Amos 1 | “On Account of … Three Crimes and on Account of the Fourth, I Will Not Forgive Them”

Amos is likely the earliest of the Twelve Prophets (alongside Hoshe’a), as he prophesies during the reign of Uziya, king of Yehuda, and Yerovam, king of Israel. This was a time of political and economic prosperity in both Yehuda and Israel. Against this backdrop of flourishing stability, Amos arrives.

Sefer Amos opens with a series of brief prophecies against the nations. These prophecies follow a distinct pattern: “So says the Lord: On account of -----’s three crimes and on account of the fourth, I will not forgive them” The fourth transgression is seen as the one that seals the nation’s fate. The pattern of "three and four" appears elsewhere in Tanakh, where the first three elements establish repetition, and the fourth delivers the decisive blow.

What is the purpose of these prophecies against the nations? At first glance, their historical context is unclear: Amos is prophesying to a nation in a time of prosperity, not a period of vulnerability to neighboring threats. Why, then, does the book open with these prophecies? Rav Beni Lau (in his book שמונה נביאים, pp. 40–42) explains that Amos' role as a prophet to Israel is particularly challenging: he arrives as a prophet from Yehuda to the kingdom of Israel and must deliver a harsh rebuke to a self-assured society thriving in its success.

By beginning with rebuke of foreign nations — who had recently caused hardships for Israel — Amos immediately gains the people's sympathy and attention. When Amos stands in the public square and proclaims the sins of Damascus or Tyre, the people gather around him enthusiastically — these prophecies serve their interests. However, as he continues, within this same series of eagerly received prophecies, he delivers the final two rebukes — directed at Yehuda and Israel themselves. This appears to be Amos' true aim: the prophecies against the nations serve as a prelude to his critiques of Judah and Israel. The crowd, initially excited by the prophet’s words, suddenly realizes that the rebuke is aimed at them.

Moreover, the connection between the prophecies against the nations and those against Israel is evident in their content as well. Sefer Amos primarily focuses on social injustices. Even the prophecies in Chapter 1 do not condemn the nations for offenses against God but rather for unethical human behavior. For example: “They handed over an entire group of exiles to Edom and did not remember the brotherly covenant” (1:9). From the outset, Amos underscores his rebuke of violations of basic human decency.

Elad Spiegel, in his article published in עלון שבות, demonstrates that Sefer Amos may be structured entirely around the "three and four" pattern. For example, the structure of Chapters 1–2 not only employs this pattern within each individual prophecy but also follows a broader, dual-layered structure: among the six nations first mentioned, three are Yehuda’s enemies, followed by a prophecy about Yehuda, while three are Israel’s enemies, followed by a prophecy about Israel. Elad continues his analysis of the book through the lens of this pattern, and you are encouraged to explore his insights throughout your study of Amos.