Luke 15 · Verse 14

Luke 15:14

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Luke 15:14, King James Version

Luke 15:14 in other translations

BSBAfter he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
WEBWhen he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
ASVAnd when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
YLTand he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
DARBYBut when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
BBEAnd when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
WebsterAnd when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

What does Luke 15:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. when he had spent all ... a mighty famine--a mysterious providence holding back the famine till he was in circumstances to feel it in all its rigor. Thus, like Jonah, whom the storm did not overtake till on the mighty deep at the mercy of the waves, does the sinner feel as if "the stars in their courses were fighting against" him (Jud 5:20). in want--the first stage of his bitter experience, and preparation for a change.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. A mighty famine. Famines were common in Eastern nations. They were caused by the failure of the crops--by a want of timely rains, a genial sun, or sometimes by the prevalence of the plague or of the pestilence, which swept off numbers of the inhabitants. In this case it is very naturally connected with the luxury, the indolence, and the dissipation of the people in that land.

(h) "mighty famine" Amos 8:11,12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 A mighty famine in that land - As he was of a profligate turn of mind himself, it is likely he sought out a place where riot and excess were the ruling characteristics of the inhabitants; and, as poverty is the sure consequence of prodigality, it is no wonder that famine preyed on the whole country.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 15:11-16

The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts…

Read the full comment on Luke 15:11-16 →

Luke 15:14 in the original Greek

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.

δαπανήσαντοςdapanēsantosWhen was spendingG1159
δὲdehoweverG1161
αὐτοῦautouheG846
πάνταpantaeverythingG3956
ἐγένετοegenetothere aroseG1096
λιμὸςlimosa famineG3042
ἰσχυρὰischurasevereG2478
κατὰkatathroughoutG2596
τὴνtēntheG3588
χώρανchōrancountryG5561
ἐκείνην,ekeinēnthat,G1565
καὶkaiandG2532
αὐτὸςautoshe himselfG846
ἤρξατοērxatobeganG757
ὑστερεῖσθαι.hustereisthaito be in need.G5302

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

Cross references for Luke 15:14

  • 2 Chronicles 33:11

    Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

  • Ezekiel 16:27

    Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

  • Hosea 2:9-14

    Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. …

  • Amos 8:9-12

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: 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. 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: 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
arose.
2Ch 33:11; Eze 16:27; Ho 2:9-14; Am 8:9-12

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

Context

  • Luke 15:13

    And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

  • Luke 15:14

    And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

  • Luke 15:15

    And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Read all of Luke 15

Luke 15:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando todo lo hubo malgastado, vino una grande hambre en aquella provincia, y comenzóle á faltar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et après qu’il eut tout dépensé, une grande famine survint dans ce pays-là; et il commença d’être dans le besoin.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als er aber alles verzehrt hatte, kam eine gewaltige Hungersnot über jenes Land, und er selbst fing an, Mangel zu leiden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et postquam omnia consummasset, facta est fames valida in regione illa, et ipse cœpit egere.