Amos 4:11

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הָפַ֣כְתִּי בָכֶ֗ם כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֤ת אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־סְדֹ֣ם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה וַתִּהְי֕וּ כְּא֖וּד מֻצָּ֣ל מִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Transliteration

Hāpaktî among you like mahpēkat ʾĕlōhîm ʾet-Sǝdōm and ʾet-ʿĂmōrāh wa-tihyû like ʾûd muṣṣāl from śrēpāh wǝ-lōʾ-šabtem ʿāday nǝʾum-YHWH

Grammar Details

• *Hāpaktî*: perfect, 1st person singular - I overthrew
• *mahpēkat*: noun, feminine singular construct - overthrow of
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: noun, masculine plural - God
• *Sǝdōm*: proper noun - Sodom
• *ʿĂmōrāh*: proper noun - Gomorrah
• *wa-tihyû*: conjunction + imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural, qal with waw consecutive - and you were
• *ʾûd*: noun, masculine singular - firebrand/brand
• *muṣṣāl*: participle, masculine singular, hophal - snatched/rescued
• *śrēpāh*: noun, feminine singular - burning
• *wǝ-lōʾ*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
• *šabtem*: perfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you have returned
• *ʿāday*: preposition with 1st person singular suffix - unto me
• *nǝʾum*: construct noun - declaration of
• *YHWH*: proper noun - divine name

Word Meanings

• *hāpaktî*: overthrew/overturned/destroyed
• *mahpēkat*: overthrow/overturning/destruction
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: God/gods [plural form with singular meaning in Hebrew]
• *ʾûd muṣṣāl miśrēpāh*: brand/stick plucked/snatched from burning/fire [idiom for narrow escape]

Referenced Verses

• Isa 13:19 : 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
• Zech 3:2 : 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
• Gen 19:24-25 : 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
• Amos 4:6 : 6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
• Jude 1:23 : 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
• Rev 9:20 : 20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
• 1 Cor 3:15 : 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
• 2 Pet 2:6 : 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
• Jude 1:7 : 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
• Jer 6:28-30 : 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
• Jer 23:14 : 14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
• Jer 49:18 : 18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.
• Ezek 22:17-22 : 17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. 21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
• Ezek 24:13 : 13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.
• Hos 11:8 : 8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.