famine

Definition

The term “famine” refers to an extreme lack of food throughout a country or region, usually due to not enough rain.

• Food crops can fail from natural causes such as lack of rain, crop disease, or insects.
• Food shortages can also be caused by people, such as enemies who destroy crops.
• In the Bible, God sometimes caused famine as a way to punish nations when they sinned against him.
• In Amos 8:11 the term “famine” is used figuratively to refer to a time when God punished his people by not speaking to them. This could be translated with the word for “famine” in your language, or with a phrase such as “extreme lack” or “severe deprivation.”

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 21:11-12
• Acts 7:11
• Genesis 12:10
• Genesis 45:6
• Jeremiah 11:21-23
• Luke 4:25
• Matthew 24:8

Word Data

• Strong’s: H3720, H7458, H7459, G30420