S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The phrase "for three sins . . . even for four" is a common phrase in Amos (1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6). Used a total of eight times in the book, these words play a special role in the way Amos c...

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July 01 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Adam Johns Supporter

I'm not an expert in numerology, nor do I put a lot of confidence in the certainty of that study, but I like numbers, and I think more often than not, the meanings of numbers can teach us something in certain situations... 

That said, I've heard, read and seen in Scripture that the number 3 relates to divinity and # 4 can relate to things that are earthly, so one of the things that Amos' phrase triggered in my mind was the phrase Moses used in Deuteronomy 30:19 "Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make." 

I personally believe that the depth of Scripture allows for more than one application or meaning at times, and I believe that using Scripture to interpret Scripture is the best way to find these other potential meanings/applications. 

There is danger anytime Scripture is used for "private interpretation" as Peter clearly explained was not supposed to happen (2 Peter 1:20), so we must look at these passages in Amos and ask, where else in Scripture can we look to gain more understanding. I personally think Deuteronomy 30 is one place we can look!

September 15 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Billy P Eldred Supporter

I am not an expert in sayings in Biblical times so all I can offer is an opinion. 

I read this passage as more than one or two. Or as three or more. We live in a different culture and deal with large numbers almost daily. I don't believe that would apply to his time. Something simple we can understand as a substitute when there is no exact translation available is a good aid in helping to understand the meaning.

August 31 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Paul Gerardi Supporter Engineer, Student of the Word - living and written

We don't have to get into numerology to understand this repeated statement in Amos.
Amos is delivering an indictment from God against the (now divided) nation of Israel. This is a legal process, and requires witness and testimony. God's Law was codified for the people of Israel, and delivered through Moses. This is where we discover the rules concerning witnesses: "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established."(Deuteronomy 19:15)

In Jewish Law and tradition, two witnesses was the minimum that could establish a testimony of wrongdoing, three witnesses was a testimony that was sure, and if there were more witnesses, well then the matter was incontestable.

God delivers His indictment through the prophet Amos with the idiom "for three transgressions and for four", which in a more modern English vernacular would be "there are the requisite amount of testimonies to be a sure indictment, and even if you would seek to excuse one of those testimonies...there are more we can bring forward."

July 25 2018 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report