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Atlas of Saints

Amos

Chapter 1 · Douay–Rheims / Challoner

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Chapter I · Location 1 of 9

Chapter 1 · Open to read

From Amos · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)

Which offenses accompany the five nations’ sentences?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom and Ammon receive repeated accusations and threatened fire or captivity.

Chapter breakdown

Amos, among Thecua's herdsmen, sees words concerning Israel under Ozias of Juda and Jeroboam, Joas's son, two years before an earthquake. The edition reports a common link with Ozias's incense attempt but argues chronology requires an earlier earthquake, because Jeroboam had died before that attempt. God roars from Sion and Jerusalem; shepherds' beautiful places mourn and Carmel's summit withers.

For three crimes and four, Damascus is not spared, having thrashed Galaad with iron wains. The note explains many unrepented crimes and refusal to turn aside punishment. Fire devours Azael's and Benadad's houses, Damascus's bar breaks, inhabitants of the idol plain and the pleasure-house ruler are cut off, and Syria's people go to Cyrene. Gaza's entire captivity shut into Edom receives fire on its wall and houses; Azotus's inhabitant and Ascalon's ruler are cut off, God's hand turns on Accaron and the remaining Philistines perish. Tyre's entire captivity in Edom and forgotten covenant of brethren receive fire on its wall and houses.

Edom pursued his brother by sword, cast off pity and retained fury and wrath. Fire strikes Theman and Bosra's houses. Ammon ripped open Galaad's pregnant women to enlarge its border; Rabba's wall and houses burn amid battle shouting and a whirlwind. Melchom and his princes enter captivity. The note identifies Melchom as the Ammonite idol, Moloch or Melech, explaining king and their king. The repeated formula is not a numerical threshold or a universal timetable guaranteeing irreversibility after a fourth offense.

The story inside

The earthquake chronology is an edition argument. The numerical formula is explained as many unrepented crimes. Melchom’s alternative names and title are explained separately.

Lessons worth keeping

  1. 1
    The earthquake chronology is an edition argument.
  2. 2
    The numerical formula is explained as many unrepented crimes.
  3. 3
    Melchom’s alternative names and title are explained separately.

Test your recall

Why is Ammon accused of attacking pregnant women?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

  1. Lines 100442–100445

    1:1. The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Thecua: which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Ozias king of Juda, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joas king of Israel two years before the earthquake.
  2. Lines 100458–100459

    1:3. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Damascus, and for four I will not convert it: because they have thrashed Galaad with iron wains.
  3. Lines 100485–100487

    1:9. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Tyre, and for four I will not convert it: because they have shut up an entire captivity in Edom, and have not remembered the covenant of brethren.
  4. Lines 100500–100502

    1:13. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of the children of Ammon, and for four I will not convert him: because he hath ripped up the women with child of Galaad to enlarge his border.

Location: chapter 1 of 9 · 11%

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