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What the Bible Says About Rain

Overview

The Bible addresses rain across 116 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Psalms and Exodus. Closely related themes include Water, Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena, Bow and Rainbow. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Ahab, Noah, David and Elijah.

Key Bible verses about rain

Old Testament

Genesis

Genesis 2:5

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Genesis 7:4

For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. destroy: Heb. blot out

Genesis 7:10

And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. after: or, on the seventh day

Genesis 7:11

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. windows: or, floodgates

Genesis 7:12

And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Genesis 7:17

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

Genesis 7:18

And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

Genesis 7:19

And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

Genesis 7:20

Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

Genesis 7:21

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

Genesis 7:22

All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. the breath: Heb. the breath of the spirit of life

Genesis 7:23

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Genesis 7:24

And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 9:8

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

Genesis 9:9

And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

Genesis 9:10

And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

Genesis 9:11

And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Genesis 9:12

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Genesis 9:13

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 9:14

And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

Genesis 9:15

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:16

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 9:17

And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Exodus

Exodus 9:18

Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

Exodus 9:22

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:23

And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:24

So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Exodus 9:25

And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

Exodus 9:26

Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

Exodus 9:33

And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

Exodus 9:34

And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 11:10

For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

Deuteronomy 11:11

But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:

Deuteronomy 11:13

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 11:14

That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Deuteronomy 11:17

And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

Deuteronomy 28:24

The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 32:2

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 5:17

But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

2 Samuel 5:18

The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

2 Samuel 5:19

And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

2 Samuel 5:20

And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. Baalperazim: that is, the plain of breaches

2 Samuel 5:21

And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. burned: or, took them away

2 Samuel 23:4

And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

1 Kings

1 Kings 8:35

When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

1 Kings 8:36

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

1 Kings 17:1

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. Elijah: Heb. Elijahu: Gr. Elias

1 Kings 17:7

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. after: Heb. at the end of days

1 Kings 18:1

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

1 Kings 18:2

And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

1 Kings 18:44

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. Prepare: Heb. Tie, or, Bind

1 Kings 18:45

And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 6:26

When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

2 Chronicles 6:27

Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

2 Chronicles 7:13

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. which: Heb. upon whom my name is called

Job

Job 5:10

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: fields: Heb. outplaces

Job 20:23

When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

Job 28:26

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Job 29:23

And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

Job 36:26

Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

Job 36:27

For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

Job 36:28

Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

Job 37:6

For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. likewise: Heb. and to the shower of rain, and to the showers of rain of his strength

Psalms

Psalms 11:6

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. an horrible: or, a burning tempest

Psalms 68:9

Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. send: Heb. shake out confirm: Heb. confirm it

Psalms 72:6

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

Psalms 77:17

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. poured: Heb. were poured forth with water

Psalms 84:6

Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. Baca: or, mulberry trees make him a well, etc filleth: Heb. covereth

Psalms 104:8

They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. They go up: or, The mountains ascend, the valleys descend

Psalms 135:7

He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

Psalms 147:7

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Psalms 147:8

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

Isaiah

Isaiah 4:6

And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Isaiah 18:4

For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. consider: or, regard my set dwelling upon: or, after rain

Isaiah 28:21

For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

Isaiah 30:23

Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.

Isaiah 55:10

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 3:3

Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

Jeremiah 5:24

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Jeremiah 5:25

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Jeremiah 14:4

Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

Jeremiah 14:22

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 1:28

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Ezekiel 13:13

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.

Ezekiel 13:14

So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 13:15

Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;

Ezekiel 34:26

And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

Ezekiel 34:27

And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

Ezekiel 38:22

And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

New Testament

People in the Bible and rain

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying rain for yourself

  • Begin with Genesis 2:5, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Genesis, Psalms and Exodus each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Ahab, Noah and David and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Water, Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena, Bow and Rainbow.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about rain?

The Bible addresses rain across 116 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Psalms and Exodus. Closely related themes include Water, Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena, Bow and Rainbow. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Ahab, Noah, David and Elijah.

How many Bible verses are about rain?

The Bible references rain in 116 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention rain?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 2:5: “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.”

Which people in the Bible are associated with rain?

Ahab, Noah, David, Elijah and Moses.

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