Amos 8:11-9:11 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 8:11-14

In these verses is threatened, I. A general judgment of spiritual famine coming upon the whole land, a famine of the word of God, the failing of oracles and the scarcity of good preaching. This is spoken of as a thing at some distance: The days come, they will come hereafter, when another kind of darkness shall come upon that land of light. When Amos prophesied, and for a considerable time after, they had great plenty of prophets, abundant opportunities of hearing the word of God, in season... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:11

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God ,.... Which Kimchi interprets of all the days of the second house or temple after Malachi, when prophecy ceased; but it rather has respect to the time of Shalmaneser's carrying captive the ten tribes, when they had no more prophets nor prophecy among them, or any to tell how long their captivity should last, or when it would be better times with them, Psalm 74:9 ; that I will send a famine in the land ; which, in a literal sense, is one of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:11

A famine in the land - The most grievous of all famines, a famine of the words of Jehovah; a time in which no prophet should appear, no spiritual counsellor, no faithful reprover, none any longer who would point out the way of salvation, or would assure them of the mercy of God on their repentance and return to him. This is the severest of God's judgments on this side the worm that never dieth, and the fire that is never quenched. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:11

Verse 11 Here now the Prophet fulminates, for he denounces not temporal punishments, but final destruction, and what proves to be an evidence of reprobation, and that is, that God would deprive the Israelites of every light of truth, so that they would wander as the blind in the dark. It is indeed certain, that they had been before this time bereaved of sound doctrine; for falsehoods and superstitions prevailed among them; and we have seen that in the land of Israel the true and faithful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:1-14

§ 5. In the fourth vision, the basket of summer fruit, the Lord shows that the people is ripe for judgment. Explaining this revelation, Amos denounces the oppression and greed of the chieftains (verses 4-10), and warns them that those who despise the Word of God shall some day suffer from a famine of the Word (verses 11-14). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11

This shall be the bitterness at the end; they had rejected the warnings of the prophets ( Amos 7:12 , etc.); now the Word of God and the light of his teaching should fail them. Famine . When the light of God's revelation is withdrawn, their longing for the Word, however sore and great, shall remain unsatisfied, like that of Saul ( 1 Samuel 28:6 ). They may grieve like the psalmist, "We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long" (... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11

Famine of the Word of God. There are many blessings which are not suitably valued until they are withdrawn and missed. It is so with bodily health, with political liberty, with domestic happiness. And the prophet assumes that it will be found the same with the Word of God. When it is possessed—when the Scriptures are read and the Gospel is heard—it is too often the ease that the privilege is unappreciated. But what must it be to be shut off from all communication with Heaven! And such,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11-13

Soul famine. "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," etc. The Israelites now despised the message of the prophets, and by a just retribution, in addition to all their other calamities, they should experience a total withdrawal of all prophetic communications. In whatever direction they might proceed, and whatever efforts they might make to obtain information... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11-14

The scarcity that swallows the residue of good. To waste is to want, in things temporal and spiritual alike. Abuse is inevitably followed by deprivation, and the prodigal is one who is purveying for himself a suit of rags. God caps our "will not" with his "shall not," and the rude hand of change soon spills the cup of good we have refused to taste. Under the operation of this law the nation of Israel would now come. They had wasted the Word of God, neglecting it, despising it, and at last... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 8:11

Not a famine for bread - He does not deny that there should be bodily famine too; but this, grievous as it is, would be less grievous than the famine of which he speaks, “the famine of the word of the Lord.” In distress we all go to God. Rib.: “They who now cast out and despise the prophets, when they shall see themselves besieged by the enemy, shall be tormented with a great hunger of hearing the word of the Lord from the mouths of the prophets, and shall find no one to lighten their... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 8:11-14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:11

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:1-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 8:11-14

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 8:11

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