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1 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Moab, and because of four, will I not turn it back,–Because he burned the bones of the King of Edom to lime, |
Moab – To the south. R3423:6
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2 Therefore will I send a fire into Moab, which shall devour the palaces of Kerioth–and Moab, shall die with tumult, with war-cry, with the sound of a horn; |
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3 And I will cut off the judge out of her midst, and, all her rulers, will I slay with him, saith Yahweh. |
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4 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Judah, and because of four, will I not turn it back,–Because they have rejected the law of Yahweh, and, his statutes, have not kept, but their falsehoods, have led them astray, after the which their fathers, did walk, |
For three transgressions – The basis of the Jewish Rabbis' teaching of forgiveness for three repented wrongs. R2665:3
Of Judah – To the south. R3423:6
And for four – Peter adds the three and the four, inquiring whether the Lord would have his followers forgive seven times. R2665:3
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5 Therefore will I send a fire upon Judah,–which shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
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6 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Israel, and because of four, will I not turn it back,–Because they have sold–for silver–the righteous, and the needy–for a pair of shoes: |
Transgressions of Israel – The ten-tribe kingdom, the center of the prophet's message. R3423:6, R2356:1
Having captured their attention with words descriptive of the troubles coming upon their surrounding enemies, the circle grew narrower; the weight of the prophet's message was especially against themselves, and they were indignant. R3423:6
The punishment – The denunciation of Israel occurs chiefly in chapters 3 to 6 and in chapter 7:9-17. R3423:6
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7 Who strive to bring the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and, the way of the oppressed, they pervert,–Yea, a man and his own father, go in unto the maid, to profane my holy Name! |
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8 And, on pledged garments, they recline, beside every altar,–and, exacted wine, do they drink, in the house of their God. |
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9 Yet it was, I, who destroyed the Amorite, from before them, whose height was, like the height of cedars, and, strong, was he, like the oaks,–but I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath. |
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10 And it was, I, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt,–and led you in the desert, forty years, to take possession of the land of the Amorites; |
Forty years – Prefiguring the 19 centuries of the Gospel age. R3079:3
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11 And I raised up, of your sons, for prophets, and, of your young men, for Nazirites,–Was it not even so, ye sons of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh; |
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12 And yet ye caused the Nazirites to drink wine,–and, on the prophet, laid ye command, saying, Ye shall not prophesy! |
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13 Lo! I, am pressed under you,–as a full cart is pressed by its sheaves, |
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14 Therefore shall flight, perish, from the swift, and, the mighty, shall not invigorate his strength,–nor shall, the hero, escape with his life; |
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15 Nor, he that handleth the bow, make a stand, and, the swift on his feet, shall not escape,–nor, he that rideth on a horse, escape with his life: |
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16 Nay, he that is stout in his heart, among heroes, naked, shall flee, in that day, Declareth Yahweh. |
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