Amos 8 · Verse 11

Amos 8:11

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:
Amos 8:11, King James Version

Amos 8:11 in other translations

BSBBehold, 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.
WEBBehold, the days come,” says 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 LORD’s words.
ASVBehold, 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.
YLTLo, days are coming, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And I have sent a famine into the land, Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water But of hearing the words of Jehovah.
DARBYBehold, days come, saith the Lord Jehovah, when 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.
BBESee, the days are coming, says the Lord God, when I will send times of great need on the land, not need of food or desire for water, but for hearing the words of the Lord.
WebsterBehold, 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:

What does Amos 8:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. famine of ... hearing the words of the Lord--a just retribution on those who now will not hear the Lord's prophets, nay even try to drive them away, as Amaziah did (Am 7:12); they shall look in vain, in their distress, for divine counsel, such as the prophets now offer (Eze 7:26; Mi 3:7). Compare as to the Jews' rejection of Messiah, and their consequent rejection by Him (Mt 21:43); and their desire for Messiah too late (Lu 17:22; Joh 7:34; 8:21). So, the prodigal when he had sojourned awhile in the "far-off country, began to be in want" in the "mighty famine" which arose (Lu 15:14; compare 1Sa 3:1; 7:2). It is remarkable that the Jews' religion is almost the only one that could be abolished against the will of the people themselves, on account of its being dependent on a particular place, namely, the temple. When that was destroyed, the Mosaic ritual, which could not exist without it, necessarily ceased. Providence designed it, that, as the law gave way to the Gospel, so all men should perceive it was so, in spite of the Jews' obstinate rejection of the Gospel.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 A famine in the land - The most grievous of all famines, a famine of the words of Jehovah; a time in which no prophet should appear, no spiritual counsellor, no faithful reprover, none any longer who would point out the way of salvation, or would assure them of the mercy of God on their repentance and return to him. This is the severest of God's judgments on this side the worm that never dieth, and the fire that is never quenched.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Amos 8:11-14
Here was a token of God's highest displeasure. At any time, and most in a time of trouble, a famine of the word of God is the heaviest judgment. To many this is no affliction, yet some will feel it very much, and will travel far to hear a good sermon; they feel the loss of the mercies others foolishly sin away. But when God visits a backsliding church, their own plans and endeavours to find out a way of salvation, will stand them in no stead. And the most amiable and zealous would perish, for want of the water of life, which Christ only can bestow. Let us value our advantages, seek to profit by them, and fear sinning them away.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Amos 8:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִנֵּ֣ה\׀hi.Nehhere!H2009
יָמִ֣יםya.MimdaysH3117
בָּאִ֗יםba.'Im[are] comingH935
נְאֻם֙ne.'Um[the] utterance ofH5002
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
יְהוִ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3069
וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּ֥יve.hish.lach.Tiand I will sendH7971
רָעָ֖בra.'Ava famineH7458
בָּאָ֑רֶץba.'A.retzin the landH776
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
רָעָ֤בra.'Ava famineH7458
לַלֶּ֙חֶם֙la.Le.chemfor <the> breadH3899
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
צָמָ֣אtza.Ma'a thirstH6772
לַמַּ֔יִםla.Ma.yimfor <the> waterH4325
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
אִם\־'im-exceptH518
לִשְׁמֹ֔עַlish.Mo.a'for hearingH8085
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
דִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Amos 8:11

  • 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.

  • Matthew 9:36

    But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

  • Micah 3:6

    Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

  • 1 Samuel 28:15

    And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

  • Isaiah 30:20-21

    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: 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.

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
but.
1Sa 3:1; 28:6,15; Ps 74:9; Isa 5:6; 30:20,21; Eze 7:26; Mic 3:6
Mt 9:36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Amos 8:10

    And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

  • Amos 8:11

    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:

  • Amos 8:12

    And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

Read all of Amos 8

Amos 8:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí vienen días, dice el Señor Jehová, en los cuales enviaré hambre á la tierra, no hambre de pan, ni sed de agua, sino de oir palabra de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, des jours viennent, dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel, où j’enverrai une famine dans le pays; non une famine de pain, ni une soif d’eau, mais d’entendre les paroles de l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, Tage kommen, spricht der Herr, Jehova, da werde ich einen Hunger in das Land senden, nicht einen Hunger nach Brot und nicht einen Durst nach Wasser, sondern die Worte Jehovas zu hören.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ecce dies veniunt, dicet Dominus, et mittam famem in terram: non famem panis, neque sitim aquæ, sed audiendi verbum Domini.