¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Behold, the days {H3117} come {H935}, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}, that I will send {H7971} a famine {H7458} in the land {H776}, not a famine {H7458} of bread {H3899}, nor a thirst {H6772} for water {H4325}, but of hearing {H8085} the words {H1697} of the LORD {H3068}:

"The time is coming," says Adonai ELOHIM, "when I will send famine over the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of ADONAI.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord Jehovah, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Jehovah.

Amos 8:11 delivers a powerful and sobering prophecy from the Lord God, warning of a unique and devastating judgment upon Israel. While famines of food and water were common and feared in the ancient Near East, this verse speaks of a far more profound and spiritual deprivation: a "famine of hearing the words of the LORD."

Context

The prophet Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa, was called by God to deliver messages of judgment to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of outward prosperity but deep moral decay. Chapters 7 and 8 detail the various visions and pronouncements of impending doom due to Israel's rampant social injustice, oppression of the poor, dishonest trade practices, and religious hypocrisy. The people had become deaf to God's warnings and despised His prophets. This verse, therefore, represents the ultimate consequence of their persistent rebellion: God would withdraw His direct communication, leaving them in spiritual darkness. It highlights the severe penalty for rejecting God's messengers and His truth.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Famine as Judgment: The primary theme is God's judgment taking the form of a spiritual drought. Unlike physical hunger, this famine attacks the soul, cutting off the source of divine guidance, comfort, and truth. It implies a time when prophetic revelation would cease or be inaccessible, leaving the people without direction from God.
  • The Value of God's Word: By depicting the absence of God's word as the worst possible famine, the verse implicitly underscores its immense value. It suggests that true life and sustenance come not merely from physical provisions but from hearing and obeying God's voice, echoing the sentiment that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God".
  • Consequences of Disobedience: This prophecy serves as a stark reminder that persistent sin and rebellion against God's commands lead to severe divine consequences. When people refuse to listen to God, He may, in His righteous judgment, cease to speak to them in the same way.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "famine" is ra'av (רָעָב), typically referring to a lack of food. By applying this term to "hearing the words of the LORD" (divrei Yahweh), Amos uses a powerful metaphor. It signifies that the absence of divine communication will be as agonizing and life-threatening to the spirit as a lack of food and water is to the body. This unique phrasing emphasizes the profound spiritual emptiness that would accompany God's withdrawal.

Practical Application

For believers today, Amos 8:11 serves as a potent warning and an encouragement:

  • Prioritize God's Word: It challenges us to never take the accessibility of God's Word for granted. In an age of abundant Bibles, translations, and spiritual resources, we must actively seek to read, understand, and apply Scripture.
  • Beware of Spiritual Apathy: The verse warns against the dangers of spiritual complacency, where people become uninterested in divine truth, preferring superficiality or distractions over deep engagement with God.
  • Seek Genuine Revelation: It reminds us that true spiritual nourishment comes from God's authentic word, not from fleeting trends or human philosophies. We should earnestly pray for and pursue a genuine hunger for God's revelation.

This prophecy from Amos highlights that the greatest tragedy is not physical deprivation, but a spiritual one—a world or a life without the guiding, life-giving voice of the Lord.

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.
  • 1 Samuel 3:1

    ¶ And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; [there was] no open vision.
  • Psalms 74:9

    We see not our signs: [there is] no more any prophet: neither [is there] among us any that knoweth how long.
  • 2 Chronicles 15:3

    Now for a long season Israel [hath been] without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
  • 1 Samuel 28:6

    And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
  • Ezekiel 7:26

    Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
  • Isaiah 30:20

    And [though] the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
  • Isaiah 30:21

    And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

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