Amos 4:6 kjv
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.
Amos 4:6 nkjv
"Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
Amos 4:6 niv
"I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.
Amos 4:6 esv
"I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
Amos 4:6 nlt
"I brought hunger to every city
and famine to every town.
But still you would not return to me,"
says the LORD.
Amos 4 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:19 | "And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven..." | God breaking pride through adversity. |
| Lev 26:26 | "And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake..." | Famine as a covenant curse for disobedience. |
| Deut 28:22 | "The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and..." | Sickness and blight among curses for Israel. |
| Deut 28:48 | "Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send..." | Suffering hunger under enemies as a curse. |
| 1 Kgs 17:1 | "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not..." | Elijah prophesies a drought/famine in Israel. |
| 2 Kgs 8:1 | "Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life..." | A seven-year famine hits the land. |
| Jer 14:1-6 | "The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth." | Jeremiah describes severe famine in Judah. |
| Lam 4:4-5 | "The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth..." | Depiction of extreme hunger and suffering. |
| Ezek 4:16 | "Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff..." | God threatens famine to Jerusalem. |
| Hos 7:10 | "And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return..." | Israel's stubbornness despite divine warnings. |
| Isa 9:13 | "For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they..." | People not turning to God who punishes them. |
| Jer 5:3 | "O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them..." | Refusal to return even after discipline. |
| Zep 3:2 | "She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not..." | Refusal to obey God or accept correction. |
| Pro 3:11-12 | "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of..." | God's discipline is a sign of His love. |
| Heb 12:5-8 | "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto..." | Discipline as proof of sonship. |
| Rev 3:19 | "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." | Christ's loving rebuke leading to repentance. |
| Joel 2:12 | "Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your..." | A call to genuine repentance and returning. |
| Isa 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts..." | Call to the wicked to return to God. |
| Acts 3:19 | "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out..." | New Testament call to repentance. |
| 2 Cor 7:10 | "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of..." | Godly sorrow leading to genuine repentance. |
| Gen 6:5-7 | "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth..." | Humanity's stubborn refusal to turn. |
| Psa 78:34-37 | "When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired..." | Temporary, insincere turning under duress. |
Amos 4 verses
Amos 4 6 Meaning
Amos 4:6 reveals God's patient yet persistent use of famine as a divine discipline against the northern kingdom of Israel, aimed at prompting their repentance. Despite experiencing extreme hunger, symbolized by "cleanness of teeth" and "want of bread," the people stubbornly refused to turn back to the Lord, demonstrating their spiritual hardness and the failure of this specific judgment to achieve its desired effect of restoration.
Amos 4 6 Context
Amos chapter 4 marks a shift in Amos's message. Having previously condemned Israel's social injustices and religious hypocrisy (Ch. 2-3), Amos 4 now details a series of specific divine judgments that the Lord had already sent upon them. Verse 6 initiates this litany, where God recounts the disciplinary measures, each ending with the sorrowful lament, "yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." This recurring phrase highlights God's primary goal: to provoke repentance and reconciliation with His covenant people. Historically, Amos prophesied to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of relative prosperity under King Jeroboam II (793-753 BC), but it was a prosperity accompanied by deep spiritual decay, idolatry, and oppression of the poor. The mention of cities and places suggests widespread suffering across the nation.
Amos 4 6 Word analysis
- And I also have given you (וְגַם-אָנֹכִי נָתַתִּי לָכֶם - wəgam-ʾānoḵī nāṯattī lāḵem): The "I also" (וְגַם - wəgam) emphasizes God's personal initiative and responsibility for the judgments, making it clear these were not random misfortunes but divinely orchestrated disciplinary actions. The perfect tense "given" indicates a completed action in the past.
- cleanness of teeth (נִקְיֹון שִׁנַּיִם - niqqāyôn šinnayim): A stark and grim euphemism for severe famine. "Cleanness" implies emptiness, nothing sticking to the teeth, no food to chew. It is a powerful, ironic image of utter desolation, directly contrasting with the abundance Israel experienced during their periods of blessing under God.
- in all your cities (בְּכָל-עָרֵיכֶם - bəḵol-ʿārêḵem): Indicates the widespread nature of the famine, affecting urban centers where people typically congregated and economic life flourished, making the impact more profound and visible.
- and want of bread (וְחֹסֶר לֶחֶם - wəḥōser leḥem): Directly clarifies the "cleanness of teeth," specifying the absence of staple food. Bread (leḥem) was foundational to daily life, representing sustenance itself. "Want" (ḥōser) implies a dire lack, not just scarcity.
- in all your places (בְּכֹל מְקֹומֹתֵיכֶם - bəḵōl məqōmōṯêḵem): Reinforces the widespread nature of the famine, extending beyond cities to encompass all settlements and rural areas, ensuring that no one could escape the discipline.
- yet have ye not returned unto me (וְלֹא-שַׁבְתֶּם עָדָי - wəloʾ-šaḇtem ʿāday): This is the poignant lament, repeated throughout Amos 4. The Hebrew verb "returned" (שׁוּב - shuv) is a crucial prophetic term for repentance, signifying a turning away from sin and a turning back to God in covenant loyalty. The "not" (loʾ) signifies a complete and willful refusal, despite the intensity of the judgment.
- saith the Lord (נְאֻם-יְהוָה - nəʾum-YHWH): A common prophetic formula (oracle formula), authenticating the message as direct divine speech from YHWH, the covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes the authority and truthfulness of the statement.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "I gave you... yet have ye not returned unto me": This structure establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship, highlighting God's active involvement in judgment and Israel's active resistance to His will. It underlines God's redemptive purpose even in chastisement.
- "cleanness of teeth... and want of bread": These phrases together form a vivid and grim portrayal of severe, pervasive famine. The first is an idiomatic expression of empty hunger, while the second provides a direct explanation.
- "in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places": The repetition of "all your" emphasizes the universality and severity of the judgment across the entire nation, leaving no one untouched or unaffected, intending to force a national reckoning.
- "yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord": This concluding refrain expresses God's heartbreak and disappointment. Despite multiple forms of divine discipline designed to bring about a turning point, Israel remains stubbornly unrepentant. This phrase defines the entire section of Amos 4.
Amos 4 6 Bonus section
The pattern of discipline and unrepentance highlighted in Amos 4:6-11 is a key theme throughout prophetic literature, showcasing God's persistent efforts to bring His people to repentance before full judgment falls. It demonstrates that divine discipline, though painful, is fundamentally an act of grace intended for restoration, not destruction, for "those whom the Lord loves he disciplines" (Heb 12:6). However, it also illustrates the danger of prolonged spiritual insensitivity where even intense suffering fails to soften hearts. This dynamic highlights the long-suffering nature of God (long patience with sinners) but also His ultimate righteousness in judgment when warnings are ignored. The phrase "saith the Lord" underscores the covenantal framework: Israel's suffering was not arbitrary but a consequence of violating their covenant relationship with YHWH.
Amos 4 6 Commentary
Amos 4:6 serves as the introductory statement to a series of divine judgments aimed at Israel, each followed by the refrain, "yet have ye not returned unto me." This verse specifies the first disciplinary measure: a devastating famine. "Cleanness of teeth" is a graphic, ironic metaphor illustrating such extreme hunger that there is literally nothing to chew, leaving the teeth "clean" from lack of use. This wasn't merely a natural disaster; it was an act initiated by God, "I also have given you," demonstrating His sovereign control over creation and His use of adverse circumstances to draw His people back. The widespread nature, affecting "all your cities" and "all your places," signifies that this was a national crisis meant to humble everyone. However, despite this severe affliction designed to demonstrate their utter dependence on God and their need for repentance, Israel remained hard-hearted. Their refusal to "return" (turn back, repent) was not due to ignorance of the judgment's source or purpose, but stubborn disobedience. The Lord's lament expresses His deep disappointment that His corrective measures, stemming from covenant love, had failed to bring about the desired spiritual revival, setting the stage for more severe, ultimate judgment if they persist.