Discovery BoxAmos 1:13 
Context1:13 This is what the Lord says:
“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes 1 –
make that four! 2 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 3
They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women 4
so they could expand their territory.
Amos 2:8
Context2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;
they do so right 5 beside every altar!
They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;
they do so right in the temple 6 of their God! 7
Amos 3:14
Context3:14 “Certainly when 8 I punish Israel for their 9 covenant transgressions, 10
I will destroy 11 Bethel’s 12 altars.
The horns 13 of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
Amos 7:8
Context7:8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “Tin.” The sovereign One then said,
“Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel.
I will no longer overlook their sin. 14
Amos 8:2
Context8:2 He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I replied, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end 15 has come for my people Israel! I will no longer overlook their sins. 16
Amos 9:4
Context9:4 Even when their enemies drive them into captivity, 17
from there 18 I will command the sword to kill them.
I will not let them out of my sight;
they will experience disaster, not prosperity.” 19
1 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
2 tn Heb “Because of three violations of the Ammonites, even because of four.”
On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.
3 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
4 sn The Ammonites ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women in conjunction with a military invasion designed to expand their territory. Such atrocities, although repugnant, were not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern warfare.
5 tn The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.
6 tn Heb “house.”
7 tn Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. NAB, NIV, NLT), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. NASB, NRSV).
8 tn Heb “in the day.”
9 tn Heb “his.” With the referent “Israel” here, this amounts to a collective singular.
10 tn Traditionally, “transgressions, sins,” but see the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3.
11 tn Heb “punish” (so NASB, NRSV).
12 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
13 sn The horns of an ancient altar projected upwards from the four corners and resembled an animal’s horns in appearance. Fugitives could seek asylum by grabbing hold of these corners (see Exod 21:14; 1 Kgs 1:50; 2:28). When the altar’s horns were cut off, there would be no place of asylum left for the
14 tn Heb “And I will no longer pass over him.”
15 tn There is a wordplay here. The Hebrew word קֵץ (qets, “end”) sounds like קָיִץ (qayits, “summer fruit”). The summer fruit arrived toward the end of Israel’s agricultural year; Israel’s national existence was similarly at an end.
16 tn Heb “I will no longer pass over him.”
17 tn Heb “Even if they go into captivity before their enemies.”
18 tn Or perhaps simply, “there,” if the מ (mem) prefixed to the adverb is dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem).
19 tn Heb “I will set my eye on them for disaster, not good.”
