Amos 4:7

KJV

And also I have withholden the rain from you, when [there were] yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

KJV (with Strong's)

And also I have withholden {H4513} the rain {H1653} from you, when there were yet three {H7969} months {H2320} to the harvest {H7105}: and I caused it to rain {H4305} upon one {H259} city {H5892}, and caused it not to rain {H4305} upon another {H259} city {H5892}: one {H259} piece {H2513} was rained {H4305} upon, and the piece {H2513} whereupon it rained {H4305} not withered {H3001}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"I withheld the rain from you three months before the harvest. I made it rain on one city and not on another - one field had rain, while another with no rain dried up;

Berean Standard Bible

“I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered.

American Standard Version

And I also have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Amos 4:7 presents a vivid illustration of God's targeted judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, specifically through a localized drought. This verse details how God deliberately withheld rain during a critical period before harvest, causing selective devastation to crops and land, while surprisingly blessing other areas. It serves as a powerful divine disciplinary action, intended to compel the unrepentant Israelites to acknowledge their covenant disobedience and return to the Lord.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Amos 4:7 is part of a series of "yet you have not returned to me" pronouncements (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11) that form a significant rhetorical device in Amos's prophecy. This chapter details various forms of divine judgment—famine, drought, blight, pestilence, plague, and military defeat—each designed to prompt Israel's repentance. The specific drought described in verse 7 follows a general famine (Amos 4:6) and precedes the warning of even more severe consequences if the people remain unyielding. The repetitive phrase underscores God's persistent efforts to call His people back, highlighting their stubborn refusal to respond to His discipline.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophet Amos ministered to the Northern Kingdom (Israel) during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II (c. 793-753 BC). Despite outward material success, the nation was plagued by rampant idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption, particularly among the elite in Samaria. In ancient Israel, an agrarian society, rain was the lifeblood of the economy and a direct sign of divine favor or disfavor. The land, especially the central hill country, relied heavily on seasonal rains. A drought, particularly one occurring "three months to the harvest," would be catastrophic, as it would destroy the maturing grain crops (wheat and barley), leading to widespread famine and economic collapse. This vulnerability to weather made God's control over rain a potent instrument of covenant enforcement, as outlined in the [Mosaic Law](/deuteronomy/28-23-24 "Deuteronomy 28:23-24 - Consequences of Disobedience").
* **Key Themes:** Amos 4:7 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Amos. Foremost is the **Sovereignty of God** over creation and history, demonstrating His absolute control over natural phenomena like rain, which He uses as instruments of His will. Another crucial theme is **Divine Judgment and Discipline**, where God actively intervenes in human affairs to correct His people's rebellious ways. The selective nature of the drought ("one city... another city") emphasizes the **Precision and Intentionality of God's Discipline**, revealing that His judgments are not random but purposeful and targeted. Finally, the repeated refrain, "yet you have not returned to me," highlights the central theme of **Call to Repentance**, underscoring God's desire for His people to turn from their sin and seek Him (as exhorted in [Amos 5:4](/amos/5-4 "Amos 5:4 - Seek the Lord and Live")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **withholden (Hebrew, _mânaʻ'_):** From H4513, this word signifies a deliberate act of debarring, restraining, or preventing. It emphasizes God's active agency in stopping the rain, not merely its passive absence. This is a direct, intentional divine action, highlighting His control and purpose in the judgment.
* **rain (Hebrew, _geshem'_):** From H1653, referring to a shower or general rain. This is the essential element for agricultural prosperity in the region. Its absence, particularly at a critical stage, underscores the severity of the judgment and its direct impact on the people's livelihood and survival.
* **withered (Hebrew, _yâbêsh'_):** From H3001, meaning to dry up or wither, often used for vegetation. This word vividly portrays the devastating consequence of the lack of rain, illustrating the immediate and visible destruction of crops and the resulting desolation of the land.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And also I have withholden the rain from you,"**: This opening clause immediately establishes God's direct and intentional action. The "I" is emphatic in the Hebrew, underscoring divine sovereignty. The withholding of rain is not a natural occurrence but a deliberate act of judgment against Israel.
* **"when [there were] yet three months to the harvest:"**: This specifies the critical timing of the drought. "Three months to the harvest" refers to the crucial period just before the main grain harvest (likely late spring/early summer), when maturing crops desperately need rain to fill out. Withholding rain at this stage guarantees a failed or severely diminished yield, leading to famine.
* **"and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city:"**: This highlights the astonishing and precise nature of God's judgment. The rainfall was not uniform but highly localized and selective, demonstrating God's minute control over natural phenomena. This specificity would have been undeniable evidence to the Israelites that their circumstances were divinely orchestrated, not random.
* **"one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered."**: This further emphasizes the targeted and devastating impact. The "piece" (or field) refers to specific plots of land. The stark contrast between a rained-upon, presumably flourishing, field and a neighboring, parched, and withered one would have been a stark, visible, and deeply unsettling sign of God's active hand in their suffering, designed to provoke introspection and repentance.

#### Literary Devices
Amos 4:7 employs several powerful literary devices. **Contrast** is central, vividly depicted by the selective rainfall: "one city" versus "another city," and "one piece was rained upon" versus "the piece whereupon it rained not withered." This stark juxtaposition emphasizes the deliberate and precise nature of God's judgment, making it impossible for the people to attribute the drought to mere chance. The repeated "I" (God) throughout the passage, though not explicit in this single verse, reinforces the **Divine Sovereignty** and direct agency behind these actions. The drought itself functions as **Symbolism**, representing God's withdrawal of blessing and favor due to Israel's unfaithfulness. The vivid imagery of "withered" land evokes a sense of desolation and the tangible consequences of spiritual rebellion.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Amos 4:7 profoundly illustrates God's active involvement in the affairs of His people, using natural phenomena as instruments of His righteous judgment and loving discipline. It underscores the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, where blessings were promised for obedience and curses for disobedience. The selective nature of the drought reveals God's precision and intentionality, demonstrating that His actions are not arbitrary but purposeful, aimed at bringing His people to repentance. This passage serves as a timeless reminder that God is sovereign over all creation and that His discipline, though painful, is ultimately redemptive, seeking to restore fellowship with Him.

* [Deuteronomy 28:23-24](/deuteronomy/28-23-24 "Deuteronomy 28:23-24 - Drought as a Covenant Curse")
* [Leviticus 26:19-20](/leviticus/26-19-20 "Leviticus 26:19-20 - Consequences of Disobedience")
* [Haggai 1:9-11](/haggai/1-9-11 "Haggai 1:9-11 - God Withholds Blessings Due to Neglect")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Amos 4:7 challenges us to consider God's hand in our circumstances, even in difficulties. While we do not live under the Old Covenant's specific national judgments, this passage reminds us that God remains sovereign over all creation and can use various means to draw our attention to Him. When faced with hardships, whether personal or societal, we are called to humbly examine our hearts, confess any areas of disobedience, and turn to the Lord. This verse prompts us to recognize that God's discipline, though uncomfortable, is an expression of His love, designed to refine us and bring us closer to Him. It encourages a posture of dependence on God, acknowledging that all blessings, even the most basic necessities like rain, come from His hand.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this passage challenge my understanding of God's sovereignty over natural events and personal circumstances?**
* **In what areas of my life might God be seeking to get my attention or call me to deeper repentance?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater awareness of God's active hand in my daily life, whether in blessing or in difficulty?**

### FAQ

**Why would God cause such a specific and localized drought?**

Answer: God caused a specific and localized drought to demonstrate His absolute sovereignty and to provide undeniable evidence of His direct involvement in Israel's circumstances. The selective nature of the judgment ("one city" rained upon, "another city" withered) was designed to remove any doubt that these were random natural occurrences. Instead, they were intentional acts of divine discipline, aimed at breaking Israel's stubbornness and compelling them to repent from their idolatry and social injustices, as detailed throughout [Amos 4](/amos/4 "Amos 4 - God's Discipline and Israel's Unresponsiveness").

**Does God still use natural disasters as a form of judgment today?**

Answer: While the specific covenant judgments against Old Testament Israel are unique to that historical context, the Bible consistently teaches that God is sovereign over all creation and that natural events are ultimately under His control. While not every natural disaster is a direct, specific judgment for individual sin in the same way Amos describes, they serve as powerful reminders of humanity's dependence on God, the fragility of life, and the consequences of a fallen world. They can also be used by God to call people to repentance, to humble nations, or to bring about His broader redemptive purposes, ultimately pointing to the need for salvation found in [Jesus Christ](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God's Love and Salvation").

**What is the significance of "three months to the harvest"?**

Answer: The phrase "three months to the harvest" refers to a crucial period in the agricultural cycle, likely late spring or early summer, when crops like wheat and barley were maturing and needed substantial rainfall to flourish before being gathered. Withholding rain at this precise time would ensure a severely diminished or failed harvest, leading to famine and economic hardship. This timing highlights the strategic and devastating nature of God's judgment, targeting the very source of Israel's prosperity and security to force them to confront their spiritual rebellion.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Amos 4:7, with its depiction of God's sovereign control over rain and His use of drought as a call to repentance, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament judgments were specific to Israel's covenant disobedience, Christ embodies the perfect response to God's call and offers the ultimate solution to the spiritual drought of sin. He is the true "living water" (as He declares in [John 4:10-14](/john/4-10-14 "John 4:10-14 - Jesus, the Living Water")), quenching the deepest spiritual thirst that no amount of physical rain could satisfy. Furthermore, Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross addresses the root cause of all divine judgment—human sin—offering forgiveness and reconciliation. Through Him, we receive not a withholding of blessing, but an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the "rain" of new life and spiritual vitality ([Acts 2:17-18](/acts/2-17-18 "Acts 2:17-18 - Outpouring of the Spirit")). Thus, the call to "return to me" in Amos is fully answered in the invitation to "come to me" (as Jesus says in [Matthew 11:28](/matthew/11-28 "Matthew 11:28 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary")), where true spiritual nourishment and abundant life are found, transcending the physical blessings or judgments of the Old Covenant.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 9:26

Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel [were], was there no hail.

Jeremiah 3:3

Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

Isaiah 5:6

And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

2 Chronicles 7:13

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Exodus 9:4

And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all [that is] the children's of Israel.

James 5:17

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.