Amos 8:11

KJV

¶ 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:

KJV (with Strong's)

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}:

Complete Jewish Bible

"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.

Berean Standard Bible

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.

American Standard Version

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Amos 8:11 delivers a solemn prophetic warning from the Lord God to Israel, announcing a judgment far more severe than physical deprivation: a spiritual famine. Unlike the common and dreaded famines of food and water, this impending judgment would be characterized by a profound absence of divine communication, leaving the people without access to God's life-giving words. This prophecy underscores the ultimate consequence of persistent rebellion and spiritual apathy, highlighting the critical importance of God's revelation for true human flourishing.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the latter half of the book of Amos, which primarily consists of visions and pronouncements of judgment against Israel for their social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and moral corruption. Following a series of five visions (Amos 7:1-9:10) that depict various forms of impending destruction—locusts, fire, a plumb line, and a basket of summer fruit—Amos 8:11 serves as a climactic declaration of the ultimate spiritual consequence of Israel's unfaithfulness. The preceding verses in [Amos 8](/amos/8 "Amos 8 - Judgment on Israel's Greed") detail the people's greed, their eagerness to exploit the poor, and their impatience with religious observances that interfere with their dishonest trade, setting the stage for a judgment that targets the very source of their spiritual sustenance. The immediate context of [Amos 8:9-10](/amos/8-9-10 "Amos 8:9-10 - Darkness and Mourning") describes a period of cosmic darkness and deep mourning, intensifying the sense of impending doom and preparing the reader for the spiritual desolation described in verse 11.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Amos prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel (Amos 1:1), a period of relative peace and economic prosperity for the Northern Kingdom. However, this outward affluence masked deep-seated social inequality, rampant idolatry, and a pervasive disregard for God's covenant laws. The wealthy oppressed the poor, justice was perverted, and religious rituals became hollow performances devoid of true piety. In the ancient Near East, famines of bread and water were devastating realities, often seen as divine curses for disobedience. The imagery of famine would have resonated deeply with the people, signifying ultimate catastrophe. By declaring a famine of "hearing the words of the LORD," Amos subverts this familiar imagery, pointing to a spiritual crisis that transcends physical suffering, indicating that God's most severe judgment would be the withdrawal of His presence and prophetic voice from a people who had consistently rejected it.
* **Key Themes:** The prophecy in Amos 8:11 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Amos and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Judgment and Consequence**, illustrating that persistent sin and rejection of God's warnings inevitably lead to severe divine retribution. Israel's refusal to heed the prophets' calls for repentance, as seen throughout [Amos 2-6](/amos/2-6 "Amos 2-6 - Oracles of Judgment"), culminates in God's withdrawal of His word. Secondly, it highlights the **Value and Necessity of God's Word**. By portraying the absence of divine revelation as the most dire form of famine, the verse implicitly emphasizes that God's words are the true source of life, guidance, and spiritual nourishment, more essential than physical sustenance, echoing the principle articulated in [Deuteronomy 8:3](/deuteronomy/8-3 "Deuteronomy 8:3 - Man Lives by Every Word of God"). Finally, it speaks to the theme of **Spiritual Blindness and Deafness**, a recurring motif in prophetic literature where a people's deliberate hardening of their hearts against God's truth leads to a judicial hardening by God Himself, preventing them from hearing or understanding, a concept also seen in [Isaiah 6:9-10](/isaiah/6-9-10 "Isaiah 6:9-10 - Hardening of Hearts").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **famine (Hebrew, _râʻâb'_):** This term (H7458) typically denotes a severe lack of food, or hunger, leading to widespread suffering and death. Its application in Amos 8:11 is strikingly metaphorical, extending its meaning from physical deprivation to spiritual emptiness. By using _râʻâb_ to describe the absence of God's words, Amos elevates divine revelation to the level of essential sustenance, implying that its lack is as devastating to the soul as the lack of bread and water is to the body.
* **hearing (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ'_):** The Hebrew word _shâmaʻ_ (H8085) is rich in meaning, encompassing not just the physical act of hearing, but also intelligent listening, understanding, and crucially, obedience. When Amos speaks of a "famine of hearing," it suggests more than just the absence of a message; it implies a deeper inability or unwillingness to truly apprehend and respond to God's word, a spiritual deafness that has become so profound that God ceases to speak in a way that can be heard. This highlights the reciprocal nature of divine communication: God speaks, but humanity must also be prepared to hear and obey.
* **words (Hebrew, _dâbâr'_):** The term _dâbâr_ (H1697) is a comprehensive Hebrew concept, referring not only to spoken words but also to matters, affairs, decrees, events, and even the very acts of God. In the context of "the words of the LORD," it signifies God's divine revelation, His commands, prophecies, and the entire body of His communicated will. A famine of _dâbâr_ means the cessation of God's active, guiding, and life-giving communication, leaving His people without divine direction, comfort, or truth.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD,"**: This opening phrase serves as a solemn, emphatic declaration, signaling a momentous and certain future event. The phrase "saith the Lord GOD" (Adonai Yahweh, H136, H3069) underscores the divine authority and unwavering certainty of the prophecy, emphasizing that this is not merely a human prediction but a direct pronouncement from the sovereign God of Israel. The "days come" indicates a definite, appointed time for this judgment.
* **"that I will send a famine in the land,"**: Here, God explicitly states His active role in initiating this judgment. The "famine" (H7458) is not a natural disaster but a divinely orchestrated consequence. The phrase "in the land" (H776) specifies the target of this judgment: the nation of Israel, who had consistently rebelled against Him.
* **"not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,"**: This clause immediately clarifies the nature of the impending famine by contrasting it with the most common and feared forms of physical scarcity (H3899, H4325). This negation serves to heighten the impact of the true famine, indicating that the coming judgment will be of a different, more profound, and ultimately more devastating kind than what the people might expect or fear most.
* **"but of hearing the words of the LORD:"**: This is the climactic revelation of the prophecy. The true famine is a spiritual one – a deprivation of "hearing" (H8085) and receiving "the words" (H1697) of Yahweh (H3068). This implies a cessation of prophetic revelation, divine guidance, and the life-giving truth that comes from God's active communication. It signifies a period of spiritual silence and darkness, a judicial withdrawal of God's presence and voice from a people who had grown deaf to His warnings.

#### Literary Devices
Amos 8:11 is rich in **Metaphor** and **Contrast**, which are powerfully employed to convey the severity of the spiritual judgment. The central metaphor is the "famine of hearing the words of the LORD," which directly compares the absence of divine revelation to the physical suffering caused by a lack of food and water. This unexpected comparison elevates the spiritual need for God's word above even basic physical necessities, highlighting its ultimate value. The verse also employs **Juxtaposition** and **Antithesis** by explicitly contrasting "a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water" with "a famine... of hearing the words of the LORD." This sharp contrast emphasizes that the spiritual famine is not only different but also more catastrophic than any physical one, as it targets the very soul and its connection to the divine. The phrase "Behold, the days come" acts as a **Prophetic Formula**, lending an authoritative and certain tone to the pronouncement, underscoring its divine origin and inevitability.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Amos 8:11 reveals a profound theological truth about the nature of God's judgment and the indispensable role of His word in human life. It teaches that God's ultimate judgment is not always physical destruction, but sometimes the withdrawal of His presence and communication, leaving a people to their own devices in spiritual darkness. This spiritual famine is a direct consequence of Israel's persistent rejection of God's prophets and their willful disobedience, demonstrating that God, in His righteousness, will not perpetually strive with a rebellious people. The verse implicitly asserts that God's word is the primary means by which humanity receives life, guidance, and truth, making its absence the most severe form of deprivation.

* [1 Samuel 3:1](/1_samuel/3-1 "1 Samuel 3:1 - Rareness of the Word of the Lord")
* [Psalm 74:9](/psalm/74-9 "Psalm 74:9 - No More Prophecy")
* [Micah 3:6-7](/micah/3-6-7 "Micah 3:6-7 - Darkness and Silence for False Prophets")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Amos 8:11 stands as a timeless warning and a profound call to spiritual vigilance for believers today. In an age where access to God's Word is unprecedentedly abundant, this prophecy challenges us to never take such a precious gift for granted. It compels us to consider whether we truly hunger and thirst for God's words, or if we have become spiritually complacent, preferring the fleeting nourishment of worldly distractions over the eternal sustenance of divine truth. Just as Israel became deaf to God's voice through their rebellion, we too risk a self-imposed spiritual famine if we neglect consistent engagement with Scripture, prayer, and genuine worship. This verse reminds us that true spiritual vitality comes from actively listening to, meditating on, and obeying God's revealed will. It urges us to cultivate a deep desire for God's voice, recognizing that a life disconnected from His word is a life in spiritual drought, regardless of material abundance.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be taking access to God's Word for granted in my own life?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a deeper hunger for "hearing the words of the LORD"?**
* **How does my daily life reflect the priority (or lack thereof) I place on God's divine communication?**
* **What are the "bread and water" substitutes in my life that might be distracting me from true spiritual nourishment?**

### FAQ
**What does "a famine of hearing the words of the LORD" specifically mean?**

Answer: This phrase refers to a spiritual famine, not a physical one. It signifies a period when God would withdraw His direct prophetic revelation and guidance from the people of Israel. It means that the living, active voice of God, which had previously come through prophets like Amos, would become silent or inaccessible. This withdrawal was a judicial act of God, a severe judgment on a people who had repeatedly ignored, rejected, and despised His word and His messengers. Consequently, they would be left without divine direction, comfort, or the truth necessary for spiritual life, experiencing a profound spiritual emptiness.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Amos 8:11, while a prophecy of judgment for Israel's rejection of God's word, finds its ultimate reversal and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The spiritual famine described by Amos foreshadows a deep human longing that only Christ can satisfy. In the Old Testament, God's word often came in fragmented ways through prophets (Hebrews 1:1), but in Christ, the Word became flesh (John 1:14). Jesus is the living Word of God, the full and final revelation of the Father (John 14:9). He declared Himself to be the "bread of life" (John 6:35), stating that those who come to Him will never hunger and those who believe in Him will never thirst. Where Amos prophesied a famine of hearing God's words, Jesus offers an abundance of truth and life, inviting all who are spiritually hungry and thirsty to come to Him and find ultimate satisfaction (Matthew 11:28-30). Through His atoning work, He breaks the spiritual silence caused by sin, opening the way for humanity to hear and receive God's life-giving truth once more. Thus, the spiritual famine of Amos 8:11 is overcome by the overflowing spiritual provision found in Christ, who is the Word made manifest, sustaining us with eternal life (John 6:51).

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

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.