27 Bible Verses about Famine

For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls. But as for me, I will be glad in the LORD, and will rejoice in God my Saviour.

Rejoice, and be glad: for great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the prophets which were before your days.

Rejoice ye then, and be glad: for behold, your reward is great in heaven. After this manner their fathers entreated the prophets.

And when I have broken the staff of your bread: that ten wives shall bake your bread in one oven and men shall deliver you your bread again by weight, then shall ye eat and shall not be satisfied.

And he said unto me, "Behold thou son of man, I will minish all the provision of bread in Jerusalem, so that they shall weigh their bread, and eat it with scarceness. But as for water, they shall have a very little measure thereof, to drink.

"And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body; the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in that straitness and siege wherewith thine enemy shall besiege thee:

and the people to whom they have preached shall be cast out of Jerusalem; die of hunger; and be slain with the sword. And there shall be no man to bury them, both they and their wives, their sons and their daughters. For thus will I pour their wickedness upon them.

One third part within thee shall die of the pestilence and of hunger: Another third part shall be slain down round about thee with the sword: The other third part, that remaineth, will I scatter abroad toward all the winds, and draw out the sword after them.

This people shall eat up thy fruit and thy meat; yea, they shall devour thy sons and thy daughters, thy sheep and thy bullocks. They shall eat up thy grapes and figs. As for thy strong and well-fenced cities, wherein thou didst trust, they shall destroy them with the sword.

{Khaf} All her people seek their bread with heaviness, and look: what precious things every man hath, that giveth he for meat to save his life. Consider, O LORD, and see, how vile I am become.

Therefore cometh my folk also in captivity, because they have no understanding. Their glory is famished with hunger, and their pride is marred for thirst.

{Kuf} I called for my lovers, but they beguiled me; for my Priests and counselors, but they perished: even while they sought for meat, to save their lives.

For the ungodly burn, as a fire in the briers and thorns: And as it were out of a fire in a wood or a red bush, so ascendeth the smoke of their pride. For this cause shall the wrath of the LORD of Hosts fall upon the land, and the people shall be consumed, as it were with fire: no man shall spare his brother, but robbeth him on the righthand, and doth famish; he eateth on the left hand and he shall not have enough. Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. read more.
Manasseh shall eat Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall eat Judah. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

And there fell a dearth in the land, passing the first dearth that fell in the days of Abraham. Wherefore Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.

Then there fell a hunger in the days of David: three years, year by year. And David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is for Saul's sake and the house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites."

After this there came a dearth in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the dearth was sore in the land.

And at the last, the word of the LORD came to Elijah the third year, saying, "Go show thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the earth."

And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung worth five sicles. And as the king of Israel walked upon the walls, there cried a woman to him, saying, "Help, my lord king." And he said, "Nay, the LORD help thee. But wherewith should I help thee, with corn or wine?" read more.
Then said the king to her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman here said to me, 'Bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.' And so we dressed my son and did eat him. And I said to her another day, 'Bring thy son that we may eat him.' But she hath hid her son."

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the Emperor Claudius' days.

For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls.

For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters.

Likewise, the seven thin and evil favored cows that came out after them, are seven years: and the seven empty and blasted ears shall be seven years of hunger.

For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters.

For all they, that of set purpose undertake to go into Egypt, there to ease themselves of their misery, shall perish with the sword, with hunger and pestilence. Not one of them shall remain; there shall none escape the plague, that I will bring upon them.

The sword shall be without; pestilence and hunger within: so that whoso is in the field shall be slain with the sword; and he that is in the city shall perish with hunger and pestilence.

After this there came a dearth in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the dearth was sore in the land.

And in the fourth Month, the ninth day of the Month, there was so great hunger in the city that there were no more victuals for the people of the land.

And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab, for there was a great famishment in Samaria.

And Elijah the Tishbite, which was of the inhabiters of Gilead, said unto Ahab, "As truly as the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, save as I appoint it."

When there were but three months unto the harvest, I withheld the rain from you. Yea, I rained upon one city, and not upon another; one piece of ground was moistured with rain, and the ground that I rained not upon, was dry.

The word of the LORD showed unto Jeremiah, concerning the dearth of the fruits. "Judah shall mourn, men shall not go much more through his gates: the land shall be no more had in reputation, and the cry of Jerusalem shall break out. The lords shall send their servants to fetch water, and when they come to the wells, they shall find no water, but shall carry their vessels home empty. They shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall cover their heads. read more.
For the ground shall be dried up, because there cometh no rain upon it. The plowmen also shall be ashamed, and shall cover their heads.

The fruit of thy land and all thy labours shall a nation eat, which thou knowest not; and thou shalt but suffer violence only and be oppressed always,

And he shall eat the fruit of thy land and the fruit of thy cattle until he have destroyed thee: so that he shall leave thee neither corn, wine, nor oil, neither the increase of thine oxen nor the flocks of thy sheep: until he have brought thee to nought.

Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in: for the grasshoppers shall destroy it.

All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall be marred with blasting.

{Khet} But now their faces are very black: Insomuch, that thou shouldest not know them in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; It is withered, and become like a dry stock.

Our skin is as it had been burnt in an oven, for very sore hunger.

so that ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.

Then said the king to her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman here said to me, 'Bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.' And so we dressed my son and did eat him. And I said to her another day, 'Bring thy son that we may eat him.' But she hath hid her son."

And when I have broken the staff of your bread: that ten wives shall bake your bread in one oven and men shall deliver you your bread again by weight, then shall ye eat and shall not be satisfied.

And if ye walk contrary unto me and will not hearken unto me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung worth five sicles.

{He} They that were wont to fair delicately, perish in the streets; they that afore were brought up in purple, make now much of dung.

{Khet} But now their faces are very black: Insomuch, that thou shouldest not know them in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; It is withered, and become like a dry stock.

And when they have no more bread nor water, one shall be destroyed with another, and famish away for their wickedness."

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD: As for those prophets that preach in my name, whom I nevertheless have not sent, and that say, 'Tush, there shall neither battle, nor hunger be in this land': With sword and with hunger shall those prophets perish,

And I will persecute them with the sword, with hunger and death. I will deliver them up to be vexed of all kingdoms, to be cursed, abhorred, laughed to scorn, and put to confusion of all the people, among whom I have scattered them:

Likewise, the seven thin and evil favored cows that came out after them, are seven years: and the seven empty and blasted ears shall be seven years of hunger.

Then spake Elisha unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying, "Up, and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years." And the woman arose and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

Though we thought that we might come into the city, yet is the dearth so great in the city, that we shall there die. And if we tarry here, we are but dead also. Now therefore come, and let us flee to the Host of the Syrians. If they save our lives, we shall live; and if they kill us, then are we dead."

Thus, I say, spake the LORD of Hosts, "Behold, I will visit you. Your young men shall perish with the sword; your sons and your daughters shall utterly die of hunger,

And Elijah the Tishbite, which was of the inhabiters of Gilead, said unto Ahab, "As truly as the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, save as I appoint it."

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, "Walk through the land, unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks, to see whether any grass may be found that we may save the horses and the mules, that we destroy not the beasts."

Drink of the river for I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there."

"Up, and get thee to Zarephath a city of Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee."

In the midst of hunger he saveth thee from death: and when it is war, from the power of the sword.

that he may deliver their soul from death, and to feed them in the time of dearth.

They shall not be confounded in the perilous time; and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.

For I smote you with heat, blasting and hailstones in all the labors of your hands: yet was there none of you, that would turn unto me, sayeth the LORD.

'I have smitten you with drought and blasting: and look how many orchards, vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees ye had: the caterpillar hath eaten them up. But yet will ye not turn unto me,' sayeth the LORD.

And in the fourth Month, the ninth day of the Month, there was so great hunger in the city that there were no more victuals for the people of the land.

And the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, there was so great hunger in the city, that there was no sustenance for the people of the land.

"And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body; the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in that straitness and siege wherewith thine enemy shall besiege thee:

Then said the king to her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman here said to me, 'Bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.'

Burnt with hunger and consumed with heat and with bitter pestilence. I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, and poison serpents.

And when the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended, then came the seven years of dearth, according as Joseph had said. And the dearth was in all lands: but in the land of Egypt was there yet food. When now all the land of Egypt began to hunger, then cried the people to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said unto all Egypt, "Go unto Joseph, and what he saith to you, that do." read more.
And when the dearth was throughout all the land, Joseph opened all that was in the cities, and sold unto the Egyptians. And hunger waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

"I will help you out of all your uncleannesses. I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and will let you have no hunger. I will multiply the fruits of the trees, and the increase of the field for you, so that ye shall bear no more reproof of hunger among the Heathen.

And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found as it were a wild vine, and gathered thereof coloquintidaes, his lapful, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage - they unwitting. And they poured out for the men to eat. And when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out and said, "There is death in the pot, thou man of God!" And could not eat thereof.

The Hind shall forsake the young fawn that she bringeth forth in the field because there shall be no grass. The wild Asses shall stand in the Moss, and draw in their wind like the Dragons, their eyes shall fail for want of grass."

The LORD shall be grim upon them, and destroy all the goods in the land. And all the Isles of the Heathen shall worship him, every man in his place.

The word of the LORD showed unto Jeremiah, concerning the dearth of the fruits.

After this there came a dearth in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the dearth was sore in the land.

Then there fell a hunger in the days of David: three years, year by year. And David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is for Saul's sake and the house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites."

There was no bread in all the land, for the dearth was exceeding sore: so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, were famished by the reason of the dearth.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD God: Though I send my four troublous plagues upon Jerusalem - the sword, hunger, perilous beasts, and pestilence, to destroy man and beast out of it -

And the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, there was so great hunger in the city, that there was no sustenance for the people of the land.

And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung worth five sicles.

When Elisha was come to Gilgal again, there was a dearth in the land, and the children of the prophets dwelt with him. Then he said to his servant, "Put on a great pot, and make pottage for the children of the prophets."

And there fell a dearth in the land, passing the first dearth that fell in the days of Abraham. Wherefore Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.

For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters.

Some said, "Let us set our lands, vineyards, and houses, to pledge, and take up corn in the dearth."

And there arose great dearth in Samaria: for they had besieged it, until an ass's head was worth four score sicles of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung worth five sicles.

"Behold, the time cometh," sayeth the LORD God, "that I shall send a hunger into the earth. Not the hunger of bread, nor the thirst of water: but a hunger to hear the word of the LORD. So that they shall go from the one sea to the other, yea from the north unto the east, running about to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

When I shoot among them the perilous darts of hunger, which shall be but death: Yea, therefore shall I shoot them, because I will destroy you. I will increase hunger, and diminish all the provision of bread among you.

The husbandmen and the wine gardeners shall look piteously, and make lamentation for the wheat, wine and barley; and because the harvest upon the field is so clean destroyed. The grape gatherers shall make great moan, when the vineyard and fig trees be so utterly wasted. Yea all the pomegranates, palm trees, apple trees, and the other trees of the field shall wither away. Thus the merry cheer of the children of men shall come to confusion. Gird you, and make your moan, O ye priests: mourn ye ministers of the alter: go your way in, and sleep in sackcloth, O ye officers of my God: for the meat and drink offering shall be taken away from the house of your God.

And he said unto me, "Behold thou son of man, I will minish all the provision of bread in Jerusalem, so that they shall weigh their bread, and eat it with scarceness. But as for water, they shall have a very little measure thereof, to drink.

Moreover he called for a dearth upon the land, and destroyed all the provision of bread.

Then spake Elisha unto the woman whose son he had restored to life again, saying, "Up, and go both thou and thine house, and sojourn where thou thinkest best, for the LORD will call a dearth which shall come on the land seven years."

And when the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended, then came the seven years of dearth, according as Joseph had said. And the dearth was in all lands: but in the land of Egypt was there yet food. When now all the land of Egypt began to hunger, then cried the people to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said unto all Egypt, "Go unto Joseph, and what he saith to you, that do." read more.
And when the dearth was throughout all the land, Joseph opened all that was in the cities, and sold unto the Egyptians. And hunger waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came to Egypt, to Joseph, for to buy corn: because that the hunger was so sore in all lands.

And she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold: which they bestowed upon Baal. Wherefore now will I go take my corn and wine again in their season, and fet again my wool and my flax, which I gave her to cover her shame.

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the Emperor Claudius' days.

For lo, shall the LORD God of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and Judah all possessions and power, all meat and drink,

The seed shall perish in the ground, the garners shall lie waste, the floors shall be broken down, for the corn shall be destroyed.

In the time when the judges judged, there fell a dearth in the land. Wherefore a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went for to sojourn in the country of Moab with his wife and two sons.

"'Therefore have I given you idle teeth in all your cities, and scarceness of bread in all your places: yet will ye not turn unto me,' sayeth the LORD.

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the Emperor Claudius' days.

"Behold, the time cometh," sayeth the LORD God, "that I shall send a hunger into the earth. Not the hunger of bread, nor the thirst of water: but a hunger to hear the word of the LORD.

For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls. But as for me, I will be glad in the LORD, and will rejoice in God my Saviour.

Rejoice, and be glad: for great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the prophets which were before your days.

Rejoice ye then, and be glad: for behold, your reward is great in heaven. After this manner their fathers entreated the prophets.

Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in: for the grasshoppers shall destroy it. Thou shalt plant a vineyard and dress it, but shalt neither drink of the wine neither gather of the grapes: for the worms shall eat it. Thou shalt have olive trees in all thy coasts, but shalt not be anointed with the oil: for thine olive trees shall be rooted out.

When there were but three months unto the harvest, I withheld the rain from you. Yea, I rained upon one city, and not upon another; one piece of ground was moistured with rain, and the ground that I rained not upon, was dry. Wherefore two, yea three cities came unto one, to drink water: but they were not satisfied. Yet will ye not turn unto me,' sayeth the LORD. 'I have smitten you with drought and blasting: and look how many orchards, vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees ye had: the caterpillar hath eaten them up. But yet will ye not turn unto me,' sayeth the LORD.

And when I have broken the staff of your bread: that ten wives shall bake your bread in one oven and men shall deliver you your bread again by weight, then shall ye eat and shall not be satisfied.

so that ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.

and will break the pride of your strength. For I will make the heaven over you as hard as iron, and your land as hard as brass. And so your labour shall be spent in vain. For your land shall not give her increase, neither the trees of the land shall give their fruits.

For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls. But as for me, I will be glad in the LORD, and will rejoice in God my Saviour.

Rejoice, and be glad: for great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the prophets which were before your days.

Rejoice ye then, and be glad: for behold, your reward is great in heaven. After this manner their fathers entreated the prophets.

Our skin is as it had been burnt in an oven, for very sore hunger.

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD: As for those prophets that preach in my name, whom I nevertheless have not sent, and that say, 'Tush, there shall neither battle, nor hunger be in this land': With sword and with hunger shall those prophets perish,

Both these things are happened unto thee, but who is sorry for it? Yea, destruction, wasting, hunger and sword: but who hath comforted thee?