A serious shortage of food caused by drought, war or natural disasters. Famine is seen as a sign of God's judgment on Israel.
Examples of famines
In the days of Abraham
Genesis 12:10 See also Genesis 26:1
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
In the days of Joseph
In the days of Ruth
In the days of David
In the days of Elijah
In the days of Elisha
In the days of the prophets
Isaiah 51:19; Jeremiah 44:13; Ezekiel 7:15; Joel 1:10–12
In the days of Claudius
In the last days
Matthew 24:7 parallels Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Natural causes of famine
See also Deuteronomy 28:22 crop disease1 Kings 18:1–2; Jeremiah 14:1–62KI Jeremiah 6:24–25, 2 Kings 25:1–3 Joel 1:4 locusts
Spiritual causes of famine
The disobedience of God's people
Deuteronomy 28:15–18 See also Deuteronomy 28:22–24, Deuteronomy 28:38–40, Deuteronomy 28:42, Deuteronomy 28:51, Deuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 32:24; Judges 6:1–5; 2 Samuel 21:1, 2 Samuel 24:13 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:11–12; Isaiah 51:19–20; Jeremiah 5:17, Jeremiah 11:22, Jeremiah 14:11–18, Jeremiah 18:21, Jeremiah 29:17–18, Jeremiah 32:24; Ezekiel 5:16–17, Ezekiel 6:11–12, Ezekiel 14:13
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, as well as the produce of your land, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.
God's judgment on the ungodly
Genesis 41:28–30; Isaiah 14:29–30; Revelation 6:8, Revelation 18:8
The effects of famine
Desperation and death
Lamentations 4:9 See also Genesis 47:13, Genesis 47:20; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 7:3–4; Nehemiah 5:3; Jeremiah 52:6; Luke 15:14–16, Luke 23:28–29
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
God's people seek him and return to him
Judges 6:6 See also 2 Samuel 21:1; Luke 15:17–18
Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.
God's provision in famine
He gives warnings beforehand
Genesis 41:25–27; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 8:1; Acts 11:28
He gives wisdom to men
Genesis 41:33–36, Genesis 42:1–2, Genesis 45:11, Genesis 47:4; Psalm 105:16–22; Acts 7:10–11
He provides for his people
Job 5:20 See also Genesis 26:1–3; 1 Kings 17:2–16 Sometimes he provides miraculously; Psalm 33:18–19, Psalm 37:19; Ezekiel 34:29, Ezekiel 36:29–30
In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
He sends deliverance
2 Kings 7:1–9, 2 Kings 7:16; Jeremiah 32:36–37
Responses to famine
Accepting God's chastisements
Jeremiah 27:12–13, Jeremiah 38:2–3, Jeremiah 42:13–17, Jeremiah 44:27
Caring for one's family
Genesis 45:11; Ruth 1:1; 2 Kings 8:1–2
Helping those in need
Praying
1 Kings 8:35–40 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:26–31
Trusting in the Lord
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.