Bible Strands
Amos 1:6
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Amos delivers a divine oracle from Yahweh against the Philistine city of Gaza, positioned between judgments against Damascus and the continuation of Gaza’s destruction.
The words — כֹּ֚ה (koh) literally means "thus," marking the oracle as a direct divine declaration, while פִּשְׁעֵ֣י (pish.'Ei) denotes "transgressions" or willful rebellions against established boundaries.
The thread — The structural pattern of judging a nation for repeated offenses appears again in Amos 1:11 concerning Edom, while the historical reality of Philistine raids matches the account in 2 Chronicles 28:18.
Why it lands — The text states Yahweh will not revoke judgment because Gaza exiled a population and delivered them to Edom, requiring the reader to acknowledge that sovereign justice operates independently of human political arrangements.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 28:18 The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.
- Amos 1:11 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.
- Obadiah 1:11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them.
- 1 Samuel 6:17 As a guilt offering to the LORD, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
- Amos 1:9 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.
- Isaiah 14:29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.
- Jeremiah 47:4 For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
- Ezekiel 35:5 Because you harbored an ancient hatred and delivered the Israelites over to the sword in the time of their disaster at the final stage of their punishment,
- Joel 3:6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland.
- Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.