Definition: For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse together. It’s a really interesting story about how God works through a group of people to save his people. Here's what it means in plain language: The Basic Story: God is angry: The Bible says God was very upset with Israel after they had disobeyed him and rebelled against him. He wanted to punish them. A temporary setback: For a period of two years, the land is experiencing a severe drought – no crops are growing. This is a big problem for everyone who depends on the land for food. No Harvest: Crucially, during this time, there is no harvest . This means there’s no food being grown and brought in. What's Happening - It's a Clever Plan: God decides to use a group of twelve men (called the "Twelve Apostles") as a temporary leader. He chooses these men to do something incredibly unusual: He will let them share responsibility for the entire Israelite people. It’s like God is saying, “Okay, I need a team to help me deal with this problem.” The Key Point: It's a "trial" – a test: This whole period of drought and lack of harvest isn’t really about the people suffering. It's a trial or a test of God’s love and faithfulness. He wants to show us that He cares deeply for his people, even when they are not being good. Why it’s important: God’s Plan: The verse shows that God has a plan for everything, even seemingly bad things. He's using this difficult situation to bring about a better outcome – saving Israel and ultimately bringing them into a relationship with Him. In short, the verse describes a period of hardship for Israel, but it’s a carefully orchestrated plan by God to ultimately save his people. --- Do you want me to: Explain any part in more detail? Give you some context about why this story is significant in the Bible?