Bible Dictionary
Famine
Famine is a severe shortage of food caused by drought, crop failure, insects, war, siege, or other calamity. Scripture records famines as occasions of suffering and sometimes as judgments, while also using the image of famine for the absence of God’s word.
Biblical Usage
Famines occurred in the days of Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, the Judges, David, the prophets, and the New Testament church. Agabus predicted a famine, and Christ spoke of famines in various places. Amos also uses famine figuratively for a lack of hearing the words of the Lord.
Scripture References