Reference

Amos 2:6

Literal FulfillmentPunishment LanguageProphets & Social JusticeProphetic Methods of Communication
“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;”
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:

5

But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

6

Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

7

That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:

8

And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Literal Fulfillment
Keyword Match
80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Punishment Language
Keyword Match
100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Prophets & Social Justice
Keyword Match
95% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Prophetic Methods of Communication
Keyword Match
70% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Literal Fulfillment

While the verse describes specific actions, the "three transgressions... and for four" is a literary device indicating numerous offenses, not a literal count, which could be interpreted as a more general indictment rather than a precise, literal fulfillment of a specific number of transgressions.

Punishment Language

The verse explicitly states "I will not turn away the punishment thereof," directly using language of divine judgment and punishment, leaving no room for an argument that it does not support the theme.

Prophets & Social Justice

The verse describes God's judgment on Israel for specific actions, but does not explicitly state that a prophet is speaking on behalf of the poor or confronting unjust systems; it is God directly declaring the punishment.

Prophetic Methods of Communication

The verse describes a message being delivered ("Thus saith the Lord") but does not detail the method by which that message was received by the prophet Amos, such as a dream, vision, or audible voice.

Literal Fulfillment
Literal Fulfillment

Cross-References

Amos 8:6Thematic

“That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?”

Amos 1:3Thematic

“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:”

Amos 5:12Thematic

“For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.”

Revelation 18:13Thematic

“And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.”

Joel 3:3Thematic

“And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.”

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Thematic Connections

Literal FulfillmentPunishment LanguageProphets & Social JusticeProphetic Methods of Communication

Private Study Note