RAIN. It should seem by some Expressions of the Scripture, that the antient Hebrews imagin’d the Rain to be derived from certain great Refervatories, which they supposed to be above the Heavens, and which Moses calls the superior Waters, by way of Contradistinction from the inferior Waters, which are those of the Sea. For Example, Moses says, that at the Time of the Deluge, the Rain did not fall according to the ordinary Course of Nature, but that the Cataracts of Heaven were set open.1 All the Fountains of the great Deep were broken up, and the Windows of Heaven were opened. Hos. ii. 21.And Hosea says, that in times of great Drought the Clouds cry to the Lord, beseeching him to permit the Waters which he keeps in his Treasuries and Repositories, to fall into them and replenish them. In other Places of Scripture,2 the Clouds are described to us as great Bags or Bottles, filled with the Waters that are supply’d to them from the Firmament. Even the Dews themselves Deut. xxxiii. 28.are represented as proceeding from the superior Waters. His Heavens shall drop down Dew.
The Sacred Writers often speak of the Rain of the former Season, and of the Rain of the latter Season: Imber temporaneus, & Deut. xi. 14.Imber serotinus. I will give you the Rain of your Land in his due Season, the first Rain and the latter Rain. So Hosea, He Hos. vi. 3.shall come unto us as the Rain, as the latter and former Rain unto the Earth. The Rabbins, and the Generality of Interpreters are of Opinion, that the former Rain, pluvia temporanea, called in Hebrew, Jorah, signifies יורה Jorah מלקוש Malchush. Job xxix. 23. Prov. xvi. 15. Hos. vi. 3. Joel ii. 23.the Rain of the Autumn; and that the latter Rain, pluvia serotina, called in the Hebrew, Malchush, signifies the Rain of the Spring-season. ‘Tis known that the Jews began their Year at Autumn, which gives some Probability to their Opinion, who suppose the pluvia temporanea to signify the Rain that falls in Autumn. But on the contrary, we think that Jorah signifies the Rain of the Spring, and Malchush that of the Autumn. In Judea it commonly rained but in two Seasons, in the Spring and in the Autumn. Jorah is always put first, and Malchush afterwards. The natural Order of the Season is, that the Spring should come before the Autumn. Malchush is derived from the Verb Lakash, which signifies to make a Vintage, to delay, to put off, to gather in the After-marth, or the Grass that grows in the Meadows in the latter Season. Besides, Malchush signifies a Rain that is (as it were) earnestly desired by the Earth, as coming after the dry Season of the Summer. Joel says, He will cause to come down for you the Rain, the former Rain, and the latter Rain in the first Month. But if Malchush signifies the Rain of the Autumn, it will be easily granted, that Jorah must signify that of the Spring. The Septuagint3 have taken it in the Sense we now contend for: And Hesiod4 has express’d the Rain of the Spring and Autumn in Words of the same import, as those made use of by the Septuagint.
Moses describing the Land of Canaan, the Advantages of which he compares to Deut. xi. 10, 11.those of Egypt, says, that the Land of Canaan is not like that of Egypt, where they are obliged to convey the Water by artificial Canals, and by great Labour and Industry, to water the Fields and the Gardens. For it never rains in this Country; whereas Palestine being a Country of Hills and Vales, is watered by the Rains from Heaven. Sed montuosa est & campestris, de cœlo expectans pluvias. We have already described, under the Article Foot, the Manner in which they water the Soil of Egypt, to which the Inundations of the Nile cannot arrive. As to the Land of Canaan, ‘tis well known that it is water’d by copious Dews in the Summer, and by Showers of Rain in the Spring and Autumn. Whence it is that God promised the Israelites, if they will continue obedient to his Commands, that he would send them Lev. xxvi. 3.Rain in due Season. Dabo vobis pluvias temporibus suis. And on the other hand, Moses threatens them, if they depart from that Fidelity that they owe to God, to send them Showers of Sand and Dust. Det Deuteron. xxviii. 24.dominus imbrem terræ tuæ pulverem; Showers that will be more apt to dry up and burn, than to refresh the Earth.
The Hebrews often compare Speech and Deuteron. xxxii. 2. Ecclus. xxxix. 9.Discourse to Rain. Concrescat ut pluvia doctrina mea. And Ecclesiasticus, Tanquam imbres (sapiens) mittet eloquia sapientiæ suæ. Job says, that in the Time of his Prosperity, he was attended to with great Respect and Eagerness; that his Discourse Job xxix. 21,22,23.distilled like soft Rain. Super illos stillabat eloquium meum. That they expected it like Rain, and opened their Mouths as it were to receive the Rains of the latter Season. Expectabant me sicut pluviam, & os suum aperiebant quasi ad imbrem serotinum.
Psalm cxxxv. 7. Jer. x. 13. & li. 16.The Psalmist and Jeremiah observe, as an Effect of the Power of God, that he changes Lightning into Rain. Fulgura in pluviam facit. Lightning goes before Thunder and Rain; and when we perceive Lightning, and hear a fresh Clap of Thunder during a Storm, we conclude that the Shower will soon come. This is easy to be apply’d. Lightning and Thunder are produced only by the Shock of Clouds one against another; and the same Shock is the Cause of Rain also. The Prophet therefore may observe here, it is as it were the Forerunner, and the natural Token of Rain. Perhaps also the People might be of Opinion, that Lightning was changed into Rain, or produced it as a Cause. Some understand Chrysost. Theodor. Heraclit. Theodor. in Psalm.it thus: God by his Power unites Lightning with Rain, Fire with Water; things which are naturally incompatible.
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