Amos 1:3 Thus said the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof… We be many ways guilty of cruelty. 1. If we exercise tyrannous cruelty, in inflicting punishments. 2. If we fight with or beat our neighbour, or maim his body. This is a breach of the sixth commandment. 3. If we procure any way the death of our neighbour, whether it be by sword, famine, poison, false accusation, or otherwise. 4. If we use any of God's creatures hardly. 5. If because of our neighbours' infirmities, we use him discourteously, and make him our laughingstock or taunting recreation. 6. If we injure a stranger. 7. If we molest any widow, or fatherless children. 8. If we wrong the poor. This we may do — (1) If we lend money to the poor upon usury. (2) If we pay not the poor labourer his hire. (3) If we restore not the pledge of the poor. (4) If we withdraw our corn from the poor. (Sebastian Benefield, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: |
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