Raham, Son of Shema (רַחַם, racham). A descendant of Judah and Caleb (1 Chr 2:44).

Rain Provided the most regular source of water in Palestine. An image of God’s provision for His people.

Overview

Rain was the primary source of water in a land with few other reliable sources. “If there is no earth, there is no rain, if there is no rain, there is no earth, and without both of them no man can exist” (Genesis Rabbah, 13:3). Because of the scarcity of regularly flowing rivers and streams, the ancient Near East was particularly dependent on rain, in contrast to neighboring lands (Deut 11:10–11). Rain provided water for people and animals to drink as well as water for crops.

The region of Palestine, depending on location, yearly receives anywhere from around 1 inch (30 mm) of rain in the south to around 35 inches (900 mm) of rain in the north. The rainy season begins in October and lasts until April (compare 2 Sam 21:10); however, most rain falls in December and January. Between April and September there is little or no rain (Psa 32:4; Song 2:11). The timing of the rain was important for agriculture (compare Deut 11:14). Rain at the end of the season prepared the land for plowing and sowing (Hos 6:3), while rain at the beginning aided crop maturation and the harvest.

Even a small variation in rainfall can have a significant effect on agriculture (Prov 26:1; Jer 5:24). A lack of rain during the planting or harvest season was not uncommon and often resulted in crop failure and famine (1 Kgs 17:12; 18:5; Jer 14:4). A shortage of rain dried up cisterns, streams, and even springs (compare 1 Kgs 17:7). Given the lack of precipitation throughout the year in Palestine, rainwater had to be gathered and stored in wells, cisterns, pools, etc., for drinking or irrigation throughout the dry months. Eventually, elaborate waterworks were developed to gather, store, and transport rain water.

The regional topography of Palestine influences the amount of rainfall. Rainstorms move east from the sea (Luke 12:54) or, less frequently, colder storms move south from the north (Prov 25:23). The central hill country receives more rain than the lowlands, and the amount of rain generally increases from south to north and east to west. Even in the mountainous region that runs parallel to the Mediterranean coast, the western slopes receive more rain, while the eastern slopes receive little. This phenomenon is known as a rain shadow. The result is a humid climate for the coastal plain but dry air for the land to the east. Rain provides enough moisture for crops for the land around the Sea of Galilee; however, irrigation is necessary south of Beer-Sheba. The southern end of Palestine is virtually a desert, dominated by the Negev. Dry, hot east winds from the Arabian desert move north and west and remove much of the moisture from the air. There are relatively few days with rain in Palestine, and when the rains come, they can come in torrential storms in some places, creating dangerous flash floods (compare 1 Kgs 18:44–45; Ezra 10:9, 13).