Topical Encyclopedia
In the Bible, the term "shower" is often used to describe a natural phenomenon involving rain, which is a vital component of the agricultural and ecological systems in the biblical lands. Showers are frequently mentioned in the context of God's provision and blessing, as well as His judgment.
Divine Provision and BlessingShowers are depicted as a sign of God's favor and provision for His people. In the arid climate of the ancient Near East, rain was essential for survival, agriculture, and prosperity. The Bible often associates showers with God's blessings, as seen in
Ezekiel 34:26 : "I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing." This verse highlights the idea that God provides rain as a tangible expression of His care and benevolence.
In
Deuteronomy 28:12 , the promise of rain is linked to obedience and covenant faithfulness: "The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands." Here, showers are a reward for adherence to God's commandments, underscoring the connection between divine favor and human responsibility.
Judgment and Withholding of RainConversely, the withholding of showers is often portrayed as a form of divine judgment. In the context of covenant curses, the absence of rain serves as a warning and a call to repentance. In
Deuteronomy 11:17 , God warns the Israelites of the consequences of turning away from Him: "Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will shut the heavens so that it will not rain, and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you."
The prophet Jeremiah also speaks of the withholding of showers as a sign of God's displeasure: "Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed" (
Jeremiah 3:3). This passage illustrates the moral and spiritual dimensions of rain as a symbol of God's relationship with His people.
Symbolism and MetaphorBeyond the literal sense, showers are used metaphorically in Scripture to describe spiritual renewal and the outpouring of God's Spirit. In
Hosea 6:3 , the prophet calls the people to return to the Lord, promising that "He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth." This imagery conveys the idea of spiritual refreshment and revival, akin to the life-giving effect of rain on parched land.
ConclusionIn summary, showers in the Bible are rich in theological significance, representing both God's provision and His judgment. They serve as a reminder of the dependence of humanity on divine grace and the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant. Through the imagery of showers, Scripture communicates profound truths about the nature of God's relationship with His creation and His people.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) One who shows or exhibits.
2. (n.) That which shows; a mirror.
3. (n.) A fall or rain or hail of short duration; sometimes, but rarely, a like fall of snow.
4. (n.) That which resembles a shower in falling or passing through the air copiously and rapidly.
5. (n.) A copious supply bestowed.
6. (v. t.) To water with a shower; to //t copiously with rain.
7. (v. t.) To bestow liberally; to distribute or scatter in abundance; to rain.
8. (v. i.) To rain in showers; to fall, as in a shower or showers.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SHOWERshou'-er:
(1) rebhibhim, a plural form apparently denoting gentle rain, usually used figuratively, as inDeuteronomy 32:2Psalm 72:6Micah 5:7.
(2) geshem, used of gentle rain inJob 37:6: "shower of rain," the King James Version "small rain"; used of the flood inGenesis 7:12. Figuratively, of blessing, "showers of blessing" (Ezekiel 34:26); of destruction: "There shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it" (Ezekiel 13:13).
(3) zerem, usually storm or tempest (compareIsaiah 4:6;Isaiah 28:2): "They are wet with the showers of the mountain" (Job 24:8).
(4) ombros (Luke 12:54), Rain is unknown in Palestine in the long summer of 5 or 6 months. A few showers usually fall in September, succeeded by fine weather for some weeks before the beginning of the heavy and long-continued winter rains.
Alfred Ely Day
Greek
3655. ombros -- a rainstorm... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: ombros Phonetic Spelling:
(om'-bros) Short Definition: a violent rain Definition: a violent rain, a
shower.
...3655a. ombros -- a rainstorm
... ombros. 3655b . a rainstorm. Transliteration: ombros Short Definition:shower.
Word Origin a prim. word Definition a rainstorm NASB Word Usageshower (1)....
5205. huetos -- rain
... rain. From a primary huo (to rain); rain, especially ashower -- rain. (ueton) --
3 Occurrences. (uetos) -- 1 Occurrence. (uetous) -- 1 Occurrence. 5204, 5205...
1026. brecho -- to send rain, to rain
... send rain, wash. A primary verb; to moisten (especially by ashower) -- (send)
rain, wash. (brexai) -- 1 Occurrence. (brechei) -- 1 Occurrence....
Strong's Hebrew
1653. geshem -- rain,shower... geshem. 1654 . rain,
shower. Transliteration: geshem Phonetic Spelling:
(gheh'-shem) Short Definition: rain.
... rain,
shower. From gasham; a
shower -- rain,
...2230. zerem -- a flood of rain, rainstorm, downpour
... flood, overflowing,shower, storm, tempest. From zaram; a gush of water -- flood,
overflowing,shower, storm, tempest. see HEBREW zaram. 2229, 2230....
7241. rebibim -- abundant showers
...shower. From rabab; a rain (as an accumulation of drops) --shower. see HEBREW
rabab. 7240, 7241. rebibim. 7242 . Strong's Numbers.
1652. gasham -- to rain
... rained (1). cause to rain. A primitive root; toshower violently -- (cause
to) rain. 1651, 1652. gasham. 1653 . Strong's Numbers.
7377. ri -- moisture
... Word Origin from ravah Definition moisture NASB Word Usage moisture (1). watering.
From ravah; irrigation, ie Ashower -- watering. see HEBREW ravah....
8164. sair -- rain (drop)
... small rain. Formed the same as sa'iyr; ashower (as tempestuous) -- small rain.
see HEBREW sa'iyr. 8163c, 8164. sair. 8165 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
AShower of Stones
... Chapter 7. Severe Weather; Ireland; Wesley's Protest against Lawlessness
cWesley and Faith-healing AShower of Stones. After we were...
TheShower
... Book First CXXIV THESHOWER. 'Twas so; I saw thy birth:"That drowsy lake... Footnotes:
[136] Theshower is here regarded as a stagnant and a lazy exhalation....
The MeteorShower (Preached at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, Nov....
... SERMON XVI. THE METEORSHOWER (Preached at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, Nov. 26,
1866.). Matthew 10:29, 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?...
Temperance 506. Father, who on Man DostShower
... V. THE CHURCH Temperance 506. Father, who on man dostshower. 8.8.8.7... Percy Dearmer,
1906. Father, who on man dostshower. Gifts of plenty from thy dower,....
Having Prayed to God, He Pours Forth aShower of Tears, And...
... Book VIII. Chapter XII."Having Prayed to God, He Pours Forth aShower of Tears,
And, Admonished by a Voice, He Opens the Book and Reads the Words in Rom....
St. Ambrose Returns to the Story of the Widow of Sarepta...
... fleece, when all the earth was parched with continual drought, and by a second true
sign, moistened the floor of all the earth with ashower, whilst dryness...
The Various Emblems under which the Poets Veiled the Turpitude of...
... reason. They said that Jupiter changed himself into ashower of gold, that
he might deceive Danae. What is ashower of gold? Plainly...
Motives to Holy Mourning
... It is like ashower upon a rock, which does no good; but tears for sin are blessed
tears.... Now it is seasonable weeping. It is like ashower in the spring....
But Woe is Thee, Thou Torrent of Human Custom! who Shall Stand...
... hence eloquence; most necessary to gain your ends, or maintain opinions." As if
we should have never known such words as "goldenshower," "lap," "beguile...
He Disapproves of the Mode of Educating Youth, and He Points Out...
... people to your way of thinking, and to unfold your opinions." So, in truth, we should
never have understood these words, "goldenshower," "bosom," "intrigue...
Thesaurus
Shower (22 Occurrences)... 4. (n.) That which resembles a
shower in falling or passing through the air copiously
and rapidly.
... 6. (vt) To water with a
shower; to //t copiously with rain.
...Showers (20 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Job 37:6 For he says to the snow,'Fall on the earth;' likewise to the
shower of rain, and to the showers of his mighty rain. (WEB JPS ASV)....
Ice-drops (7 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those who put whitewash on it, There will be an overflowing
shower; and you, O ice-drops, will come raining down; and it will be broken in...
Torrents (17 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 say unto them that daub it with whited plaster, that it shall fall;
there shall be an overflowingshower, and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall...
Hailstones (10 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall
be an overflowingshower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a...
Overflowing (54 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall
be an overflowingshower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a...
Flooding (4 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those daubing with chalk -- It falleth, There hath been an
overflowingshower, And ye, O hailstones, do fall, And a tempestuous wind doth...
Tempestuous (8 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those daubing with chalk -- It falleth, There hath been an
overflowingshower, And ye, O hailstones, do fall, And a tempestuous wind doth...
Raining (10 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those who put whitewash on it, There will be an overflowing
shower; and you, O ice-drops, will come raining down; and it will be broken in...
Destructive (14 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 28:2 Lo, a mighty and strong one 'is' to the Lord, As a storm of hail --
a destructiveshower, As an inundation of mighty waters overflowing, He cast...
Resources
What does the Bible say about stalking? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about selflessness? | GotQuestions.orgShower: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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