The Meaning of Amos 2:1 Explained

Amos 2:1

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of his burning the bones of the king of Edom to lime,

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  For three  transgressions  of Moab,  and for four,  I will not turn away  [the punishment] thereof; because he burned  the bones  of the king  of Edom  into lime: 

What does Amos 2:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Amos 2:1-5 - 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 2

1  God's judgments upon Moab,
4  upon Judah,
6  and upon Israel
9  God complains of their ingratitude

What do the individual words in Amos 2:1 mean?

Thus says Yahweh for three transgressions of Moab for four not I will turn away its [punishment] because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְעַל־ אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־ שָׂרְפ֛וֹ עַצְמ֥וֹת מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֱד֖וֹם לַשִּֽׂיד

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.
מוֹאָ֔ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
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.
שָׂרְפ֛וֹ  he  burned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂרַף  
Sense: to burn.
עַצְמ֥וֹת  the  bones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  of  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֱד֖וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
לַשִּֽׂיד  to  lime 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סִיד 
Sense: lime, whitewash.