Amos 1:3

Thus saith the Lord. Before dealing with Israel, Amos pronounces judgment upon neighboring heathen nations because of their persecution of God’s people. If the heathen deserve punishment, Israel, with much greater light, cannot escape.

Three transgressions. See also vs. 6, 9, 11, 13; ch. 2:1,4, 6. The numbers need not be taken literally, as denoting a particular number of offenses in each case. They are used to signify a great number, the four being added for good measure (see on Job 5:19; 33:29; Eccl. 11:2). The mode of enumeration was an ancient poetic device found also in the Canaanite literature of Ugarit. The following is an example from Ugaritic: “Baal hates two sacrifices, yea three, the rider of the clouds, the sacrifice of shame and the sacrifice of baseness, and the sacrifice of the abuse of handmaids.”

Presumably, “three transgressions” were sufficient to prove intentional and incurable wrongdoing. But the nations mentioned in chs. 1 and 2 had all exceeded even this limit. Persistent sin results in cumulative guilt. God bears long with the wicked, but finally they cross the line of His forbearance.

Damascus. This city was the capital of a strong Syrian kingdom, and representative of all Syria. It was beautiful in location, prosperous, and well fortified, one of the oldest cities in the world. Since Rezin rose against Solomon (1 Kings 11:23-25) and seized Damascus, which had been tributary to David (2 Sam. 8:5, 6), Damascus was periodically at enmity with Israel. This resulted in spasmodic warfare between the two (see 1 Kings 15:16-20; 20; 22; 2 Kings 7; 10:32; 12:17, 18; 13:3-5). Jeroboam II, of Israel, in whose reign Amos carried on his ministry, again defeated Damascus and put it under tribute (2 Kings 14:28).

Gilead. The highland grazing ground east of the Jordan. The name here denotes all the country east of the Jordan that was given to Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh (see Joshua 22:1-4, 9).

Threshing instruments. Sledges or carts made of heavy planks fastened together, underneath which sharp stones or iron points were inserted. Weighted down with a heavy stone or with the driver, these instruments were drawn by oxen over the grain (see Isa. 28:27; 41:15). In the LXX the last clause of Amos 1:3 reads: “Because they sawed with iron saws the women with child of the Galaadites” (see 2 Kings 8:12).