What Does the Bible Say About Famine?

1. #1Amos 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:

   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.

2. #2Luke 21:11

   And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

   BSBThere will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

3. #3Matthew 24:7

   For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

   BSBNation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

4. #4Genesis 12:10

   And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

   BSBNow there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.

5. #5Genesis 41:53-57

   And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

   BSBWhen the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

6. #6Psalms 107:34

   A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

   BSBand fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.

7. #7Job 5:20

   In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

   BSBIn famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.

8. #8Amos 4:6-9

   And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 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. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

   BSB“I beset all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. “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. People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. “I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

9. #92 Kings 7:4

   If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

   BSBIf we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”

10. #10Ezekiel 14:13

    Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

    BSB“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,

11. #11Psalms 37:19

    They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

    BSBIn the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

Famine in Nave's Topical Bible

Famine in Torrey's Topical Textbook

Related topics

• Natural Disasters
• Signs of the End Times
• Climate Change
• Pestilence
• Earthquakes
• Drought