Amos 2:4 kjv
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
Amos 2:4 nkjv
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the LORD, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, Lies which their fathers followed.
Amos 2:4 niv
This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not relent. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed,
Amos 2:4 esv
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.
Amos 2:4 nlt
This is what the LORD says: "The people of Judah have sinned again and again,
and I will not let them go unpunished!
They have rejected the instruction of the LORD,
refusing to obey his decrees.
They have been led astray by the same lies
that deceived their ancestors.
Amos 2 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 2:4 | "Thus says the Lord: 'For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment...' " | Amos 2:4 |
| Jeremiah 8:8 | "'How can you say, "We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us"?' Behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it a lie." | Jer 8:8 |
| Romans 1:21-23 | "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened..." | Rom 1:21-23 |
| Romans 1:25 | "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..." | Rom 1:25 |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and surliness as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." | 1 Sam 15:23 |
| Deuteronomy 30:19 | "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live," | Deut 30:19 |
| Isaiah 44:20 | "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has turned him aside, so that he cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'" | Isa 44:20 |
| Jeremiah 2:27 | "Who says to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You have given me birth’?" | Jer 2:27 |
| Ezekiel 13:3 | "Thus says the Lord God: 'Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!'" | Ezek 13:3 |
| Matthew 15:14 | "Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit." | Matt 15:14 |
| Acts 14:15 | "...why do you turn to these things that are of no use and are powerless under the heavens? Turn from these vain things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them." | Acts 14:15 |
| 2 Peter 2:1-3 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." | 2 Pet 2:1-3 |
| John 8:44 | "You are of your father the devil, and your heart’s desire is to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks out of his own things, for he is a liar and the father of lies." | John 8:44 |
| Jeremiah 6:16 | "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’'" | Jer 6:16 |
| Psalm 119:104 | "I get understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every false way." | Ps 119:104 |
| Psalm 119:128 | "Therefore I consider all your precepts concerning everything to be right, and I hate every false way." | Ps 119:128 |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 | "...with all False deceivableness for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, so that they may believe the lie..." | 2 Thess 2:10-12 |
| Revelation 21:8 | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." | Rev 21:8 |
Amos 2 verses
Amos 2 4 Meaning
The Lord declares that Judah, like other nations, will be judged for its transgressions. Specifically, they have rejected the Law of the Lord and chosen to follow lies that have led them astray. This rejection of divine instruction and pursuit of falsehood will result in their destruction.
Amos 2 4 Context
Amos, a shepherd from Judah, was called by God to prophesy against the northern kingdom of Israel. However, in chapter 2, Amos begins to pronounce judgment not only on the surrounding nations but also on his own people, Judah, and then Israel. This verse addresses Judah, setting the stage for a broader indictment against both kingdoms. The people of Judah, like their neighbors, have strayed from God's covenant and have chosen their own ways over His revealed will. The historical and cultural context involves a period of relative prosperity and stability, which often leads to spiritual complacency and deviation from the Law.
Amos 2 4 Word Analysis
כֹּ֤ה (ko): "Thus" or "So." This introduces a declarative statement, conveying authority.
אָמַר֙ (amar): "says." A common verb indicating speech, often used for divine pronouncements.
יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH): "the LORD." The covenant name of God, emphasizing His relationship with Israel.
עַל־ (al): "for," "concerning," or "upon." Indicates the reason or subject of the declaration.
שָׁלֹשׁ֙ (shalosh): "three."
פִּשְׁעֵ֣י (fish'ei): "transgressions" or "rebellions." The plural form of pasha, signifying deliberate acts of defiance.
יְהוּדָ֔ה (Yehudah): "Judah." The southern kingdom of Israel.
וְעַל־ (v'al): "and for." Connects the previous transgression count to the next.
אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (arba'ah): "four." The use of "three" and "four" signifies not just a few but a complete measure of wickedness, implying a persistent pattern of sin that is beyond count.
לֹ֥א (lo): "not."
אָשִׁיבֶ֛נּוּ (ashivenu): "I will turn it back" or "I will reverse it." Refers to not withholding judgment or punishment.
שְׁבֹ֖ו (shevo): "its return" or "its repentance." From the root shuv, meaning to turn. Implies God will not turn away the judgment because there has been no turning back (repentance) from their sin.
עַל־ (al): "because of" or "on account of."
דְּבָרָ֣יו (divrav): "its doings" or "its deeds."
כִּֽי־ (ki): "because" or "for." Introduces the reason for the unwithdrawn judgment.
חָרְפ֥וּ (charfu): "they have scorned," "they have rejected," or "they have profaned." From charaph, indicating contempt and disregard.
אֶת־ (et): A direct object marker.
תּוֹרַ֥ת (Torat): "the Law" or "the instruction." The written and revealed will of God.
יְהוָֽה (YHWH): "the LORD."
וַֽ֭יִּמְאָס֔וּ (vaim'asu): "and they have despised" or "and they have rejected." From ma'as, denoting contemptuous rejection, often with active opposition.
חֻקָּ֖יו (chuqav): "His statutes" or "His ordinances." His prescribed laws and commands.
וַֽ֭יִּֽהְי֥וּ (vaihiyu): "and they were" or "and they have become."
בַּדַּ֣ים (badim): "lies." From bad, meaning falsehood or vanity, indicating the worthless or deceptive things they pursued.
אֲשֶׁר־ (asher): "which" or "that."
אֲבֹתָ֤ם (avotam): "their fathers." Refers to the ancestral traditions and ways of sin passed down.
קָֽנ֥וּ (qanu): "acquired" or "gotten." They actively pursued and adopted these lies.
Grouped Analysis: The phrase "three transgressions... and for four" conveys complete and accumulated sin, similar to expressions like "how many times have I..." suggesting repeated and incorrigible offenses. The core of their sin is "rejected the Law of the LORD" (charfu et-Torat YHWH) and "despised His statutes" (vaim'asu chuqav), which leads them to follow "lies" (badim) that their fathers acquired. This highlights a lineage of apostasy and the willful embrace of falsehood over divine truth.
Amos 2 4 Bonus Section
The repetition of "three and four" is a Semitic idiom signifying a full measure of sin, suggesting not merely a few offenses but a complete cycle or pattern of transgression. This structure appears elsewhere in Amos (e.g., Amos 1:3) and Proverbs (e.g., Prov 30:18-19), reinforcing the idea of persistent and unrepentant wickedness. The "lies" that Judah follows can be interpreted as idolatry, syncretism, or any false system of belief and practice that deviates from God's revealed Word. This verse emphasizes that even covenant people are subject to judgment when they abandon God's law for the sake of transient or deceptive ways, a theme strongly echoed in the New Testament concerning false teachings and rejecting Christ.
Amos 2 4 Commentary
Judah's sin is presented as a deliberate turning away from God's covenant Law. This rejection isn't a passive neglect but an active contempt and scorn for His statutes. Consequently, they are led astray by lies, which are the deceptive paths and false ideologies that their ancestors had also pursued. This spiritual infidelity, characterized by the abandonment of divine truth for man-made illusions, warrants God's unalterable judgment. The consequence is that God will not "turn back" the punishment, signifying an irrevocable sentence for their persistent defiance and pursuit of falsehood.