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Amos 4:6-9

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

6. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured [them]: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Amos 4:6-9 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Amos 4:6

Theological / Devotional

Cleanness of teeth. Literally, “bareness of teeth.” This expression denotes famine, being parallel in meaning to the words that follow, “want of bread.” The people were not unwarned of the fact that famine could come as a result of backsliding (see Lev. 26:14-20; Deut. 28:47, 48). Yet they were unmoved by these warnings.

Yet. Note the five occurrences of this word in ch. 4 (vs. 6, 8-11). God had permitted famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and disaster, but Israel “yet” refused to return to the true God. When the words of God prove insufficient, they are followed by acts of chastisement. However, these afflictions have brought no good results, and so five times in these verses is heard the sad refrain, “yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord” (vs. 6, 8-11).

By SdaBc