Amos 8:8-14

8 Shall not ha’aretz (the land) tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? And the whole land shall rise like the Nile; and heave and sink, as by the Nile of Mitzrayim.

9 And it shall come to pass in that Yom, saith Adonoi Hashem, that I will cause the shemesh to go down at noon, and I will darken ha’aretz in the yom ohr (day light);

10 And I will turn your chagim into mourning, and all your shirot into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every rosh; and I will make it as the mourning of a yachid (only son), and the end thereof as a yom mar (bitter day).

11 Hinei, the yamim come, saith Adonoi Hashem, that I will send a ra’av (famine) in the land, not a ra’av (famine) of lechem, nor a thirst for mayim, but of hearing the Divrei Hashem;

12 And they shall wander from yam to yam, and from the tzafon (north) even to the mizrach (east), they shall run to and fro to seek the Devar Hashem, and shall not find it.

13 In that Yom shall the betulot hayafot (fair virgins) and bochurim faint for thirst.

14 They that swear by the sin of Shomron, and say, Chai Elohecha, O Dan; and, The Derech Beer Sheva liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

Amos 8:8-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 8

In this chapter a fourth vision is delivered, the vision of a "basket of summer fruit"; signifying the destruction of the ten tribes, for which they were ripe, and which would quickly come upon them, Am 8:1-3; the rich are reproved for their oppression of the poor, their covetousness and earthly mindedness, Am 8:4-6; for which they are threatened with entire ruin, sudden calamities, and very mournful times, instead of light, joy, and gladness, Am 8:7-10; and particularly with a famine of hearing the word of God, Am 8:11,12; the consequence of which would be, a fainting of the young men and virgins for thirst, and the utter and irrecoverable ruin of all idolaters, Am 8:13,14.