The big picture
Amos 1 opens in verse 1 with “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 8 with “And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from…”, and closes in verse 15 with “And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD .” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, turn, devour, fire, palaces. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Amos · King James Version · 15Amos 1:1-8
1–8: The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw…
Amos 1:1–8 opens with “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the…” and reaches “And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Amos 1 develops its own movement around LORD, turn, devour, fire, palaces, with particular weight carried by LORD, turn, captivity.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Amos 1:1-8
King James Version1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
3Thus 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:
4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD .
6Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD .
Amos 1:9-15
9–15: Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I…
Amos 1:9–15 opens with “Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the…” and reaches “And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD .” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Amos 1 develops its own movement around LORD, turn, devour, fire, palaces, with particular weight carried by LORD, devour, fire.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Amos 1:9-15
King James Version9Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
11Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus 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:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Amos 1:1 begins with “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the…”
Where the chapter turns
Amos 1:7 forms a natural hinge: “But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:”
The final note
Amos 1:15 leaves the reader with “And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD .”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, turn, devour, fire, palaces, punishment help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.