Amos 8:13
In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
Original Language Analysis
בַּיּ֨וֹם
In that day
H3117
בַּיּ֨וֹם
In that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
1 of 7
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַה֜וּא
H1931
הַה֜וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
2 of 7
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
הַבְּתוּלֹ֧ת
virgins
H1330
הַבְּתוּלֹ֧ת
virgins
Strong's:
H1330
Word #:
4 of 7
a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state
Cross References
Hosea 2:3Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.Lamentations 2:21The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.Lamentations 1:18The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
Historical Context
This prophecy describes the post-exilic state of the northern tribes. Scattered among pagan nations without temple, priesthood, or prophets, they spiritually withered. Later, Jesus found Israel in similar spiritual famine—shepherdless sheep whom religious leaders had failed to feed (Matthew 9:36).
Questions for Reflection
- How do people today spiritually 'faint for thirst' despite having physical Bibles accessible everywhere?
- What's the difference between spiritual thirst that drives people to God versus the judgment-famine where His Word becomes unavailable?
- How should this warning motivate believers to drink deeply from God's Word while it remains accessible?
Analysis & Commentary
In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא תִּתְעַלַּפְנָה הַבְּתוּלֹת הַיָּפוֹת וְהַבַּחוּרִים בַּצָּמָא, bayom hahu tit'alafnah hab'tulot hayafot v'habachurim batzama)—Young, vigorous people (בְּתוּלוֹת, betulot, 'virgins'; בַּחוּרִים, bachurim, 'young men') typically most resilient will 'faint' (עָלַף, alaf, 'grow faint, languish'). But this is spiritual thirst (צָמָא, tzama), not physical—they faint from lack of God's Word (8:11-12), not water.
This emphasizes spiritual famine's devastating completeness: even the strong cannot endure. Jesus promised the opposite to those who come to Him: 'whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst' (John 4:14). Rejecting Living Water results in unquenchable spiritual thirst.