Clarke's Bible Commentary - Amos 4:6
Verse 6. Cleanness of teeth] Scarcity of bread, as immediately explained. Ye shall have no trouble in cleaning your teeth, for ye shall have nothing to eat.
Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.] This reprehension is repeated live times in this chapter; and in it are strongly implied God's longsuffering, his various modes of fatherly chastisement, the ingratitude of the people, and their obstinate wickedness. The famine mentioned here is supposed to be that which is spoken of 2 Kings viii. 1; but it is most likely to have been that mentioned by Joel, chaps. i. and 2.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities , etc.] Meaning a famine, having no food to foul them with, or to stick in them. This was not the famine in Samaria, ( 2 Kings 6:25); for that was only in that city, and for a short time, while besieged; whereas this was in all the cities in Israel; rather therefore it designs the famine predicted by Elisha, which should be upon the land for seven years, ( 2 Kings 8:1); and want of bread in all your places : this is the same with the former clause, and explains it, and still makes the famine more general, not only in their cities, but in all their places of abode, their towns and villages: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord ; this judgment had no influence upon them, to bring them to a sense of their evils, particularly their idolatry, and to repentance them, and to reclaim them from them, and return them to the Lord, and to his worship, as the Targum paraphrases it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-13 - See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that whic satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Hi in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is a rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were wel if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies and, when they have not this rain near, would go and seek it where it is to be had. As the Israelites persisted in rebellion and idolatry the Lord was coming against them as an adversary. Ere long, we mus meet our God in judgment; but we shall not be able to stand before him if he tries us according to our doings. If we would prepare to meet ou God with comfort, at the awful period of his coming, we must now mee him in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, who came to sav lost sinners. We must seek him while he is to be found __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
וגם 1571 אני 589 נתתי 5414 לכם נקיון 5356 שׁנים 8127 בכל 3605 עריכם 5892 וחסר 2640 לחם 3899 בכל 3605 מקומתיכם 4725 ולא 3808 שׁבתם 7725 עדי 5704 נאם 5002 יהוה׃ 3068
