Amos 2:4

4 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 LORDand have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods,[a]the gods[b] their ancestors followed,

Amos 2:4 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
4 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:
English Standard Version (ESV)
4 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.
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 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.
The Message Bible (MSG)
4 God's Message: "Because of the three great sins of Judah - make that four - I'm not putting up with them any longer. They rejected God's revelation, refused to keep my commands. But they swallowed the same old lies that got their ancestors onto dead-end roads.
American Standard Version (ASV)
4 Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers did walk:
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
4 This is what the LORD says: Because Judah has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Judah have rejected the LORD's Teachings and haven't kept his laws. They have been led astray by false teachings, the same ones their ancestors followed.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
4 The Lord says: I will not relent from punishing Judah for three crimes, even four, because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept His statutes. The lies that their ancestors followed have led them astray.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
4 The LORD says, "The people of Judah have sinned again and again. So I will punish them. They have refused to obey my law. They have not kept my rules. Other gods have led them down the wrong path. Their people before them worshiped those gods.

Amos 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 2:4

Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Judah
With whom Benjamin must be joined; for the two tribes are meant as distinct from the ten tribes, under the name of Israel, following. The prophet proceeds from the Heathens round about to the people of God themselves, for the ill usage of whom chiefly the above nations are threatened with ruin, lest they should promise themselves impunity in sin; though, if they rightly considered things, they could not expect it; since, if the Heathens, ignorant of the will of God, and his law, were punished for their sins, then much more those who knew it, and did it not, ( Luke 12:47 ) ; and he begins with Judah, partly because he was of that tribe, lest he should be charged with flattery and partiality, and partly because of the order of his prophecy, which being chiefly concerned with Israel, it was proper that what he had to say to Judah should be delivered first: and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof;
the prophet retains the same form as in his prophecies against the Heathen nations; his own people, and God's professing people, being guilty of numerous transgressions, as well as they, and more aggravated than theirs; (See Gill on Amos 1:3); because they have despised the law of the Lord;
a law so holy, just, and good, and so righteous, as no other nation had; and yet was not only not observed, but contemned: other nations sinned against the light of nature, and are not charged with breaches of the law of God, which was not given them; but these people had it, yet lightly esteemed it; counted it as a strange thing; walked not according to it, but cast it away from them; which was a great affront to the sovereignty of God, and a trampling upon his legislative power and authority: and have not kept his commandments;
or "statutes" F16; the ordinances of the ceremonial law, which he appointed them to observe for the honour of his name, as parts of his worship; and to lead them into the designs of his grace and salvation by the Messiah: and their lies caused them to err;
either, their idols, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; which are lying vanities, and deceive, and by which they were made to err from the pure worship of the living and true God to superstition and idolatry; or the words of the false prophets, as Kimchi; the false doctrines their taught, contrary to the word of God, directing them to seek for life by their own works; and promising them peace, when destruction was at hand; and daubing with untempered mortar; and as no lie is of the truth, but against it, so one untruth leads on to another: after the which their fathers have walked;
after which lies, idols, and errors, as in Ur of the Chaldees, in Egypt, in the wilderness, and even in later times: this was no excuse to them that they followed the way of their ancestors, but rather an aggravation of their guilt, that they imitated them, took no warning by them; but filled up the measure of their iniquities, and showed themselves to be a seed of evildoers, a generation of wicked men, the sons of rebellious parents.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wyqx) "statuta ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius

Amos 2:4 In-Context

2 I will send fire on Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.
3 I will destroy her ruler and kill all her officials with him,” says the LORD.
4 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 LORDand have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods,the gods their ancestors followed,
5 I will send fire on Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”
6 This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.

Cross References 6

  • 1. 2 Kings 17:19; Hosea 12:2
  • 2. S Jeremiah 6:19
  • 3. S Ezekiel 20:24
  • 4. Isaiah 9:16
  • 5. S Exodus 34:15; S Deuteronomy 31:20; S Psalms 4:2; Isaiah 28:15
  • 6. S 2 Kings 22:13; S Jeremiah 9:14; S Jeremiah 16:12

Footnotes 2

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