Amos 1:11
in Amos 1This 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
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This verse in Amos 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verse(Ver. 11 and following) Thus says the Lord: For three crimes of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke my judgment; Because he pursued his brother with the sword, and violated all pity, and his anger tore at them constantly, and he kept his wrath to the end. I will send fire into Teman, and it will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.
This site's exposition
For three transgressions of Edom
on Amos 1:11-12
Edom's charge is family betrayal named as such, he did pursue his brother with the sword, the brother being Jacob, Edom's own ancestor Esau's kin, and did cast off all pity. His anger did tear perpetually and he kept his wrath for ever describes not a single act but a settled national temperament, a grudge nursed across generations rather than a war ended and forgiven. Fire falls on Teman and Bozrah, Edom's chief cities, and the bench sets this oracle beside Obadiah's whole burden as the fuller statement of the same charge against the same brother nation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
In all places the Scriptures call Esau cunning and crafty, and one who layeth up anger, and keepeth wrath, as it is said, "He keepeth his anger for ever, and he layeth up his wrath for ever and ever."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom,.... Or the Edomites, the posterity of Esau, whose name was Edom, so called from the red pottage he sold his birthright for to his brother Jacob: and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; See Gill on Amo 1:
Edom was so; his malice destroyed his compassion (so the word is); he stripped himself of the tenderness of a man, and put on the fierceness of a beast of prey; and, as such a one, he did tear, his anger did tear perpetually. His cruelty was insatiable, and he never knew when he had sucked enough of the blood of Israel, but, like the horse-leech, still cried, Give, give.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Edom - God had impressed on Israel its relation of brotherhood to Edom. Moses expressed it to Edom himself , and, after the suspicious refusal of Edom to allow Israel to march on the highway through his territory, he speaks as kindly of him, as before; “And when we passed by from our brethren, the children of Esau” Deu 2:8. It was the unkindness of worldly politics, and was forgiven.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Mal 1:2). cast off all pity--literally, "destroy compassions," that is, did suppress all the natural feeling of pity for a brother in distress. his wrath for ever--As Esau kept up his grudge against Jacob, for having twice supplanted him, namely, as to the birthright and the blessing (Ge 27:41), so Esau's posterity against Israel (Nu 20:14, 21).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
For three transgressions of Edom - That the Edomites (notwithstanding what Calmet observes above of the brotherly covenant) were always implacable enemies of the Jews, is well known; but most probably that which the prophet has in view was the part they took in distressing the Jews when Jerusalem was besieged, and finally taken, by the Chaldeans. See Oba 1:11-14; Eze 25:12; Eze 35:5; Psa 137:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
for pursuing their brother with a sword —As it is said: (Num.:18) “Lest I go forth against you with the sword.” And he still clings to his anger, keeps his wrath, and has not retracted it.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
the palaces of Bozrah —It is between Moab and Edom, and it belonged to the land of Moab, but it was attracted to Edom.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֚ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| פִּשְׁעֵ֣י | pishei | <the> transgressions of | H6588 → | 93 times |
| אֱד֔וֹם | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַרְבָּעָ֖ה | ʾarbaah | four | H702 → | 318 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ | ʾashivenu | I will revoke it | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | because | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רָדְפ֨וֹ | radefo | pursued he | H7291 → | |
| בַחֶ֤רֶב | vacherev | with the sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
| אָחִיו֙ | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | |
| וְשִׁחֵ֣ת | veshichet | and he spoiled | H7843 → | |
| רַחֲמָ֔יו | rachamav | compassion<s> his | H7356 → | |
| וַיִּטְרֹ֤ף | vaiyitrof | and it tore | H2963 → | |
| לָעַד֙ | laad | for ever | H5703 → | |
| אַפּ֔וֹ | ʾapo | anger his | H639 → | |
| וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ | veevrato | and fury his | H5678 → | |
| שְׁמָ֥רָה | shemarah | he kept it | H8104 → | |
| נֶֽצַח׃ | netzach | perpetuity | H5331 → |
כֹּ֚הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁלֹשָׁה֙three
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
פִּשְׁעֵ֣י<the> transgressions of
pisheiH6588 →93 times
אֱד֔וֹםEdom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
אַרְבָּעָ֖הfour
ʾarbaahH702 →318 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּI will revoke it
ʾashivenuH7725 →1056 times
עַל־because
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רָדְפ֨וֹpursued he
radefoH7291 →
בַחֶ֤רֶבwith the sword
vacherevH2719 →413 times
אָחִיו֙brother his
ʾachivH251 →
וְשִׁחֵ֣תand he spoiled
veshichetH7843 →
רַחֲמָ֔יוcompassion<s> his
rachamavH7356 →
וַיִּטְרֹ֤ףand it tore
vaiyitrofH2963 →
לָעַד֙for ever
laadH5703 →
אַפּ֔וֹanger his
ʾapoH639 →
וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹand fury his
veevratoH5678 →
שְׁמָ֥רָהhe kept it
shemarahH8104 →
נֶֽצַח׃perpetuity
netzachH5331 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Malachi 1:4Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 25:14
I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the…
- Ezekiel 35:9
I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
- Lamentations 3:37
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Isaiah 9:9–10
All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
- Ezekiel 25:14
Through
Joel 3:19Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desert wasteland, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
it leads to
- Isaiah 19:1–15
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will…
- Zechariah 14:18–19
And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter in, then the rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who…
- Jeremiah 51:35
May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” says the dweller of Zion. “May my blood be on the dwellers of Chaldea,” says Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 19:1–15
Through
2 Chronicles 28:17The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.
it leads to
- Obadiah 1:10
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever.
- Obadiah 1:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Amos
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Amos; John Calvin, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity.