 | Rain | |
There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons,
(1.) Yoreh (Hosea 6:3), or moreh (Joel 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain.
(2.) Melqosh, the "latter rain" (Proverbs 16:15).
(3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains." The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 11:14; Joel 2:23; Comp. Jeremiah 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 (Deuteronomy 11:14; Hosea 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 Deuteronomy 32:2; Psalm 72:6; Isaiah 44:3, 4; Hosea 10:12.
