Reference: Rain
American
In Scripture the "early" and the "latter" rain of Palestine is spoken of,
De 11:14; Ho 6:3. The former falls in the latter part of October, the seed-time of Palestine; and the weather then continues variable, with more or less rain the whole winter, until after the latter or spring rain in April. Afterwards, the weather becomes serene, and the crops ripen. The wheat harvest takes place in May; by the middle of August, the fruits are gathered in; and from that time to the coming of the first or October rains, prevail the scorching heats and droughts of summer. Nothing can more expressively represent spiritual blessings than copious showers of rain after this trying season is past, De 32:2; Job 29:23; Isa 44:3; Ho 10:12.
It appears from meteorological records kept at Jerusalem, that the average annual fall of rain is fifty-five inches. It would seem therefore, that if the rains of Palestine could be preserved in pools and reservoirs, and employed in irrigating the ground during the summer, the old fertility might be restored; it would be clothed again with verdure, and become like "the garden of the Lord."
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then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil;
Let my teaching drop as the rain, Let my speech distil as the dew, - As copious rains on tender grass, As myriad drops on seeding plants.
And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
For I will pour, Water upon the thirsty soil, and Floods upon the dry ground, - I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap ye at thc bidding of lovingkindness, furrow to yourselves the newly-ploughed soil, - then will be the time to seek Yahweh, until he come, that he may rain down righteousness for you.
Easton
There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Ho 6:3), or moreh (Joe 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the "latter rain" (Pr 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains." The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Ge 7:12; Ezr 10:9; Song 2:11. The "early" or "former" rains commence in autumn in the latter part of October or beginning of November (De 11:14; Joe 2:23; comp. Jer 3:3), and continue to fall heavily for two months. Then the heavy "winter rains" fall from the middle of December to March. There is no prolonged fair weather in Palestine between October and March. The "latter" or spring rains fall in March and April, and serve to swell the grain then coming to maturity (De 11:14; Ho 6:3). After this there is ordinarily no rain, the sky being bright and cloudless till October or November.
Rain is referred to symbolically in De 32:2; Ps 72:6; Isa 44:3-4; Ho 10:12.
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(And it came to pass that the heavy rain was on the earth, - forty days and forty nights.)
then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil;
then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil;
Let my teaching drop as the rain, Let my speech distil as the dew, - As copious rains on tender grass, As myriad drops on seeding plants.
Then were gathered together all the men of Judah and Benjamin unto Jerusalem, within three days, the same, was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, - and all the people remained in the broadway of the house of God, trembling concerning the thing, and because of the heavy rains.
Let him come down, Like rain on fields to be mown, Like myriad drops on land to be reaped.
In the light of a king's countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain.
For lo, the winter, is past, - the rain, is over, and gone;
For I will pour, Water upon the thirsty soil, and Floods upon the dry ground, - I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring; So will they spring up among the grass, As willows by the water-courses:
Therefore have been withholden the showers, And, the latter rain, hath not come, - Yet the forehead of an unchaste woman, hast thou, Thou hast refused to be ashamed.
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap ye at thc bidding of lovingkindness, furrow to yourselves the newly-ploughed soil, - then will be the time to seek Yahweh, until he come, that he may rain down righteousness for you.
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
Fausets
(See PALESTINE; Climate.) Matar. Geshem, "violent rain" or generically "the early and latter rain" (Jer 5:24; Joe 2:23). Yoreh, "the early rain of autumn"; malkosh, "the latter rain of spring" (Pr 16:15; Job 29:23; Jer 3:3; Ho 6:3; Zec 10:1). Rebibim, from rab "many," from the multitude of drops; "showers" (De 32:2). Zerem, "violent rain," "hailstorm" (Job 24:8). Sagrir only in Pr 27:15. As compared with Egypt, Palestine was a land of rain (De 11:10-11), but for six months no rain falls so that "rain in harvest" and "thunder" were marvelous phenomena, and out of time and place (Pr 26:1; 1Sa 12:16-18). The early rain begins gradually, the latter end of October or beginning of November. Generally from the W. or S.W. (Lu 12:54); the wind then changes to the N. or E. At no period in the winter, from the end of October to the end of March, does rain entirely cease. In January and February snow falls, but lies only a short time.
The early rain means the first autumnal showers which prepare the arid soil for the seed; "the latter rain" the later spring showers, especially in March, which Bring forward the crop toward harvest (Jas 5:7; Pr 16:15). Showers fall occasionally in April and May. God claims as His peculiar prerogative the sending or withholding of rain, which He made dependent on the obedience or disobedience of Israel (Le 26:3-5,19; De 11:13-15; 28:23-24; Jer 3:3; 5:24; 14:22). "The latter rain in the first (month)" in Joe 2:23 means in the month when first it is needed; or else, as Vulgate and Septuagint, "as at the first" (compare Isa 1:26; Ho 2:15; Mal 3:4); or in Nisan or Abib, the Passover month, the first, namely, the end of March and beginning of April. The departure of winter was marked by the cessation of rain (Song 2:11-13). Rain is the beautiful image of the Spirit's refreshing influences in Messiah's kingdom (Ho 6:3; 2Sa 23:4; Ps 72:6).
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If, in my statutes, ye will walk, - And my commandments, ye will observe, and do them, Then will I give your rains in their season, - And the land shall yield her increase, And, the trees of the field, shall yield their fruit. read more. Then shall your threshing reach unto the vintage, And, the vintage, shall reach unto the seedtime, - And ye shall eat your food to the full, And shall dwell securely in your land.
So will I break your pomp of power, And will set your heavens as iron, and your land as bronze;
For the land which thou art entering to, possess, not like the land of Egypt, it is, from whence ye came out, - where thou didst sow thy seed, and then water it with thy foot, like a garden of herbs; but the land whereinto ye are passing over to, possess it, is a land of hills, and valleys, - which of the rain of the heavens, cloth drink water:
And it shall come to pass, if ye will hearken, unto my commandments, which, I am commanding you to-day, - to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him, with, all your heart, and with all your soul, then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil; read more. and I will give grass in thy field for thy cattle, - and thou shalt eat and be satisfied.
And thy heavens which are over thy head shall become bronze, - and the earth which is under thee iron. Yahweh will cause the rain of thy land to he powder and dust, - out of the heavens, shall it come down upon thee, until thou he destroyed.
Let my teaching drop as the rain, Let my speech distil as the dew, - As copious rains on tender grass, As myriad drops on seeding plants.
With the sweeping rain of the mountains, are they wet, and, through having no shelter, they embrace a rock.
And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
Let him come down, Like rain on fields to be mown, Like myriad drops on land to be reaped.
In the light of a king's countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain.
In the light of a king's countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
For lo, the winter, is past, - the rain, is over, and gone; The flowers, have appeared in the earth, the time of the spring-song, hath come, - and, the voice of the turtle, is heard in our land; read more. The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines - all blossom, yield fragrance, - Rise up! my fair - my beautiful - one, and come away!
That I may restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counsellors as at the beginning, - After that, shalt thou he called Righteous citadel, Trusty city, -
Therefore have been withholden the showers, And, the latter rain, hath not come, - Yet the forehead of an unchaste woman, hast thou, Thou hast refused to be ashamed.
Therefore have been withholden the showers, And, the latter rain, hath not come, - Yet the forehead of an unchaste woman, hast thou, Thou hast refused to be ashamed.
Neither have they said in their heart, - Let us we pray you, revere Yahweh our God, Who giveth rain, even the early and the latter, in its season, - The appointed weeks of harvest, he reserveth for us.
Neither have they said in their heart, - Let us we pray you, revere Yahweh our God, Who giveth rain, even the early and the latter, in its season, - The appointed weeks of harvest, he reserveth for us.
Are there, among the vanities of the nations senders of rain? Or can, the heavens themselves, give myriad drops? Art not, thou, he, O Yahweh our God? Therefore will we wait for thee, For, thou, hast made all these.
Then will I give to her her vineyards from thence, and the vale of Achor for a door of hope, - and she will respond there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
Ask ye from Yahweh rain, in the time of the latter rain, Yahweh, who causeth flashes of lightning, - and, rain in abundant showers, giveth he unto them, to every man, herbage in the field;
Then shall the gift of Judah and Jerusalem, be pleasant to Yahweh, - as in the days of age-past times, and as in the ancient years.
And he went on to say, even unto the multitudes, - Whensoever ye see a cloud springing up from the west, straightway, ye are saying - A thunderstorm is coming! and it happeneth thus.
Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the Presence of the Lord: - Lo! the husbandman, awaiteth the precious fruit of the earth, having patience for it, until it receive the early and the latter rain:
Hastings
The Palestine year is divided roughly into two parts
Morish
Palestine differed from Egypt in that its vegetation was dependent on the rain from heaven, instead of having to be watered from the river. Rain fell regularly except when God withheld it in chastisement. De 11:11-17. We read of the 'early rain' and the 'latter rain.' The early rain was connected with the sowing of seed; the month Bul signifies 'rain,' which agrees with about our October; and the latter rain in spring (about our February). By recent statistics the seasons appear to have somewhat altered, and most rain now falls from November to March inclusive. It is also judged that the cutting down of trees to make charcoal has affected the fall of rain in some districts.
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but the land whereinto ye are passing over to, possess it, is a land of hills, and valleys, - which of the rain of the heavens, cloth drink water: a land which Yahweh thy God careth for, - continually are the eyes of Yahweh thy God upon it, from the beginning of the year, even unto the end of the year. read more. And it shall come to pass, if ye will hearken, unto my commandments, which, I am commanding you to-day, - to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him, with, all your heart, and with all your soul, then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil; and I will give grass in thy field for thy cattle, - and thou shalt eat and be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be befooled, - and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and bow down to them. So would the anger of Yahweh kindle upon you and he would shut up the heavens, that them should he no rain, and the ground, would not yield her increase, - so should ye perish speedily, from off the good land, which Yahweh is giving unto you.
Smith
Rain.
In the Bible "early rain" signifies the rain of the autumn,
De 11:14
and "latter rain" the rain of spring.
For six months in the year, from May to October, no rain falls, the whole land becomes dry, parched and brown. The autumnal rains are eagerly looked for, to prepare the earth for the reception of the seed. These, the early rains, commence about the latter end of October continuing through November and December. January and February are the coldest months, and snow falls, sometimes to the depth of a foot or more, at Jerusalem, but it does not lie long; it is very seldom seen along the coast and in the low plains. Rain continues to fall more or less during the month of March it is very rare in April. Robinson observes that there are not, at the present day, "any particular periods of rain or succession of showers which might be regarded as distinct rainy seasons. The whole period from October to March now constitutes only one continued season of rain, without any regularly-intervening term of prolonged fine weather. Unless therefore, there has been some change in the climate, the early and the latter rains, for which the husbandman waited with longing, seem rather to hare implied the first showers of autumn--which revived the parched and thirsty soil and prepared it for the seed --and the later showers of spring, which continued to refresh and forward both the ripening crops and the vernal products of the fields."
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then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil;
To man, belong the preparations of the heart, but, from Yahweh, cometh the answer of the tongue.
An abomination to Yahweh, is every one who is haughty in heart, hand to hand, he shall not be held innocent.
In the light of a king's countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain.
Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the Presence of the Lord: - Lo! the husbandman, awaiteth the precious fruit of the earth, having patience for it, until it receive the early and the latter rain:
Watsons
RAIN, the vapours exhaled by the sun, which descend from the clouds to water the earth, Ec 11:3. The sacred writers often speak of the rain of the former and latter season, De 11:14; Ho 6:3. Twice in the year there generally fell plenty of rain in Judea; in the beginning of the civil year, about September or October; and half a year after, in the month of Abib, or March, which was the first month in the ecclesiastical or sacred year, whence it is called the latter rain in the first month, Joe 2:23. (See Canaan.) The ancient Hebrews compared elocution, and even learning or doctrine, to rain: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," De 32:2.
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then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil;
Let my teaching drop as the rain, Let my speech distil as the dew, - As copious rains on tender grass, As myriad drops on seeding plants.
If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.
Then let us know - let us press on to know - Yahweh, Like the dawn, is his coming forth assured, - that he may come like a down-pour upon us, like the harvest-rain, and the seed-rain of the land.
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;