Amos 4 7

Amos 4:7 kjv

And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

Amos 4:7 nkjv

"I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered.

Amos 4:7 niv

"I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up.

Amos 4:7 esv

"I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither;

Amos 4:7 nlt

"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.

Amos 4 verses

Amos 4 7 Meaning

Amos 4:7 describes one of God's disciplinary actions against the northern kingdom of Israel: withholding life-sustaining rain. This specific judgment occurred during a critical period, three months before the harvest, ensuring the maximum detrimental impact on their crops and food supply. The verse highlights God's sovereign control over natural elements and His precision in judgment, where rain was given to some areas while being withheld from others, illustrating a calibrated and purposeful divine hand. This was a form of discipline intended to prompt their return to Him, but which they failed to heed.

Amos 4 7 Context

Amos chapter 4 forms part of a series of oracles of judgment delivered by the prophet Amos against the kingdom of Israel. The chapter specifically focuses on Israel's spiritual blindness and hardened hearts, despite God's repeated attempts to call them back to Him through various forms of discipline. Verses 6-11 outline five specific calamities God sent upon them: famine, drought (Amos 4:7), blight and mildew, plagues and war, and destruction akin to Sodom and Gomorrah. Each disciplinary act is followed by the refrain, "yet you have not returned to Me," underscoring Israel's persistent refusal to repent. This verse, therefore, highlights one of these severe but deliberate judgments intended to humble and lead them back to God. Historically, the people of Israel, particularly the northern kingdom, had fallen deeply into idolatry and social injustice, mirroring the surrounding Canaanite nations and embracing their religious practices, including the worship of Baal, a god associated with storms and fertility.

Amos 4 7 Word analysis

• And I also (וְגַם־אָנֹכִי v'gam-anokhi): The "And also I" emphasizes God's personal, deliberate involvement. This isn't random misfortune but direct divine action. It contrasts with any idea of a capricious Baal or natural cycle, clearly indicating Yahweh's absolute control.
• withheld (מָנַעְתִּי man'ati): This strong verb means "to hold back," "to refuse to grant," or "to restrain." It signifies a conscious and powerful act of prevention, not merely an absence, reinforcing God's sovereignty over rain, which was attributed to Baal by the surrounding cultures.
• the rain (גֶּשֶׁם geshem): The specific and vital blessing of life-sustaining water for agriculture in a semi-arid land. In the ancient Near East, rain was inextricably linked to divine favor and sustenance. Withholding it was a direct challenge to the idol worship of Baal, who was venerated as the god of storms and fertility.
• from you (מִכֶּם mi'khem): Direct address to Israel, indicating the judgment was specifically for them and their actions, not an indiscriminate disaster.
• when there were still (עוֹד שְׁלֹשָׁה od shlosha): "Still three" implies a critical timing, underscoring the severity. It was not a total failure of the rainy season but a strategic withholding at a vital stage of growth.
• three months (חֳדָשִׁים chodashim): A precise period, making the judgment specific and measurable.
• to the harvest (לַקָּצִיר la'katsir): The harvest was the culmination of agricultural labor and the source of sustenance for the year. Withholding rain three months before it ensured crop failure or drastically reduced yields at the most critical point for maturation, guaranteeing famine.
• I would send rain on one town (אַמְטִיר עַל־עִיר אֶחָת amṭir al-ʿir echath): Highlights God's surgical precision in judgment. This was not a general drought affecting everyone equally but a targeted action demonstrating divine knowledge and power to discriminate geographically.
• but on another town I would not send rain (וְעַל־עִיר אַחַת לֹא אַמְטִיר v'al-ʿir achath lo amṭir): This selective rain underscores God's meticulous control and intentionality. It suggests visible, immediate comparisons among communities, a vivid demonstration of His intervention.
• One field would have rain (חֶלְקָה אַחַת תִּמָּטֵר chelqah achath timmaṭer): Even within smaller areas, such as neighboring fields, God showed His power to distinguish. This micro-level specificity is a powerful sign.
• another field (וְחֶלְקָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תַמְטִיר עָלֶיהָ v'chelqah asher lo-tamṭir ʿaleha): Continues the pattern of localized judgment.
• would wither (תִּבַשׁ tivash): To dry up completely, to be ashamed (figuratively). The visual of withering plants starkly conveys the consequence of divine displeasure and lack of blessing.

Words-group analysis:

• "I also withheld the rain from you... three months to the harvest": This phrase establishes God as the sovereign controller of weather and agriculture. It targets a vital period for crop growth, ensuring maximum economic and survival distress. The specific timing makes it clear this was a planned, severe form of discipline.
• "I would send rain on one town but withhold it from another. One field would have rain; another would wither.": This illustrates the remarkable, even shocking, selectivity of God's judgment. It demonstrates God's perfect knowledge and control, allowing His judgment to be hyper-localized and undeniable, proving His power above any pagan deity or natural randomness. This specificity also prevented the affected people from attributing the drought to chance or natural cycles, demanding an acknowledgement of Yahweh's direct hand.

Amos 4 7 Bonus section

The concept of God's control over rain was fundamental to the Old Testament covenant. Deuteronomic theology explicitly links rain and agricultural prosperity to obedience, and drought to disobedience. Therefore, the judgment described in Amos 4:7 was a direct outworking of these covenant curses, a fulfillment of what God had warned would happen if Israel forsook Him. This divine power over rain also emphasizes God's patience, as these specific judgments were spaced out, allowing time for reflection and repentance before further, more severe consequences followed. The "three months to the harvest" refers to a period crucial for the final development of crops, such as grain and grapes, often during the months of April and May, where even a slight deficiency in late rains could significantly impact yield. This critical timing underscores the targeted nature of God's discipline.

Amos 4 7 Commentary

Amos 4:7 serves as a powerful testament to Yahweh's absolute sovereignty, not only over the nations and human affairs but also over the very forces of nature, which the Israelites' pagan neighbors (and some within Israel) falsely attributed to deities like Baal. By meticulously withholding rain during the crucial three months leading up to the harvest, God ensured a direct and devastating blow to Israel's economy and food supply, forcing them to confront their dependence.

The highly selective nature of the judgment, sending rain to one town or even one field while denying it to another nearby, highlights several crucial points. Firstly, it underscored God's intentionality and precision. This was not a random natural disaster but a calculated divine act, making it impossible to deny His involvement. Secondly, it acted as a direct polemic against Baal worship. Baal was venerated as the storm god who brought fertility and rain. When Yahweh, the God of Israel, demonstrated such detailed control over rainfall—even on a micro-geographical level—it exposed Baal's impotence and highlighted Yahweh's singular power. The contrasting scenes of lushness and barrenness within a stone's throw would have been an undeniable sign for those who had eyes to see.

Despite these clear signs and escalating judgments described in Amos 4:6-11, the recurring phrase "yet you have not returned to Me" reveals Israel's hardened hearts. God's discipline was a means to an end: to bring about repentance and reconciliation. This verse vividly portrays God's love even in His sternness; He inflicts hardship not to destroy but to correct and draw His people back into right relationship with Him. It reminds believers today that God uses various means, sometimes painful, to get our attention and call us to repent and re-prioritize Him in our lives.