The Meaning of Amos 4:7 Explained

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.

YLT: And I also -- I have withheld from you the rain. While yet three months to harvest, And I have sent rain on one city, And on another city I do not send rain, One portion is rained on, And the portion on which it raineth not withereth.

Darby: And I also 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 of land was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

ASV: And I also 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Amos 4:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Amos 4:1-11 - Calamities Are God's Warnings
Speaking after the imagery of his vocation, Amos the herdsman compares the rich and powerful of Samaria, who were living in luxury and wantonness, to the kine of Bashan, a breed of cattle notorious for strength and stubbornness. They broke through hedges, threw down fences, trespassed on neighboring pastures, and gored lesser cattle. The judges and magistrates were in cruel collusion with the masters who oppressed the serfs, and were willing to condone breaches of the law for drink. Sacrifices and tithes were rigorously maintained, but the entire religious system was rotten.
Already heavy judgment had fallen upon the degenerate people. There had been famine, the intermission of the rainy seasons, blasting and mildew, pestilence and murrain-but all in vain. That God was behind these phenomena was obvious from the fact that rain showers had fallen in one place and not in another. There had been a method in God's dealings that indicated a personal agency. The worst cities had suffered the most. But the people had refused to lay it to heart. Note the sorrowful refrain-yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. It may be that some reader of these lines may find herein a clue to the mysterious succession of strokes that have befallen himself and his household. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 4

1  He reproves Israel for oppression,
4  for idolatry,
6  and for their incorrigibleness

What do the individual words in Amos 4:7 mean?

And also I withheld from you - rain when still three [there were] months to the harvest And I made it rain on city one and on city one not I withheld rain part one was rained upon and the part where not it did rain whereupon withered
וְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִי֩ מָנַ֨עְתִּי מִכֶּ֜ם אֶת־ הַגֶּ֗שֶׁם בְּע֨וֹד שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ לַקָּצִ֔יר וְהִמְטַרְתִּי֙ עַל־ עִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת וְעַל־ עִ֥יר אַחַ֖ת לֹ֣א אַמְטִ֑יר חֶלְקָ֤ה אַחַת֙ תִּמָּטֵ֔ר וְחֶלְקָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־ לֹֽא־ תַמְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ תִּיבָֽשׁ

וְגַ֣ם  And  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מָנַ֨עְתִּי  withheld 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָנַע  
Sense: to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder.
מִכֶּ֜ם  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַגֶּ֗שֶׁם  rain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּשֶׁם  
Sense: rain, shower.
בְּע֨וֹד  when  still 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
חֳדָשִׁים֙  [there  were]  months 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
לַקָּצִ֔יר  to  the  harvest 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָצִיר 
Sense: harvest, harvesting.
וְהִמְטַרְתִּי֙  And  I  made  it  rain 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
עִ֣יר  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֶחָ֔ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עִ֥יר  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אַחַ֖ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אַמְטִ֑יר  I  withheld  rain 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
חֶלְקָ֤ה  part 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶלְקָה 
Sense: portion, parcel.
אַחַת֙  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
תִּמָּטֵ֔ר  was  rained  upon 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
וְחֶלְקָ֛ה  and  the  part 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶלְקָה 
Sense: portion, parcel.
אֲשֶֽׁר־  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תַמְטִ֥יר  it  did  rain 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
עָלֶ֖יהָ  whereupon 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תִּיבָֽשׁ  withered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.