Reference: Winds
American
Mt 24:31. The winds which most commonly prevail in Palestine are from the western quarter, more usually perhaps from the south-west, Lu 12:54. Not infrequently a north wind arises, Job 37:9, which, as in ancient days, is till the sure harbinger of fair weather; illustrating the truth of the observation in Pr 25:23, "The north wind driveth away rain." For the tempestuous wind called EUROCLYDON, see that article.
But the wind most frequently mentioned in the Bible is the "cast wind," which is represented as blasting and drying up the fruits, Ge 41:6; Eze 17:10; 19:12, and also as blowing with great violence, Ps 48:7; Eze 27:26; Jon 4:8. It is also the "horrible tempest" literally the glow-wind, of Ps 11:6. This is a sultry and oppressive wind blowing from the south-east, and prevailing only in the hot and dry months of summer. Coming thus from the vast Arabian desert, it seems to increase the heat and drought of the season, and produces universal languor and debility. Rev. Dr. Eli Smith, who experienced it effects during the summer, at Beyrout, describes it as possessing the same qualities and characteristics as the Sirocco, which he had felt at Malta, and which also prevails in Sicily and Italy; except that the Sirocco, in passing over the sea, acquires great dampness. This wind is called by the Arabs the Simoom, by the Turks the Samuel; and by the Egyptians the Camsin; and has long been regarded as a pestilential wind, suddenly overtaking travelers and caravans in the deserts, and almost instantly destroying them by its poisonous and suffocating death. But late and judicious travelers find no evidence that this wind is laden with any poisonous influence. It is indeed oppressively hot and dry, rapidly evaporating the water in the ordinary skin bottles, stopping the perspiration of travelers, drying up the palate and the air passages, and producing great restlessness and exhaustion. As it often blows with a terrible roaring and violence, it carries dust and fine sand high up into the air, so that the whole atmosphere is lurid, and seems in a state of combustion, and the sun is shorn of his beams, and looks like a globe of dull smoldering fire. Both men and animals are greatly annoyed by the dust, and seek any practicable shelter or covering. The camels turn their backs, and hide their heads from it in the ground. It is often accompanied by local whirlwinds, which form pillars of sand and dust, rising high above the ground and moving with swiftness over the plain. Such a tempest may have suggested some features in the prophetic descriptions of the day of God's power: "wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood," Joe 2:30-31; Ac 2:19-20.
Dr. Thomson describes another variety of hot winds or siroccos, often more overwhelming than those just mentioned. The sky is covered with clouds, and pale lightning play through the air; but there is no rain, thunder, or wind. The heat, however, is intolerable; every traveler seeks a refuge, the birds hide themselves in the thickest shades, the fowls pant under the walls with open mouths, and no living thing is in motion.
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Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.
"Out of the south comes the storm, And out of the north the cold.
Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
With the east wind You break the ships of Tarshish.
The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
"Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it--wither on the beds where it grew?"'"
'But it was plucked up in fury; It was cast down to the ground; And the east wind dried up its fruit Its strong branch was torn off So that it withered; The fire consumed it.
"Your rowers have brought you Into great waters; The east wind has broken you In the heart of the seas.
"I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."
"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out.
'AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. 'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
Easton
blowing from the four quarters of heaven (Jer 49:36; Eze 37:9; Da 8:8; Zec 2:6). The east wind was parching (Eze 17:10; 19:12), and is sometimes mentioned as simply denoting a strong wind (Job 27:21; Isa 27:8). This wind prevails in Palestine from February to June, as the west wind (Lu 12:54) does from November to February. The south was a hot wind (Job 37:17; Lu 12:55). It swept over the Arabian peninsula. The rush of invaders is figuratively spoken of as a whirlwind (Isa 21:1); a commotion among the nations of the world as a striving of the four winds (Da 7:2). The winds are subject to the divine power (Ps 18:10; 135:7).
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"The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place.
You whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind?
He rode upon a cherub and flew; And He sped upon the wings of the wind.
He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea As windstorms in the Negev sweep on, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.
You contended with them by banishing them, by driving them away With His fierce wind He has expelled them on the day of the east wind.
'I will bring upon Elam the four winds From the four ends of heaven, And will scatter them to all these winds; And there will be no nation To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
"Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it--wither on the beds where it grew?"'"
'But it was plucked up in fury; It was cast down to the ground; And the east wind dried up its fruit Its strong branch was torn off So that it withered; The fire consumed it.
Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'"
Daniel said, "I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
"Ho there! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens," declares the LORD.
And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out. "And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way.
Fausets
The four represent the four quarters (Eze 37:9; Da 8:8; Mt 24:31; Jer 49:36). The N. wind was coldest (Song 4:16). The N. wind "awakes," i.e. arises strongly; the Holy Spirit as the Reprover of sin (Joh 16:8-11). The S. wind "comes" gently; the Comforter (Joh 14:16). The W. wind brings rain from the sea (1Ki 18:44-45); its precursor is cloud (Lu 12:54), prevailing in Palestine from November to February. The E. wind is tempestuous (Job 27:21) and, withering (Ge 41:23). The N. wind is first invoked (Song 4:16) to clear the air (Job 37:22); then the warm S. wind (Job 37:17; Lu 12:55); so the Holy Spirit first clears away mists of gloom, error, unbelief, and sin, which intercept the light of the Sun of righteousness, then infuses warmth (2Co 4:6), causing the graces to exhale their odor.
In Pr 25:23 "the N. wind driveth away (literally, causeth to grieve, so puts to flight) rain," so a frowning countenance drives away a backbiting tongue. So Vulgate, Chald., and Syriac less appropriately "bringeth forth rain." The N. wind prevails from June to the equinox, the N.W. wind thence to November. The E. wind, "the wind of the wilderness" (Job 1:19; 27:21; Jer 13:24). It is parching and penetrating, like the sirocco (Jon 4:8). The E. wind blowing from across the Red Sea, just at the Passover time of year, was the natural agency employed by divine interposition to part the waters of the Red Sea S. of Suez (Ex 14:21). The E. wind meant in Ge 41:6,23 is probably the S.E. wind blowing from the Arabian desert, called the chamsin, so parching as to wither up all grass; during it there is an entire absence of ozone in the air.
The samoom blows from the S.S.E.; blowing over the Arabian peninsula, it is parching when it reaches Palestine. Lake squalls (lailaps) are noticed Mr 4:37; Lu 8:23. The Greek (lips) name for S.W. wind, and the Latin (cores) N.W. wind, and the violent Euraquilon (not Euroclydon), E.N.E. wind, are noticed Ac 27:12,14. (See EUROCLYDON.) The E. wind symbolizes empty violence (Job 15:2; Ho 12:1; Israel "followeth after" not only vain but pernicious things) and destruction (Jer 18:17; Isa 27:8). Wind indicates speed (Ps 104:4; Heb 1:7), transitoriness (Job 7:7; Ps 78:39), the Holy Spirit (Joh 3:8; Ac 2:2; Ge 3:8 margin).
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They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them.
and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;
and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.
It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.'" In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
"Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good.
"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind?
"The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place.
"The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place.
You whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind?
"Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.
Thus He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes and does not return.
He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers.
The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
"Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!"
"Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!"
You contended with them by banishing them, by driving them away With His fierce wind He has expelled them on the day of the east wind.
"Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw To the desert wind.
'Like an east wind I will scatter them Before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face In the day of their calamity.'"
'I will bring upon Elam the four winds From the four ends of heaven, And will scatter them to all these winds; And there will be no nation To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'"
Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt.
When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."
"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out. "And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way.
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; read more. and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo;
For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."
Smith
Winds.
That the Hebrews recognized the existence of four prevailing winds as issuing, broadly speaking, from the four cardinal points, north, south, east and west, may be inferred from their custom of using the expression "four winds" as equivalent to the "four quarters" of the hemisphere.
Eze 37:9; Da 8:8; Zec 2:6; Mt 24:31
The north wind, or, as it was usually called "the north," was naturally the coldest of the four, Ecclus. 43:20 and its presence is hence invoked as favorable to vegetation in
It is described in
as bringing rain; in this case we must understand the northwest wind. The northwest wind prevails from the autumnal equinox to the beginning of November, and the north wind from June to the equinox. The east wind crosses the sandy wastes of Arabia Deserts before reaching Palestine and was hence termed "the wind of the wilderness."
It blows with violence, and is hence supposed to be used generally for any violent wind.
Job 27:21; 38:24; Ps 48:7; Isa 27:8; Eze 27:26
In Palestine the east wind prevails from February to June. The south wind, which traverses the Arabian peninsula before reaching Palestine, must necessarily be extremely hot.
Job 37:17; Lu 12:55
The west and southwest winds reach Palestine loaded with moisture gathered from the Mediterranean, and are hence expressly termed by the Arabs "the fathers of the rain." Westerly winds prevail in Palestine from November to February. In addition to the four regular winds, we have notice in the Bible of the local squalls,
Mr 4:37; Lu 8:23
to which the Sea of Gennesareth was liable. In the narrative of St. Paul's voyage we meet with the Greek term Lips to describe the southwest wind; the Latin Carus or Caurus, the northwest wind
and Euroclydon, a wind of a very violent character coming from east-northeast.
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and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
"The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place.
You whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind?
"Where is the way that the light is divided, Or the east wind scattered on the earth?
With the east wind You break the ships of Tarshish.
"Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!"
You contended with them by banishing them, by driving them away With His fierce wind He has expelled them on the day of the east wind.
"I will dash them against each other, both the fathers and the sons together," declares the LORD "I will not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them."'"
"Your rowers have brought you Into great waters; The east wind has broken you In the heart of the seas.
Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'"
Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
"Ho there! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens," declares the LORD.
"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
"And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way.
But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo;