How do we know that God's word is precious and rare?

In 1 Samuel 3:1, the text states that 'the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.' This signifies a spiritual drought where God's revelation to the people was not common, reflecting God's judgment upon Israel due to the wickedness of the priests and the people. The rarity of God's word emphasizes its value and the dire consequences of a community that turns away from divine instruction. As seen in Amos 8:11, a famine of hearing the words of the Lord acts as a sober warning to believers about the importance of cherishing and hearing God's word actively, rather than taking it for granted.