How does the famine in Amos 8:11-12 relate to today's situation of having over 200 modern Bible versions?
How does the famine in Amos 8:11-12 relate to today's situation of having over 200 modern Bible versions? Why does Amos prophesy that there will be a lack of God's Word? Why do we need so many conflicting translations? When and where did (or will) the prophesy of Amos happen? When did the famine end?
Amos 8:11 - 12
KJV - 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Colin Wong
On the question of "Why do we need so many conflicting translations?", the English translations we have today are not in "conflict". The essence of what is being translated is the same. They may use different words but they convey the same intention.
The reason we have many translations is because language is dynamic. It grows, it changes. For example, a "gay person" 100 years ago means something completely different from a "gay person" today. Culture plays a role in conveying nuance. Even the grammar of the language itself changes. Witness the Shakespearian English of the King James Version vs. modern English today.
Lastly, the reason we have many translations is because of the immense difficulties of translating an extinct language to our modern language. There are many words in Hebrew, Aramaic or Koine Greek that do not exist in English, and vice-versa. Hence how do you translate a word that does not have an exact single word equivalent? You cannot. You have to substitute that word for the closest matching word, and then add footnotes to explain it. That's why you see so much footnotes in modern Bible translations. Because they have to explain how they translated that particular word or verse.
Then you have philosophies in translation. Should you translate word for word? Or thought for thought? Certain language expressions carry no meaning in today's world. Do you then give a modern equivalent so that you have a correct thought for thought translation?
Colin Wong
On a side note, there are cults who add to the Bible or modify it for their own use. The Jehovah's Witness' Bible is not accepted by us. Nor is the addition of the Book of Mormons by the Mormons. But that's a different story from saying we have 200 conflicting Bible translations.