Amos 4:8

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.

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.

10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
KJV
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.
WEB
So two or three cities staggered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.
ASV
So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah.
DARBY
And two, three, cities wandered unto one city, to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah.
BLB
And they would stagger off two [or] three cities to one city, to drink water, and they were not satisfied—and [still] you⁺ have returned not to Me!” An utterance of YHWH.
ÅB
og to, tre byer ravet avsted til en og samme by for å drikke vann, men fikk ikke nok; men dere har ikke omvendt dere til meg, sier Herren.
OTB
Så to eller tre byer ville vandre til en annen by for å drikke vann,
Men ville ikke bli tilfredsstilt;
Men dere har ikke vendt tilbake til Meg,” sier Herren.
B1930
og to, tre byer ravet avsted til en og samme by for å drikke vann, men fikk ikke nok; men I har ikke omvendt eder til mig, sier Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Amos 4:6

    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.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 18:5

    And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

    Read in context
  • Haggai 1:6

    Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

    Read in context
  • Micah 6:14

    Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

    Read in context
  • Hosea 7:10

    And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 41:17–18

    When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 14:3–4

    And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 23:14

    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

    Read in context