English · KJV
H3138

יוֹרֶה

yôwreh /yo-reh'/ Ask about this word
Rootactive participle of יָרָה
Meaningsprinkling; hence, a sprinkling (or autumnal showers)
KJV usagefirst rain, former (rain).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yôwreh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word yôwreh, represented by H3138, refers to the first rain or former (rain). It is defined as a sprinkling or autumnal shower. This specific term appears 2 times across 2 unique verses, highlighting its role in the critical early stages of the agricultural season.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H3138 is always presented as a direct gift from God, essential for the land's productivity. In Deuteronomy, God promises to "give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain," enabling the people to gather their corn, wine, and oil Deuteronomy 11:14. Similarly, Jeremiah chastises the people for not fearing the Lord who gives "rain, both the former and the latter, in his season" and ensures the weeks of the harvest Jeremiah 5:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the context of seasonal rains and God's provision:

  • H4456 malqôwsh (latter rain): This term for the spring rain is the direct counterpart to yôwreh. It appears alongside H3138 in both of its occurrences, signifying the full cycle of seasonal rains required for a successful harvest (Deuteronomy 11:14, Jeremiah 5:24).
  • H4306 mâṭar (rain): This is a general term for rain. In Deuteronomy 11:14, God promises to give mâṭar, which is then specified as the yôwreh (first rain) and the malqôwsh (latter rain).
  • H1653 geshem (shower): This word for a shower or rain is used in Jeremiah 5:24 to describe the precipitation God provides, which includes both the former and the latter rains.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H3138 is centered on God's sovereignty and provision.

  • Divine Provider: Both occurrences explicitly state that it is God who "giveth" H5414 the former rain. This identifies Him as the ultimate source of the life-giving water necessary for sustenance (Deuteronomy 11:14, Jeremiah 5:24).
  • Seasonal Faithfulness: The rain is promised "in his season" H6256, underscoring God's reliable ordering of the natural world to bless His people. The arrival of the yôwreh was a sign of God's continuing faithfulness.
  • Basis for Harvest: The first rain is directly linked to agricultural prosperity. Its arrival initiates the growing season, which culminates in the "appointed weeks of the harvest" Jeremiah 5:24 and the gathering of produce Deuteronomy 11:14.

Summary

In summary, H3138 yôwreh is a precise term for the vital first rains of the season. Though used sparingly, it plays a key role in illustrating the dependence of the people on God's provision. Paired with the latter rain, it represents the complete cycle of blessing God provides, establishing Him as the faithful sustainer who sends the rain in its proper time to ensure the harvest.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb and a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יוֹרֶה
  • יוֹרֶה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H4456 מַלְקוֹשׁ from לָקַשׁ; (compare לֶקֶשׁ); the spring rain; figuratively, eloquence; latter rain. H4306 מָטַר from מָטַר; rain; rain. H1653 גֶּשֶׁם from גָּשַׁם; a shower; rain, shower. H5414 נָתַן a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, a H6256 עֵת from עַד; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.; [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phra

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Deuteronomy
1
Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.