The Meaning of Amos 1:13 Explained

Amos 1:13

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their ripping up the pregnant ones of Gilead, To enlarge their border,

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because they ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  For three  transgressions  of the children  of Ammon,  and for four,  I will not turn away  [the punishment] thereof; because they have ripped up  the women with child  of Gilead,  that they might enlarge  their border: 

What does Amos 1:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Amos 1:11-15 - Judah Shall Be Judged Also
Edom was Esau; that is, the people were closely akin to Israel; perhaps for that very reason the hatred on either side became more and more inveterate from the days of the Exodus to the siege and fall of Jerusalem, Psalms 137:7-8. Teman and Bozrah were principal cities, the first being named after Esau's grandson, Genesis 36:11. Isaiah, in after years, saw the warrior Angel of Jehovah coming up from Edom to the foothills of Palestine, his garments stained with the blood of the foe whom he had overthrown, Isaiah 63:1. Thus Jesus Christ has overcome our foes, and now stands sentry between us and them.
Rabbah was the capital city of Ammon. The strife between the citizens and the Chosen People smoldered from the days of Saul, flaming out from time to time in terrible intensity. Moab-the terrible act referred to here was probably associated with 2 Kings 3:27. Alas that, in the divine vengeance, Judah should be associated with these heathen peoples! The indictment is not for sins against man, but for those committed against God. We are judged by the greater light and the higher standards that we possess. The fire here threatened was the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldeans, who have their modern counterparts. Man is often used by the Almighty for the chastening and purifying of his fellows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 1

1  The time when Amos prophesied
3  He shows God's judgment upon Syria,
6  upon the Philistines,
9  upon Tyrus,
11  upon Edom,
13  upon Ammon

What do the individual words in Amos 1:13 mean?

Thus says Yahweh for three transgressions of the sons of Ammon for four not I will turn away its [punishment] because they ripped open the pregnant women in Gilead that they might enlarge - their territory
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־ עַמּ֔וֹן וְעַל־ אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־ בִּקְעָם֙ הָר֣וֹת הַגִּלְעָ֔ד לְמַ֖עַן הַרְחִ֥יב אֶת־ גְּבוּלָֽם

כֹּ֚ה  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שְׁלֹשָׁה֙  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
פִּשְׁעֵ֣י  transgressions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
בְנֵֽי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמּ֔וֹן  of  Ammon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּון  
Sense: a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi.
אַרְבָּעָ֖ה  four 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ  I  will  turn  away  its  [punishment] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בִּקְעָם֙  they  ripped  open 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּקַע  
Sense: to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear.
הָר֣וֹת  the  pregnant  women  in 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural construct
Root: הָרֶה 
Sense: pregnant.
הַגִּלְעָ֔ד  Gilead 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.
לְמַ֖עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
הַרְחִ֥יב  they  might  enlarge 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: רָחַב  
Sense: to be or grow wide, be or grow large.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
גְּבוּלָֽם  their  territory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.