Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because he pursued his brother with the sword While he corrupted his compassion; And his anger also tore continually, And he kept his wrath forever.
Amos 1:9 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because they delivered up the whole community of exiles to Edom And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
Amos 1:10 So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre, And it will consume her citadels.”
Amos 1:11 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because he pursued his brother with the sword While he corrupted his compassion; And his anger also tore continually, And he kept his wrath forever.
Amos 1:12 So I will send fire upon Teman, And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”
Amos 1:13 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead In order to enlarge their borders.
The verse centers on "transgressions", "thus", "says", "yahweh", "three", "edom", "four", and "turn". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "transgressions" and "thus", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 10's "So I will send fire upon the..." into verse 12's "So I will send fire upon Teman...", so "transgressions" and "thus" belong inside that flow. In Amos context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "transgressions" and "thus" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.