Lexical Summary mowreh: Teacher, early rain Original Word: מוֹרֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance early rain From yarah; an archer; also teacher or teaching; also the early rain (see yowreh) -- (early) rain. see HEBREW yarah see HEBREW yowreh Brown-Driver-Briggs I. מוֺרֶה noun masculinePsalm 84:7 (early) rain (compare יוֺרֶה); — Joel 2:23 ("" גֶּשֶׁם, מַלְקוֺשׁ) Joel 2:23 (strike out We), Psalm 84:7. II. מוֺרֶה noun masculineIsaiah 30:20 teacher; — absolute in אֵלוֺן מוֺרֶה Genesis 12:6 (J) = אֵלוֺנֵי מֹרֶה Deuteronomy 11:30 (⅏ ᵐ5 אֵלוֺן), the teacher's terebinth (see אֵלוֺן) near Shechem; compare גִּבְעַת הַמּוֺרֶה Judges 7:1 teacher's hill near the plain of Jezreel, probably Little Hermon, Nebî Daµî BdPal 244; the terebinth being a holy tree from which divine teaching was given, and the hill of the teacher the seat of a holy place whence divine teaching was given; see also (of God) Job 36:22; here belong probably likewise מוֺרָ֑י Proverbs 5:13, and מוֺרֶיךָ Isaiah 30:20 (twice in verse). Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Context The noun מוֹרֶה appears three times in the Old Testament (Psalm 84:6; Joel 2:23 [twice in the same verse]). In each setting it denotes the “early” or “former” rain that begins the agricultural year in Israel, arriving after the long, dry summer and softening the ground for planting. Because of the land’s dependence on that first shower, מוֹרֶה became a natural emblem of divine provision and covenant faithfulness. Agricultural and Historical Background In ancient Israel the farming cycle was framed by two distinct rainy seasons: the early rain (מוֹרֶה) in late autumn and the latter rain (malqosh) in spring. Without the early rain seed could not germinate, threatening the entire harvest. The arrival of מוֹרֶה therefore signaled the practical start of the agrarian year, renewed hope for food security, and confirmation that the LORD still “gives rain on the earth and sends water upon the fields” (Job 5:10). Psalm 84:6 – Pilgrimage Sustained by Providence “As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; even the early rain covers it with pools.” The psalm sets worshipers on their way to the sanctuary, crossing an arid valley that the LORD unexpectedly refreshes with מוֹרֶה. The picture intertwines pilgrimage and provision: those who press toward God’s dwelling find Him already at work transforming barrenness into blessing. The rain here is not merely meteorological; it illustrates the refreshing presence of God Himself accompanying His people. Joel 2:23 – Restoration and Eschatological Hope “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. He showers down for you both the early rain and the latter rain as before.” In Joel’s prophecy the land has been devastated by locusts and drought—judgments that mirrored Israel’s spiritual desolation. The promised return of מוֹרֶה becomes the sign that judgment has passed and covenant blessings are reinstated. Because the verse pairs מוֹרֶה with the latter rain, it points not only to immediate agricultural relief but also to a comprehensive renewal that finds fuller expression in the outpouring of the Spirit foretold in Joel 2:28–32 and echoed in Acts 2:17–21. Thus the literal rain becomes a harbinger of spiritual revival. “Early Rain” or “Teacher of Righteousness”? Some translations render מוֹרֶה in Joel 2:23 as “teacher of righteousness,” drawing on its wider semantic range. Whether Joel intended a literary double entendre is debated, yet the theological implications are harmonious: God grants both the life-giving rain and the instruction that leads to righteousness. Physical nurture and spiritual guidance flow from the same covenant Lord. Theological Themes 1. Divine Faithfulness: מוֹרֶה underscores God’s reliability in meeting material needs (Deuteronomy 11:14) and thereby verifies His wider redemptive promises. Ministry Implications • Prayer for Provision: מוֹרֶה encourages believers to ask confidently for daily bread and seasonal needs, trusting the Lord of the harvest (Matthew 6:11). Practical Reflection Just as ancient farmers could neither schedule nor manufacture מוֹרֶה, modern believers cannot engineer spiritual renewal. Yet when God sends His rain, barren valleys become pools. The response, modeled by Joel, is gladness, rejoicing, and renewed commitment to dwell in the presence of the LORD. Forms and Transliterations הַמּוֹרֶ֖ה המורה מוֹרֶ֥ה מוֹרֶֽה׃ מורה מורה׃ ham·mō·w·reh hammoReh hammōwreh mō·w·reh moReh mōwrehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 84:6 HEB: בְּ֝רָכ֗וֹת יַעְטֶ֥ה מוֹרֶֽה׃ NAS: it a spring; The early rain also KJV: it a well; the rain also filleth INT: blessings covers the early Joel 2:23 Joel 2:23 3 Occurrences |
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