King James Version

What Does Luke 15:14 Mean?

Luke 15:14 in the King James Version says “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.” — study this verse from Luke chapter 15 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”

Luke 15:14 · KJV

Context

12

And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land (δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὰ, dapanēsantos de autou panta egeneto limos ischyra)—The aorist participle dapanaō (δαπανάω, having spent/squandered) indicates complete depletion. Then external disaster compounds personal folly: a 'strong famine' (limos ischyra, λιμὸς ἰσχυρά) arises. God's common grace had preserved him while he rebelled, but now even natural provision fails.

And he began to be in want (καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι, kai autos ērxato hystereisthai)—The verb hystereō (ὑστερέω, to lack, be in need) describes desperate poverty. The prodigal who sought abundance now experiences destitution. This is sin's trajectory: initial pleasure, progressive enslavement, ultimate poverty. Yet this want becomes the crisis that drives him home (v.17). God uses even famine redemptively.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Famines in the ancient Near East were catastrophic—crop failures meant starvation, death, and social collapse. Without family networks or covenant community, foreign Jewish exiles faced particular vulnerability during food shortages. Local populations prioritized their own, leaving outsiders to perish. The son's self-imposed exile from his father's house now meant exile from the safety net that sustained others. His rebellion's consequences became viscerally, desperately clear.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God sometimes use the natural consequences of sin—the 'famine' that follows squandering—to bring you to repentance?
  2. In what ways is spiritual poverty (being in want) sometimes God's severe mercy to awaken you to your need?
  3. What does the timing—famine after total loss—reveal about God's redemptive use of circumstances to drive rebels homeward?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 15 words
δαπανήσαντος1 of 15

“had spent”

G1159

to expend, i.e., (in a good sense) to incur cost, or (in a bad one) to waste

δὲ2 of 15

“And”

G1161

but, and, etc

αὐτὸς3 of 15

“when he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

πάντα4 of 15

“all”

G3956

all, any, every, the whole

ἐγένετο5 of 15

“there arose”

G1096

to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e., (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)

λιμὸς6 of 15

“famine”

G3042

a scarcity of food

ἰσχυρὸς7 of 15

“a mighty”

G2478

forcible (literally or figuratively)

κατὰ8 of 15

“in”

G2596

(prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined)

τὴν9 of 15
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

χώραν10 of 15

“land”

G5561

room, i.e., a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants)

ἐκείνην11 of 15

“that”

G1565

that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed

καὶ12 of 15

“and”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

αὐτὸς13 of 15

“when he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ἤρξατο14 of 15

“he began”

G756

to commence (in order of time)

ὑστερεῖσθαι15 of 15

“to be in want”

G5302

to be later, i.e., (by implication) to be inferior; generally, to fall short (be deficient)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 15:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 15:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 33:11Amos 8:9-12Ezekiel 16:27Hosea 2:9-14

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