Amos 1:6 (LSB)

Passage

Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because they took away into exile the whole community of exiles To deliver it up to Edom.

Nearby Context

Amos 1:4 So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael, And it will consume the citadels of Ben‑hadad.

Amos 1:5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus And cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven And him who holds the scepter from Beth‑eden; So the people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” Says Yahweh.

Amos 1:6 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not turn back its punishment Because they took away into exile the whole community of exiles To deliver it up to Edom.

Amos 1:7 So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza, And it will consume her citadels.

Amos 1:8 I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod And him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will even turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” Says Lord Yahweh.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "transgressions", "thus", "says", "yahweh", "three", "gaza", "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 5's "I will also break the gate bar..." into verse 7's "So I will send fire upon the...", 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.