IX. DEARTH IN THE DAYS OF UZZIAH, JOTHAM, AHAZ AND HEZEKIAH

Of Hosea, we read that he prophesied “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” 1:1.

In the course of this prophecy we find frequent incidental allusions to a scarcity of food in the land of Israel.

“Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof,” 2:9. “I will destroy her vines and her fig-trees,” 12. “Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away,” 4:3. “They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assembled themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me,” 7:14. “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal:” 8:7. “The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.” 9:2.

Again, Amos is said to have prophesied concerning Israel “in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.” 1:1.

In this prophet also, in like manner, as in the former, we find incidental allusions to dearth in the land. “The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither,” 1:2. “I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: … So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied:… I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig-trees, and your olive-trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them:… they shall call the husbandman to the mourning.… And in all vineyards shall be wailing;” 4:6–9; 5:16, 17.—With more to the same effect in both these prophets.

Now, if we turn to 2 Chronicles 26:10, where we have a brief history of the reign of this same king Uzziah, under whom we have seen they lived, we shall find a feature of it recorded, which seems to tally extremely well with this representation of the condition of Israel. For it is there told of him, amongst other things, that “he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.” As though the precarious state of the supply of food in the country had turned the King’s attention in a particular manner to the improvement of its agriculture.