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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Amos 4:8

People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Famine;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflictions of the Wicked, the;   Judgments;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - God;   Water;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Convert, Conversion;   Providence of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Agriculture;   Uzziah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Famine and Drought;   Sorrow;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Joel (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joel, Book of;   Numbers and Numerals;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Two or three cities staggeredto another city to drink waterbut were not satisfied,yet you did not return to me.
Hebrew Names Version
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.
King James Version
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 .
English Standard Version
so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me," declares the Lord .
New American Standard Bible
"So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.
New Century Version
People weak from thirst went from town to town for water, but they could not get enough to drink. Still you did not come back to me," says the Lord .
Amplified Bible
"So [the people of] two or three cities would stagger into one city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So two or three cities wandred vnto one citie to drinke water, but they were not satisfied: yet haue ye not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.
Legacy Standard Bible
So two or three cities would wander around to another city to drink water,But would not be satisfied;Yet you have not returned to Me," declares Yahweh.
Contemporary English Version
People from two or three towns would go to a town that still had water, but it wasn't enough. Even then you rejected me. I, the Lord , have spoken!
Complete Jewish Bible
from two or three cities they would stagger to one city for water to drink, but there wasn't enough; still you haven't returned to me," says Adonai .
Darby Translation
And two, three, cities wandered unto one city, to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn't come to me for help." This is what the Lord said.
George Lamsa Translation
So the inhabitants of two or three cities gathered into one city to drink water; but they were not satisfied; yet you returned not to me, says the LORD.
Good News Translation
Weak with thirst, the people of several cities went to a city where they hoped to find water, but there was not enough to drink. Still you did not come back to me.
Lexham English Bible
So two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water and they were not satisfied, yet you did not return to me," is the declaration of Yahweh.
Literal Translation
So two or three cities staggered to one city in order to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me, declares Jehovah.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
So two or three towns went wandering to one town looking for water, and did not get enough: and still you have not come back to me, says the Lord.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
So two or three cities wandered vnto one citie, to drinke water; but they were not satisfied: yet haue yee not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
So two [or] three cities wandred vnto one citie to drinke water, but they were not satisfied: yet haue ye not returned vnto me, sayth the Lorde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the inhabitants of two or three cities shall be gathered to one city to drink water, and they shall not be satisfied: yet ye have not returned to me, saith the Lord.
English Revised Version
So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
World English Bible
So two or three cities staggered to one city to drink water, And were not satisfied: Yet you haven't returned to me," says Yahweh.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And tweyne and thre citees camen to o citee, to drynke watir, and tho weren not fillid; and ye camen not ayen to me, seith the Lord.
Update Bible Version
So two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet you have not returned to me, says Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
So two [or] three cities wandered to one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned to me, saith the LORD.
New English Translation
People from two or three cities staggered into one city to get water, but remained thirsty. Still you did not come back to me." The Lord is speaking!
New King James Version
So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
New Living Translation
People staggered from town to town looking for water, but there was never enough. But still you would not return to me," says the Lord .
New Life Bible
People would go from city to city to drink water, but would not get enough. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.
New Revised Standard
so two or three towns wandered to one town to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you did not return to me, says the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then would two or three cities totter to one city to drink water, without being satisfied, - Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And two and three cities went to one city to drink water, and were not filled: yet you returned not to me, saith the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
so two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.
Young's Literal Translation
And wandered have two or three cities, Unto the same city to drink water, And they are not satisfied, And ye have not turned back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore two (yee thre) cities came vnto one, to drynke water: but they were not satisfied, yet will ye not turne vnto me, sayeth ye LORDE.

Contextual Overview

6"I beset all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me," declares the LORD. 7"I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain while one without rain withered. 8People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.9"I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me," declares the LORD. 10"I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me," declares the LORD. 11"Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me," declares the LORD. 12"Therefore, that is what I will do to you, O Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel! 13For behold, He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who turns the dawn to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth, the LORD, the God of Hosts, is His name."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

two: 1 Kings 18:5, Isaiah 41:17, Isaiah 41:18, Jeremiah 14:3

but: Ezekiel 4:16, Micah 6:14, Haggai 1:6

yet: Amos 4:6, Amos 4:9-11, Jeremiah 23:14, Hosea 7:10

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:4 - Then I Psalms 107:33 - watersprings Isaiah 30:23 - shall he Hosea 11:5 - because Amos 1:2 - the habitations Haggai 2:17 - yet Zechariah 14:17 - even

Cross-References

Genesis 4:3
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
Genesis 4:6
"Why are you angry," said the LORD to Cain, "and why has your countenance fallen?
Genesis 4:9
And the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I do not know!" he answered. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis 4:10
"What have you done?" replied the LORD. "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Genesis 4:12
When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."
Genesis 4:15
"Not so!" replied the LORD. "If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold." And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
Genesis 4:26
And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the name of the LORD.
2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.
2 Samuel 14:6
And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So two [or] three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water,.... Two or three cities, that is, the inhabitants of them, being without water, went up and down in quest of any city or place where they could find water for themselves and cattle to drink:

but they were not satisfied; could not get enough for their present use and much less to carry back with them to supply them for any length of time; such a scarcity there was of it in other parts; see 1 Kings 18:5;

yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord; this had no more effect upon them than the other to relinquish their former courses, and return unto the Lord by humiliation and repentance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Two or three cities wandered into one city - Those then who were punished, were more than those who were reprieved. The word “wandered” literally, “trembled,” expresses the unsteady reeling gate of those exhausted, in quest of food . They staggered through weakness, and uncertain, amid the general drought, whither to betake themselves. This was done, not in punishment but to heal. God paused, in order to give them opportunity to repent; in deed, His long-suffering only showed to themselves and to others, that they would not; “and ye returned not not Me; saith the Lord.”


 
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