Answers about
rain in the Bible

Rain (or lack of rain) is mentioned numerous times in Scripture, and it is frequently connected with God’s judgments on sin and His blessing on true followers.

• First rain

  The first mention of rain in the Bible is in connection with God’s Flood judgment on the total depravity of mankind in the pre-Deluge world. God sent 40 days and nights of torrential rain, in addition to other sources of deluge water. It is possible that rain storms did not exist before this time.

  ”For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” …Then the rain came upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. —Genesis 7:4, 12

  Q & A

  • Noah’s Flood—Where did the water come from?
  • What is the Global Flood?
  • Does the Bible claim that the Flood of Noah covered the entire Earth? Could the Flood have been a large, but localized flood? Discover 9 Biblical evidences that the Flood was global.
  • Where did the Floodwater go afterwards?
  • Scientific answers to questions about the worldwide Flood
  • What are judgments of God in the Bible?

• rain and thunder used to get people’s attention

  So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. —1 Samuel 12:18 LSB

• rain withheld as judgment

  And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, there will be no rain on them. —Zechariah 14:17 LSB

• rain withheld and then given (1 Kings 16:30-18:45)

• rain given or withheld from certain cities

  “And I also withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, and on another city I would not send rain; one portion would be rained on, while the portion not rained on would dry up.” —Amos 4:7 LSB

• rain as a reward for obedience

  “And it will be that, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love Yahweh your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that I, Yahweh, will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rains, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.” —Deuteronomy 11:13-15 LSB

• bad weather punishment, good weather reward

  “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of Your slaves and of Your people Israel; indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And give rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.” —1 Kings 8:35-36 LSB

• dry weather

  An east wind will come,
  The wind of Yahweh coming up from the wilderness;
  And his fountain will become dry,
  And his spring will be dried up; —Hosea 13:15 LSB excerpt

• rainless sky, parched earth

  I will also break down your pride of strength; I will also give your sky over to become like iron and your earth like bronze. And your power will be spent uselessly, for your land will not give forth its produce and the trees of the land will not give forth their fruit. —Leviticus 26:19-20

• drought punishment

  Yahweh will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. —Deuteronomy 28:24 LSB

• drought and famine due to the royal family’s murderous sins

  And there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of Yahweh. And Yahweh said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” —2 Samuel 21:1 LSB

Symbolic rain

There is symbolic use of rain in these verses.

• “Let what I have learned drop as the rain…” —Deuteronomy 32:2
• “May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.” —Psalm 72:6

• For I will pour out water on the thirsty ground
  And streams on the dry land;
  I will pour out My Spirit on your seed
  And My blessing on your offspring;
  And they will spring up among the grass
  Like poplars by streams of water.’ —Isaiah 44:3-4

• …it is time to seek Yahweh until He comes and rains righteousness on you. —Hosea 10:12

Hebrew words for rain

There are 5 Hebrew words used for the rains of different seasons:

1. Matar

   Hebrew: מָטַר —transliteration: matar —meaning: rain, downpour —occurrences: 38

   And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to Yahweh; and the thunder and the hail ceased, and rain [matar] no longer poured on the earth. —Exodus 9:33 LSB

2. Yoreh

   Hebrew: יוֹרֶה —transliteration: yoreh —meaning: early rain, autumn rain, first rain, former rain —occurrences: 3

   He will give the rain [matar] for your land in its season, the early [yoreh] and late rain [malqosh]… —Deuteronomy 11:14

   Let us now fear Yahweh our God, who gives rain [geshem] in its season, both the early rain [yoreh] and the late rain [malqosh] —Jeremiah 5:24 LSB

   Hosea 6:3

3. Mowreh

   Hebrew: מוֹרֶה —transliteration: mowreh —meaning: early rain —occurrences: 3

   The early rain [mowreh] also wraps it up with blessings —Psalm 84:6

   He has given you the early rain [mowreh] in righteousness.
   And He has poured down for you the rain,
   The early [mowreh] and late rains as before. —Joel 2:23

4. Melqosh

   Hebrew: מַלְקוֹשׁ —transliteration: melqosh —meaning: spring rain, late or latter rain

   his favor is like a cloud with the late rain [malqosh] —Proverbs 16:15

5. Geshem

   Hebrew: גֶּשֶׁם —transliteration: geshem —meaning: rain, rains, rainy, showers —occurrences: 35

   Geshem, the winter rain, “the rains.” The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Genesis 7:12; Ezra 10:9; Song of Songs 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; compare 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 Land of Israel 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; Hos. 6:3). After this there is ordinarily no rain, the sky being bright and cloudless till October or November.