Amos 1:11 · Bible study
Amos 1:11 Commentary: Edom's Pursuit of His Brother
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
In Amos 1:11, God condemns Edom for unrelenting violence and anger against brother Israel, showing that family bonds intensify guilt and invite
Research Summary
- Meaning: God judges Edom for persistent, unbrotherly violence and anger, leading to irreversible judgment.
- Key words: רָדַף (pursued), שִׁחֵת רַחֲמָיו (destroyed his compassions), טָרַף (tore), שָׁמַר נֶצַח (kept forever).
- Main debate: Whether Edom’s sin primarily refers to the fall of Jerusalem (Obadiah) or to a centuries-long hostility culminating in Amos’s day.
- Theological theme: Sin against covenant family invites severe judgment; anger nourished over time is incompatible with God’s holiness.
- Best use: A warning against hated and unforgiveness, especially within the believing community, pointing to the need for reconciliation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of Edom, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity, and his anger raged continually, and he kept his wrath forever;
KJV King James Version 1769
Thus 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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, yea, 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of his pursuing with a sword his brother, And he hath destroyed his mercies, And tear perpetually doth his anger, And his wrath--he hath kept it for ever,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke its sentence; because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity; and his anger did tear continually, and he kept his wrath for ever.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Edom, and for four I will not convert him: because he hath pursued his brother with the sword, and hath carried on his fury, and hath kept his wrath to the end.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Así ha dicho Jehová: Por tres pecados de Edom, y por el cuarto, no desviaré su castigo; porque persiguió á cuchillo á su hermano, y rompió sus conmiseraciones; y con su furor le ha robado siempre, y ha perpetuamente guardado el enojo.
Assim diz o SENHOR: Por três transgressões de Edom, e pela quarta, não desviarei seu castigo ; porque perseguiu seu irmão à espada, e extinguiu suas misericórdias; e sua ira o despedaçou continuamente, e mantém sua indignação eternamente.
Ainsi parle l’ Éternel:
So spricht der HERR: Um drei und vier Frevel willen Edoms will ich sein nicht schonen, darum daß er seinen Bruder mit dem Schwert verfolgt hat und daß er alles Erbarmen von sich getan und immer wütet in seinem Zorn und seinem Grimm ewig hält;
Alzo zegt de HEERE: Om drie overtredingen van Edom, en om vier zal Ik dat niet afwenden; omdat hij zijn broederen met het zwaard heeft vervolgd, en zijn barmhartigheden verdorven; en dat zijn toorn eeuwiglijk verscheurt, en hij zijn verbolgenheid altoos behoudt.
Così parla l’Eterno: Per tre misfatti d’Edom, anzi per quattro, io non revocherò la mia sentenza. Perché ha inseguito il suo fratello con la spada, soffocando ogni compassione, e perché la sua ira dilania sempre, ed egli serba la sua collera in perpetuo,
Tak mówi Pan: Dla trzech występków Edoma, owszem, dla czterech, nie przepuszczę mu, przeto, że zepsowawszy w sobie wszelaką litość swoję prześladuje mieczem brata swego, a gniewem swym ustawicznie pała, owszem, zapalczywość jego rozsila się bez przestania;
Так говорит Господь: за три преступления Едома и за четыре не пощажу его, потому что он преследовал брата своего мечом, подавил чувства родства, свирепствовал постоянно во гневе своем и всегда сохранял ярость свою.
耶和華 如此 說：以東 三番 四次 地犯罪，我必不 免去她的刑罰；因為 她拿刀 追趕 兄弟，毫無 憐憫，發怒 撕裂，永 懷 忿怒。
These are the words of the Lord: For three crimes of Edom, and for four, I will not let its fate be changed; because his sword was turned against his brother, without pity, and his wrath was burning at all times, and he was angry for ever.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Amos 1:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Edom's transgression centers on its unrelenting hostility toward Israel, its brother nation. Barnes notes that God had impressed on Israel the relation of brotherhood to Edom, yet Edom responded with constant enmity. Calvin highlights the aggravation due to common descent from Isaac; the crime was more atrocious because Edom shared the covenant sign of circumcision. The Cambridge Bible observes that the verb pursued (רָדַף) and the phrase cast off all pity (שִׁחֵת רַחֲמָיו) indicate a deliberate suppression of natural compassion. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that Amos does not condemn specific acts but the implacable mortal hatred that broke out at every opportunity. The consensus is that God's judgment is irrevocable because Edom's anger was not temporary but kept forever (שָׁמַר נֶצַח), showing a settled refusal to forgive. Gill adds that even the transmission of wrath from father Esau to later generations shows the depth of the sin.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical event view: Edom's sin primarily refers to their actions at Jerusalem's fall (Obadiah 1:11-14; Psalm 137:7).
- Cumulative hostility view: The sin is a pattern from the wilderness (Numbers 20:14-21) through to the monarchy (2 Chronicles 28:17).
What is clear: Edom's unrelenting, brotherly hatred against Israel is the basis for God's irrevocable judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical occasion of Edom's sin | The sin is a pattern of violence, not a single event. Edom's hostility spanned centuries. | Some see the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) as the primary reference (Clarke, Cambridge); others point to the refusal of passage in the wilderness and later aggression (Barnes, Calvin). |
| Nature of the anger ('tear') | The anger was persistent and destructive, likened to a wild animal tearing prey. | Whether to read the verb as 'tore' (טָרַף) or, with a textual variant, 'retained' (יִטֹּר). The MT and most expositors favor 'tore' for vivid imagery; the variant would make the verse more parallel with 'kept his wrath.' |
| Meaning of 'I will not turn away its punishment' | The judgment is certain and final; God will not revoke it. | Whether this implies Edom had no chance to repent, or that their sin had simply filled the measure and the time for mercy was past. |
| Role of brotherhood | The brother relationship (Esau/Jacob) intensifies Edom's guilt. | Whether the emphasis falls on physical descent or on the covenant bond shared as circumcised nations (Calvin stresses the latter from sign of circumcision). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The relationship between Edom and Israel stretched back to the twins Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:24-26). Even before birth, conflict marked their bond, and Esau later planned to kill Jacob (Gen 27:41). When Israel left Egypt, Edom refused passage, threatening to come out with the sword (Num 20:14-21). Yet God commanded Israel not to abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother (Deut 23:7), and protected Edom's territory (Deut 2:4-5). Despite this, hostility continued. Barnes points to a conspiracy of Edom with other nations against Israel in the early monarchy (Ps 83:4-8). Calvin suggests that in Amos's day Edom joined alliances against Judah, possibly during the Syro-Ephraimite war (2 Chr 28:17). The precise event that triggered this oracle is debated, but many commentators (Clarke, Cambridge) point to Edom's role when Jerusalem fell to Babylon (Obad 1:11-14; Ps 137:7). The phrase 'for three transgressions... and for four' indicates that Edom's sin had reached its full measure. In the ancient Near East, attacking a brother nation violated the deepest bonds of kinship and covenant. Amos places this oracle among judgments against six other nations, building a case that God holds all nations accountable, especially those who share the family tie.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text reads וַיִּטְרֹף אַפּוֹ (vayyitrof appo, 'and his anger tore'). However, the Cambridge Bible notes that some scholars, supported by the Peshitta and Vulgate, suggest reading וַיִּטֹּר ('and he retained'), which would create a parallel with 'he kept his wrath' in the next line. Keil and Delitzsch defend the MT reading, seeing the tearing as a vivid image of rage ravaging like a beast of prey (cf. Job 16:9). The consulted sources note no other significant textual variants.
Reception History
Calvin (16th century) used this verse to show that God is a severe judge against those who abuse the bonds of kinship and covenant. Matthew Henry (17th century) viewed Edom as an example of those who 'keep their wrath for ever,' warning that such sin invites divine fire. In Wesley's notes, the anger is described as 'tearing like a lion.' Across Protestant and Catholic traditions, the verse has often been read during penitential seasons as a reminder of God's demand for mercy and the danger of nursing grudges. Jewish exegetes historically linked the verse to Esau's enduring hatred and the prophetic oracles against Edom.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Crime: Pursuing a brother with the sword and stifling compassion (v. 11a).
- The Character: Anger that tears perpetually and wrath kept forever (v. 11b).
- The Consequence: Fire on Teman and Bozrah, God’s judgment falls (v. 12).
Five-point outline
- The bond violated: 'His brother', a relationship meant to produce love, not hatred.
- The weapon chosen: 'The sword', violence pursued as a strategy.
- The heart hardened: 'Cast off all pity', destroying the natural instinct for mercy.
- The emotion unleashed: 'His anger did tear perpetually', fury that acts like a wild animal.
- The treasure kept: 'He kept his wrath for ever', grudges deliberately retained and nursed.
Illustration hooks
- A family feud over inheritance that has lasted for years: every gathering reignites old accusations, and no one can remember how it started.
- Two neighbours in a long-standing land dispute: each side remembers every slight, and offers of peace are met with suspicion.
- In a workplace, a manager holds a grudge against an employee who once contradicted them, passing over that person for promotion year after year.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know when my anger has crossed into sin?
- If God judged Edom for not forgiving, does He expect me to forgive someone who continues to hurt me?
- What does it look like to live as a brother or sister with someone who has wronged me deeply?
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to examine our own attitudes toward those who have wronged us, especially within the family of faith. Edom’s sin was not a single outburst but a settled pattern. The discussion questions below move from observation to interpretation to application.
Discussion questions
- What specific actions of Edom does the oracle describe? List each phrase from verse 11.
- Why does the prophet repeat the formula 'for three transgressions... and for four'? What does it communicate about the seriousness of the sin?
- The word 'brother' appears several times. How does that word shape the meaning of the passage?
- What does it mean to 'cast off all pity'? Is that a feeling or a deliberate choice?
- How is Edom’s anger described? What do the Hebrew verbs convey about its intensity and duration?
- In what ways might Christians today show a spirit similar to Edom’s within the church?
- What does this passage teach about God’s character regarding justice and patience?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 27:40 | You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.” |
| Genesis 27:41 | Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.” |
| Numbers 20:14 | Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “Your brother Israel says: You know all the travail that has happened to us; |
| Numbers 20:21 | Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him. |
| Deuteronomy 2:4 | Command the people, saying, ‘You are to pass through the border of your brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful. |
| Deuteronomy 2:8 | So we passed by from our brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion Geber. We turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. |
| Deuteronomy 23:7 | You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land. |
| II Chronicles 28:17 | For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the reference to three transgressions relates to Edom’s help in attacking Jerusalem when it was captured by the Chaldeans. This understanding is supported by other Scripture passages.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that Israel’s wars against Edom were purely defensive, not aggressive. He stresses that God forbade Israel from taking any Edomite land, and that Edom repeatedly attacked or conspired against Israel. Israel only restrained Edom, like holding a wild beast in a cage, to prevent further harm.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees the use of singular number for Jacob to show Edom’s crime was especially extreme as if two brothers were fighting each other. This makes their hatred toward their own kin appear even more brutal than usual.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that Edom’s anger toward Israel was constant rather than temporary. He kept this wrath alive in his heart planning revenge instead of letting it fade.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight Edom's unforgiving, relentless cruelty against their brother Israel. Their anger was not a passing burst but a permanent disposition: his fury "spoiled him evermore" and his wrath "watched him alway," a deliberate, vigilant hatred. For this unceasing brutality, God declares he will not relent from judgment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Edom’s hatred for Israel began with Esau and remained in his descendants for generations. They showed no compassion toward their brothers and vented their anger violently.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes Edom’s anger comes from a deep family feud because they share the same parents. They also destroy any natural pity for Israel. Christians who hold this view see God punishing them for their own actions that match their fathers’ sins.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch stress that Amos condemns Edom not for one particular crime but for a sustained, merciless hatred toward its own brother nation Israel. Edom smothers all compassion, lets its anger tear destructively, and nurses its wrath without end.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights how Amos builds his judgments in a circling storm pattern: the prophet lets Israel hear God's wrath against surrounding nations first, only to turn suddenly and apply the same verdict to them. The "for three transgressions and for four" language means the sins are countless, not limited to a set number. The point is that even God's chosen people cannot escape when they violate basic moral law.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Edom’s punishment comes because it pursued its brother with a sword without any pity. This shows that lasting anger destroys a nation forever.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that the enemy's pursuit was not random but calculated: they watched constantly for any opportunity to oppress Israel. The tearing action is compared to a fierce ravenous lion, emphasizing brutal, merciless destruction rather than mere harassment.