Amos 4:7

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.

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}.

"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;

“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.

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 on Amos 4:7 (KJV)

Amos 4:7 describes one of God's specific disciplinary actions against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) during the prophetic ministry of Amos. This verse highlights a targeted drought, designed to bring the people to repentance for their spiritual apostasy and social injustices.

Historical and Cultural Context

The prophet Amos ministered during a period of relative prosperity under King Jeroboam II, but this material wealth was accompanied by severe moral decay, idolatry, and oppression of the poor. In ancient Israel, rain was absolutely vital for survival and agricultural success. The land was largely dependent on seasonal rains for its crops, making drought a devastating natural disaster. According to the Mosaic Law, withholding rain was a promised consequence of national disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:23-24).

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 rain to flourish before being gathered. Withholding rain at this critical juncture would ensure a severely diminished or failed harvest, leading to famine and economic hardship.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty over Nature: The verse emphatically states, "I have withholden the rain from you," and "I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city." This underscores God's absolute control over natural elements, demonstrating that the drought was not a random meteorological event but a direct, deliberate act of divine judgment.
  • Targeted Judgment: The selective nature of the rainfall – raining on "one city" while others withered – emphasizes the precision and intentionality of God's discipline. It was a clear sign that God was actively involved in their circumstances, seeking to draw their attention to their sin. This localized judgment served as a powerful, undeniable message to a people who had forgotten their covenant obligations.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: This specific judgment was one of several "yet have ye not returned unto me" pronouncements found throughout Amos 4 (verses 6, 8, 9, 10, 11). It served as a call to repentance, a stark reminder that their spiritual and moral failings had tangible, painful consequences in their daily lives.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "withholden" (מָנַע, manaʿ) implies a deliberate act of restraint or prevention. It is not merely a passive absence of rain, but an active decision by God to stop it. The repeated use of "I" (God) throughout this passage (Amos 4:6-11) reinforces His direct agency in these afflictions.

Practical Application

Amos 4:7 reminds us that God is sovereign over all circumstances, including natural events. While not every drought or hardship is a direct, specific judgment for sin in the same way it was for ancient Israel, this passage teaches us:

  • God's Call to Repentance: Challenges and difficulties in life can often be opportunities for us to examine our hearts, confess our sins, and turn back to God. God uses various means to draw people to Himself, just as He sought to draw Israel back.
  • Recognizing God's Hand: We are called to recognize God's hand, whether in blessing or in discipline, and to respond with humility and faith. The prophet Amos urged Israel to "seek the Lord and live" (Amos 5:4).
  • Justice and Righteousness: The context of Amos's prophecy is saturated with calls for social justice and personal righteousness. This verse serves as a reminder that a nation's spiritual health and its treatment of its most vulnerable citizens are deeply intertwined with God's favor.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 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.

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