“And I also withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, And on another city I would not send rain; One portion would be rained on, While the portion not rained on would dry up.
Amos 4:5 And offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened, And call for freewill offerings; cause them to be heard about. For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,” Declares Lord Yahweh.
Amos 4:6 “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
Amos 4:7 “And I also withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, And on another city I would not send rain; One portion would be rained on, While the portion not rained on would dry up.
Amos 4:8 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.
Amos 4:9 “I struck you with scorching wind and mildew; And the gnawing locust was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
The verse centers on "withheld", "rain", "still", "three", "months", "until", "harvest", and "send". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "withheld" and "rain", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 6's "But I gave you also cleanness of..." into verse 8's "So two or three cities would wander...", so "withheld" and "rain" belong inside that flow. In Amos context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "withheld" and "rain" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.