Amos 4:8

Amos 4:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me," declares the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the Lord.

Context of Amos 4:8

6I gave you absolutely nothing to eat in all your cities, a shortage of food in all your communities, yet you did not return to me. This is the Lord’s declaration. 7I also withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until harvest. I sent rain on one city but no rain on another. One field received rain while a field with no rain withered. Two or three cities staggered to another city to drink water but were not satisfied, yet you did not return to me. This is the Lord’s declaration. 9I struck you with blight and mildew; the locust devoured your many gardens and vineyards, your fig trees and olive trees, yet you did not return to me. This is the Lord’s declaration. 10I sent plagues like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I caused the stench of your camp to fill your nostrils, yet you did not return to me. This is the Lord’s declaration.

Amos 4:8 word by word

וְנָע֡וּ שְׁתַּיִם֩ שָׁלֹ֨שׁ עָרִ֜ים אֶל־עִ֥יר אַחַ֛ת לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֑עוּ וְלֹֽא־שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• wanderedנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• unto oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• but they were not satisfiedשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
• yet have ye not returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• unto me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Amos 4:8

• 1 Kings 18:5Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and to every wadi. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.”
• Isaiah 41:17The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I will answer them. I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I will not abandon them.
• Jeremiah 14:3Their nobles send their servants for water. They go to the cisterns; they find no water; their containers return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
• Ezekiel 4:16He said to me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat food they have weighed out and in dread drink rationed water
• Micah 6:14You will eat but not be satisfied, for there will be hunger within you. What you acquire, you cannot save, and what you do save, I will give to the sword.
• Haggai 1:6You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. You drink but never have enough to be happy. You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it.”
• Amos 4:6I gave you absolutely nothing to eat in all your cities, a shortage of food in all your communities, yet you did not return to me. This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Jeremiah 23:14Among the prophets of Jerusalem also I saw a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, and none turns his back on evil. They are all like Sodom to me; Jerusalem’s residents are like Gomorrah.
• Hosea 7:10Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the Lord their God, and for all this, they do not seek him.

Commentaries on Amos 4:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Two or three cities wandered into one city - Those then who were punished, were more than those who were reprieved. The word “wandered” literally, “trembled,” expresses the unsteady reeling gate of those exhausted, in quest of food. They staggered through weakness, and uncertain, amid the general drought, whither to betake themselves. This was done, not in punishment but to heal. God paused, in order to give them opportunity to repent; in deed, His…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that which satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Him in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is as rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were well if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies; and, when they have not this rain…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-11God sent natural disasters to encourage his people to repent, but they did not respond sincerely. Amos ends each disaster account with the phrase: “yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-116-11. Jehovah details His several chastisements inflicted with a view to reclaiming them: but adds to each the same sad result, "yet have ye not returned unto Me" (Is 9:13; Jr 5:3; Ho 7:10); the monotonous repetition of the same burden marking their pitiable obstinacy. cleanness of teeth--explained by the parallel, "want of bread." The famine alluded to is that mentioned in 2Ki 8:1 [Grotius]. Where there is no food to masticate, the teeth are free from…Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 4:8

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Famine

In the dictionaries

• Prepare
• Amos (1)
• Joel (2)

Commentaries on Amos 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings