### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **rîy**, represented by `{{H7377}}`, means **watering**, irrigation, or a shower. This specific term appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire biblical text, highlighting its specialized usage. It describes the process by which God prepares the clouds for their function.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single instance of `{{H7377}}` is found in [[Job 37:11]], within a speech about God's immense power over the natural world. The verse states, "Also by **watering** he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud." This context illustrates a specific, deliberate action of God loading a cloud with moisture, making it heavy or "weary" before He directs its course and scatters it, demonstrating His meticulous control over the weather.
### Related Words & Concepts
The words used alongside `{{H7377}}` in its only appearance provide a clearer picture of its meaning:
* `{{H2959}}` **ṭârach** (wearieth): This root means "to overburden." In [[Job 37:11]], the "watering" is the cause of the cloud becoming overburdened, showing a direct cause-and-effect relationship in God's atmospheric work.
* `{{H5645}}` **ʻâb** (thick cloud): This term refers to a dense cloud or copse. It is the object that receives the **watering** `{{H7377}}`. This type of cloud is elsewhere associated with God's power, as when He commands them not to rain [[Isaiah 5:6]] or covers the heavens with them to prepare rain for the earth [[Psalms 147:8]].
* `{{H6327}}` **pûwts** (scattereth): Meaning "to dash in pieces" or "disperse," this describes the action God takes after the cloud is loaded by **watering**. This same word is used for God scattering his people [[Deuteronomy 30:3]] and his enemies [[Psalms 68:1]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H7377}}` is centered on God's sovereignty over creation.
* **Meticulous Control of Nature:** The word portrays God not just as a distant creator but as an active manager of the elements. The act of "watering" a cloud implies a purposeful, detailed process behind natural phenomena that are often perceived as random.
* **A Tool of Divine Purpose:** In [[Job 37:11]], the cloud is first loaded by **watering** and then scattered. Clouds in scripture can be instruments of God's presence, as with the pillar of cloud [[Exodus 13:21]], or His judgment. The preparation of the cloud through **watering** is the first step in its deployment for God's will.
* **The Weight of God's Power:** The "watering" makes the cloud "weary" or heavy `{{H2959}}`, a physical illustration of the substantial and weighty nature of God's work. What He prepares carries the full force of His intention, whether for blessing with rain or for another purpose.
### Summary
In summary, while **rîy** `{{H7377}}` is one of the rarest words in the Old Testament, its singular appearance in [[Job 37:11]] offers a profound insight. It moves beyond a general concept of God's power to a specific depiction of His hands-on, methodical control over creation. The term illustrates that even the "watering" of a single cloud is a deliberate act within God's sovereign and often inscrutable plan for the world.
TRV