New Living Translation
Amos 4:8
8People staggered from town to town looking for water, but there was never enough. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
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
6“I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord. 7“I kept the rain from falling when your crops needed it the most. I sent rain on one town but withheld it from another. Rain fell on one field, while another field withered away. People staggered from town to town looking for water, but there was never enough. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord. 9“I struck your farms and vineyards with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured all your fig and olive trees. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord. 10“I sent plagues on you like the plagues I sent on Egypt long ago. I killed your young men in war and led all your horses away. The stench of death filled the air! But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
Read all of Amos 4Amos 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, “We must check every spring and valley in the land to see if we can find enough grass to save at least some of my horses and mules.”
- Isaiah 41:17“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
- Jeremiah 14:3The nobles send servants to get water, but all the wells are dry. The servants return with empty pitchers, confused and desperate, covering their heads in grief.
- Ezekiel 4:16Then he told me, “Son of man, I will make food very scarce in Jerusalem. It will be weighed out with great care and eaten fearfully. The water will be rationed out drop by drop, and the people will drink it with dismay.
- Micah 6:14You will eat but never have enough. Your hunger pangs and emptiness will remain. And though you try to save your money, it will come to nothing in the end. You will save a little, but I will give it to those who conquer you.
- Haggai 1:6You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
- Amos 4:6“I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 23:14But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”
- Hosea 7:10Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find 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
In the dictionaries
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
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