There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Hos. 6:3), or moreh (Joel 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the "latter rain" (Prov. 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains." The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Gen. 7:12; Ezra 10:9; Cant. 2:11. The "early" or "former" rains commence in autumn in the latter part of October or beginning of November (Deut. 11:14; Joel 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 (Deut. 11:14; Hos. 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 Deut. 32:2; Ps. 72:6; Isa. 44:3, 4; Hos. 10:12. In the Bible "early rain" signifies the rain of the autumn, (11:14) and "latter rain" the rain of spring. (Proverbs 16:1,5) 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." (James 5:7; Proverbs 16:15) Occasioned by the condensing of the clouds -- Job 36:27,28; Ps 77:17; Ec 11:3. God Made a decree for. -- Job 28:26. Prepares. -- Ps 147:8. Gives. -- Job 5:10. Causes, to come down. -- Joe 2:23. Exhibits goodness in giving. -- Ac 14:17. Exhibits greatness in giving. -- Job 36:26,27. Sends upon the evil and good. -- Mt 5:45. Should be praised for. -- Ps 147:7,8. Should be feared on account of. -- Jer 5:24. Impotence of idols exhibited in not being able to give -- Jer 14:22. Not sent upon the earth immediately after creation -- Ge 2:5. Rarely falls in Egypt -- De 11:10; Zec 14:18. Canaan abundantly supplied with -- De 11:11. Designed for Refreshing the earth. -- Ps 68:9; 72:6. Making fruitful the earth. -- Heb 6:7. Replenishing the springs and fountains of the earth. -- Ps 104:8. Promised in due season to the obedient -- Le 26:4; De 11:14; Eze 34:26,27. Frequently withheld on account of iniquity -- De 11:17; Jer 3:3; 5:25; Am 4:7. The want of Causes the earth to open. -- Job 29:23; Jer 14:4. Dries up springs and fountains. -- 1Ki 17:7. Occasions famine. -- 1Ki 18:1,2. Removed by prayer. -- 1Ki 8:35,36; Jas 5:18. Withheld for three years and six months in the days of Elijah -- 1Ki 17:1; Jas 5:17. Divided into Great. -- Ezr 10:9. Plentiful. -- Ps 68:9. Overflowing. -- Eze 38:22. Sweeping. -- Pr 28:3. Small. -- Job 37:6. The former, after harvest, to prepare for sowing -- De 11:14; Jer 5:24. The latter, before harvest -- Joe 2:23; Zec 10:1. The rainbow often appears during -- Ge 9:14; Eze 1:28. Often succeeded by heat and sunshine -- 2Sa 23:4; Isa 18:4. The appearance of a cloud from the west indicated -- 1Ki 18:44; Lu 12:54. The north wind drives away -- Pr 25:23. Unusual in harvest time -- Pr 26:1. Thunder and lightning often with -- Ps 135:7. Storm and tempest often with -- Mt 7:25,27. Instances of extraordinary Time of the flood. -- Ge 7:4,12. Plague of, upon Egypt. -- Ex 9:18,23. During wheat harvest in the days of Samuel. -- 1Sa 12:17,18. After long drought in Ahab's reign. -- 1Ki 18:45. After the captivity. -- Ezr 10:9,13. Often impeded travelling in the east -- 1Ki 18:44; Isa 4:6. Often destroyed houses -- Eze 13:13-15; Mt 7:27. Illustrative Of the word of God. -- Isa 55:10,11. Of the doctrine of faithful ministers. -- De 32:2. Of Christ in the communication of his graces. -- Ps 72:6; Ho 6:3. Of spiritual blessings. -- Ps 68:9; 84:6; Eze 34:26. Of righteousness. -- Ho 10:12. (Destructive,) of God's judgments. -- Job 20:23; Ps 11:6; Eze 38:22. (Destructive,) of a poor man oppressing the poor. -- Pr 28:3.
Rain