Bible Dictionaries
Hunger

Holman Bible Dictionary

A strong need or desire for food. Scripture contains haunting pictures of hunger. Isaiah 29:8 uses the image of a hungry person dreaming of eating only to awake hungry again. In Lamentations 4:9 , those who fell by the sword are reckoned better off than those pierced by hunger. Hunger frequently takes on a theological significance. Exodus 16:3 recounts Israel's complaint that Moses led them from Egypt to kill them with hunger in the desert. God used this experience of hunger to humble the rebellious people and to teach them to hunger for His word ( Deuteronomy 8:3 ). Hunger was one penalty of disobedience of covenant obligations (Deuteronomy 28:48; Deuteronomy 32:24 ).

The cessation of hunger is frequently associated with God's salvation. Hannah anticipated God's reversing the fortunes of the hungry (1 Samuel 2:5; Compare Luke 6:21 ,Luke 6:21,6:25 ). Isaiah promised that those returning from Exile would not be plagued by hunger (Isaiah 49:10 ). Ezekiel pictured God as providing for the needs of God's sheep so there would be no hunger (Ezekiel 34:29 ). Part of the blessedness of the redeemed of Revelation 7:16 is the end of their hunger.

In Matthew 5:6 Jesus spoke of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, that is, those who earnestly desire to see God's will become a reality. In John 6:35 Jesus promised that anyone who came to Him would not hunger but would be satisfied.