27 Bible Verses about Famine

The fig tree will not flourish. There will be no fruit on the vines. The labor of the olive will fail and the fields will yield no food! The flock will be cut off from the fold and there will be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah! I will find joy in the God of my salvation.

Rejoice, and be filled with joy, for great is your reward in heaven. The prophets, who came before you, were also persecuted.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For your reward is great in heaven. Your fathers treated the prophets the same way.

I will destroy your food supply. Ten women will need only one oven to prepare your food. You will eat and go away hungry.

And he added: Mortal man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread for Jerusalem. The people there will be distressed and anxious as they measure out the food they eat and the water they drink.

Because of the hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade, you will eat the flesh of your own children, the sons and daughters, whom Jehovah your God has given you.

The people to whom they prophesy will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. They will be victims of famines and wars. No one will bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour on them the destruction that they deserve.'

One third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine! One third will fall by the sword! One third I will scatter to every wind! I will unsheathe a sword behind them (war will follow them).

They will devour your harvest and your food. They will devour your sons and your daughters. They will devour your flocks and your herds. They will devour your vines and your fig trees. They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.

Her people are sighing and looking for bread. They have given their desired things for something to eat to give them life. See, O Jehovah, and take note. She has become a thing of shame.

My people will go into exile because they do not understand what I am doing. Honored men will starve, and common people will be parched with thirst.

I sent for my lovers, but they were false to me. My priests and my responsible men are dying. They look for food to give them new life.

This wickedness is like a brushfire. It burns not only briers and thorns but the forests, too. It sends up vast clouds of smoke. The land is blackened by the fury of Jehovah of Hosts. The people are fuel for the fire, and no one spares anyone else. They slice off what is on the right hand, but they will still be hungry. In the end they will even eat the flesh of their own arms (offspring) (turn upon themselves). read more.
Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, Ephraim will feed on Manasseh, and both will devour Judah. But even then Jehovah's anger will not be satisfied. His hand is still poised to unleash his power.

There was another famine in the land besides the earlier one during the time of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.

There was a famine for three successive years during David's reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.

There was a famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.

After a long time, the word of Jehovah came to Elijah. In the third year he said: Go and let Ahab see you. I will send rain on the earth.

The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver. The king of Israel walked by on the city wall when a woman cried out: Help me, Your Majesty! The king replied: If Jehovah will not help you, what help can I provide? Where can I get you help from the threshing floor or the wine press? read more.
The king asked: What is your trouble? She answered: The other day a woman suggested that we eat my child. Then we could eat her child the next day. So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her that we would eat her son, but she had hidden him!

One of them was named Agabus. He indicated through the Spirit that a great famine was about to come on the entire earth. He said it would come to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

The fig tree will not flourish. There will be no fruit on the vines. The labor of the olive will fail and the fields will yield no food! The flock will be cut off from the fold and there will be no herd in the stalls.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places.

The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming!

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places.

All the people who are determined to go and live in Egypt will die either in war or of starvation or disease. Not one of them will survive, not one will escape the disaster that I am going to bring on them.'

Outside are swords and inside are plagues and famines. He who is in a field will die in battle. He who is in the city will be devoured by famines and plagues.

There was a famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food.

So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was no food to be had in Samaria.

Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: By the living Jehovah, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.

I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city. One received rain. The other did not receive rain and it dried up.

Jehovah spoke his word about the drought to Jeremiah: Judah mourns and its gates collapse. The people of Judah are filled with bereavement as they sit on the ground. Their cry goes up from Jerusalem. Important people send their assistants out for water. They do not find any water at the cisterns. They return with their containers empty. They cover their heads, because they are ashamed and dishonored. read more.
There is no rain in the land and the ground is cracked. The farmers are disappointed. They cover their heads.

A foreign nation will take all the crops that you have worked so hard to grow. You will receive nothing but constant oppression and harsh treatment.

They will eat the offspring of your animals and the crops from your fields until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, no new wine, no olive oil, no calves from your herds, and no lambs or kids from your flocks. They will continue to do this until you are completely desolate.

You will plant many crops in your fields, but harvest little for locusts will destroy your crops.

Locusts will take over all your trees and the fruit of your land.

Their face is blacker than night. In the streets no one has knowledge of them. Their skin is hanging on their bones, and they are dry, they have become like wood.

Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from the need of food.

You will eat the bodies of your sons and daughters.

The king asked: What is your trouble? She answered: The other day a woman suggested that we eat my child. Then we could eat her child the next day. So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her that we would eat her son, but she had hidden him!

I will destroy your food supply. Ten women will need only one oven to prepare your food. You will eat and go away hungry.

If you act with hostility against me and are unwilling to obey me I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins.

The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.

Those used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets. Those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.

Their face is blacker than night. In the streets no one has knowledge of them. Their skin is hanging on their bones, and they are dry, they have become like wood.

They will run out of bread and water. They will be in despair. They will waste away because of their sins.

I did not send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, Jehovah, say about them: 'Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets.

I will chase them with wars, famines, and plagues. I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms on the earth. They will become something cursed, ridiculed, and hissed at, and they will be a disgrace among all the nations where I scatter them.

The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming!

Elisha told the woman who lived in Shunem, whose son he brought back to life: Jehovah is sending a famine on the land. It will last for seven years. Leave with your family and go live somewhere else. She followed his instructions and left with her family to live in Philistia for the seven years.

If we go into the city we will starve to death. If we stay here we will also die. So let us go to the Syrian camp. The worst they can do is kill us. Maybe they will spare our lives.

This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: I am going to punish them. The young men will die by the sword because of war. Their sons and daughters will die by famine.

Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: By the living Jehovah, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.

Ahab said to Obadiah: Come! Let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers. Let us see if there is any grass for the horses and the transport beasts. We must save some of the livestock.

You will drink from the brook. I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.

Go now to Zarephath, in Zidon, and live there. I have given orders to a widow woman there to see that you have food.

In famine he will save you from death, and in war he will save you from the sword.

It is on those who deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

They will not be ashamed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they will have abundance.

I struck you with scorching winds, mildew and hail to ruin everything you tried to grow, declared Jehovah, but you still did not repent.

I struck you with scorching and mildew. The caterpillar has devoured the multitudes of your gardens, your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive-trees. Yet you have not returned to me, said Jehovah.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land.

Because of the hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade, you will eat the flesh of your own children, the sons and daughters, whom Jehovah your God has given you.

The king asked: What is your trouble? She answered: The other day a woman suggested that we eat my child. Then we could eat her child the next day.

They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague and bitter destruction. I will send teeth of wild animals on them, with the venom of crawling things (reptiles) of the dust.

The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end. The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every other country, but there was food throughout Egypt. When the Egyptians became hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do what he told them. read more.
The famine grew worse and spread over the entire country. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.

I will rescue you from all your uncleanness. I will make the grain grow so that you will never again have famines. I will make fruit grow on the trees and crops grow in the fields so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famines.

One of them went out in the fields to gather herbs. He found a wild vine and picked as many gourds as he could carry. He brought them back and sliced them into the stew, not knowing what they were. The stew was poured out for the men to eat. They tasted it and exclaimed to Elisha: It is poisoned! They would not eat it.

Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there is no grass. Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills. They sniff the wind like jackals. Their eyesight fails because they have no green plants.

Jehovah will fill them with fear for he will starve (emaciate) all the gods of the earth! Men will worship him, each one from his place, even the coastlands of the nations.

Jehovah spoke his word about the drought to Jeremiah:

There was a famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.

There was a famine for three successive years during David's reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.

The famine was so severe that there was no food anywhere. The people of Egypt and Canaan became weak with hunger.

This is what the Lord Jehovah says: 'I will surely send four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. I will send wars, famines, wild animals, and plagues. They will destroy people and animals.

On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land.

The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.

When there was a famine throughout the land, Elisha returned to Gilgal. He was teaching a group of prophets. He told his servant to put a big pot on the fire and make some stew for them.

There was another famine in the land besides the earlier one during the time of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places.

There were some who said: We are giving our fields and our vine-gardens and our houses for debt. Let us get grain because we are in need.

The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.

Behold, the day is coming, said the Lord Jehovah, that I will send a famine in the land. Not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah. They will wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east. They will run to and fro to seek the word of Jehovah, and will not find it.

When I shoot my destructive arrows of famine at you, I will shoot to kill you. I will bring more and more famine into your land. I will cut off your food supply.

Be ashamed you farmers. Cry you vinedressers. The wheat, the barley and the harvest of the field have perished. The vine and the fig tree fail. The pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field have dried up. Joy has withered away from the sons of men. Gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth you ministers of my God! The meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from the House of your God.

And he added: Mortal man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread for Jerusalem. The people there will be distressed and anxious as they measure out the food they eat and the water they drink.

Furthermore, he called for a famine on the land: he broke the whole staff of bread.

Elisha told the woman who lived in Shunem, whose son he brought back to life: Jehovah is sending a famine on the land. It will last for seven years. Leave with your family and go live somewhere else.

The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end. The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every other country, but there was food throughout Egypt. When the Egyptians became hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do what he told them. read more.
The famine grew worse and spread over the entire country. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

She did not know that I gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. Therefore I will take back my grain at that time, and my new wine in the season. I will pluck away my wool and my flax that should have covered her nakedness.

One of them was named Agabus. He indicated through the Spirit that a great famine was about to come on the entire earth. He said it would come to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Jehovah of Hosts, the Almighty (Ruler) (Sovereign) is going to take all support and supply of food and water from Jerusalem and Judah.

The seeds rot under dirt clods. The storehouses are desolate. The barns are torn down because the grain has dried up.

There was a famine in the land in the days when the judges ruled. And a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

I also gave you cleanness of teeth (kept food from your teeth) in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to me, said Jehovah.

One of them was named Agabus. He indicated through the Spirit that a great famine was about to come on the entire earth. He said it would come to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Behold, the day is coming, said the Lord Jehovah, that I will send a famine in the land. Not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah.

The fig tree will not flourish. There will be no fruit on the vines. The labor of the olive will fail and the fields will yield no food! The flock will be cut off from the fold and there will be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah! I will find joy in the God of my salvation.

Rejoice, and be filled with joy, for great is your reward in heaven. The prophets, who came before you, were also persecuted.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For your reward is great in heaven. Your fathers treated the prophets the same way.

You will plant many crops in your fields, but harvest little for locusts will destroy your crops. You will plant vineyards and tend them but will not drink the wine from them. Worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout all your coasts, but you shall not anoint with the oil, for your olive shall drop off its fruit.

I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city. One received rain. The other did not receive rain and it dried up. Two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water. They were not satisfied and yet you have not returned to me, said Jehovah. I struck you with scorching and mildew. The caterpillar has devoured the multitudes of your gardens, your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive-trees. Yet you have not returned to me, said Jehovah.

I will destroy your food supply. Ten women will need only one oven to prepare your food. You will eat and go away hungry.

You will eat the bodies of your sons and daughters.

I will crush your arrogance. You will have no rain, and your land will be as hard as cement. Your strength will be spent uselessly. Your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

The fig tree will not flourish. There will be no fruit on the vines. The labor of the olive will fail and the fields will yield no food! The flock will be cut off from the fold and there will be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah! I will find joy in the God of my salvation.

Rejoice, and be filled with joy, for great is your reward in heaven. The prophets, who came before you, were also persecuted.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For your reward is great in heaven. Your fathers treated the prophets the same way.

Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from the need of food.

I did not send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, Jehovah, say about them: 'Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets.

These double calamities have come upon you. Who can comfort you? You experience ruin and destruction, famine and sword. Who can console you?