that Amos's message relies on an act well-known to his contemporary audience, or that it is so characteristic of Moab's inherent brutality that it typifies their worst offenses. The universal outcry such an act would elicit emphasizes Moab's moral corruption.

Amos 2 1 Commentary

Amos 2:1 powerfully demonstrates God's moral governance over all nations, holding even those outside His explicit covenant with Israel accountable for universal standards of justice and decency. Moab's specific sin, the reduction of the Edomite king's bones to lime, stands out not just as an act of war, but as one of exceptional cruelty and sacrilege. It violated what was, even in a brutal ancient world, a widely held understanding of respect for the deceased, transcending conventional military engagements. The divine declaration "I will not revoke the punishment" signals the irreversibility of judgment when sin has accumulated to its "three and four" fullness, leaving no room for leniency. This highlights that God judges not only for direct offenses against Himself or His people but also for barbaric actions that betray fundamental human dignity and morality. This unique atrocity reflects the deep depravity that could fill a nation's cup of iniquity.