ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף עמוס 4:9

Confusion means, you will be confused and will not know what to do (although some say that confusion means “suddenly”). Many people have drawn the conclusion, without cause, that shaḥefet and qaddaḥat are both plant diseases (similar to “blasting” and “mildew” [Deuteronomy 28:22], which are known from Scriptural context [Amos 4:9] to be plant diseases), on account of the phrase you will sow in vain . The actual meaning is that they will contract illnesses; then, when enemies come to their villages and eat their grain, no one will be able to go out against them and drive them away.

mildew means the same in Hebrew as it does in Arabic. Some people say that the term blasting (as well as the cognate term “bloated by the East wind” [Genesis 61: 6]) denotes a plant disease. Their evidence is that the same word appears in the verse “I have smitten you with blasting and mildew” [Amos 4: 9], and also that the current instance is immediately followed by The skies above your head…. They accordingly suggest that all of the abovementioned terms, here and in the parasha of Beḥuqqotai [cf. Leviticus 26: 16], denote plant diseases.