4456. malqosh

Lexical Summary

malqosh: Latter rain

Original Word: מַלְקוֹשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: malqowsh
Pronunciation: mal-KOHSH
Phonetic Spelling: (mal-koshe')
KJV: latter rain
NASB: spring rain, late, latter rain
Word Origin: [from H3953 (לָקַשׁ - glean)]

1. the spring rain
2. (figuratively) eloquence

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

latter rain

From laqash; the spring rain (compare leqesh); figuratively, eloquence -- latter rain.

see HEBREW laqash

see HEBREW leqesh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as leqesh
Definition
latter rain, spring rain
NASB Translation
late (1), latter rain (1), rain* (1), spring rain (6).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מַלְקוֺשׁ noun masculine^{Jeremiah 3:3} latter-rain, spring-rain (i.e. showers of March-April; important, as strengthening and maturing crops); ׳מ Hosea 6:3 7t.; — related to גֶּשֶׁם as particular to General, opposed to יוֺרֶה (former rain, q. v.): Hosea 6:3; Jeremiah 5:24; so opposed to מוֺרֶה Joel 2:23; particular under מָטָר Deuteronomy 11:14 (opposed to יוֺרֶה), Zechariah 10:1 (+ מְטַרגֶּֿשֶׁם), Job 29:23; "" רְבִבִים Jeremiah 3:3; ׳עָב מ Proverbs 16:15 spring-rain-cloud (simile of king's favour).

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Meaning

מַלְקוֹשׁ (malkôsh) denotes the “spring” or “latter” rain that follows the early autumn showers (יֹורֶה, yoreh) in the agricultural cycle of ancient Israel. Falling in March–April, it ripens the grain for harvest and is indispensable for a fruitful yield.

Agricultural and Climatic Context

The climate of the land promised to Israel is marked by a dry summer, a first rain in October–November that softens the ground for sowing, and a final rain just before harvest. Without the malkôsh, heads of grain remain light and fields barren. Thus the term became an idiom for completion, fullness, and divine faithfulness in providing all that is necessary for life.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Deuteronomy 11:14 – Covenant blessing tied to obedience.
2. Job 29:23 – Job’s words longed for “as the spring rain.”
3. Proverbs 16:15 – Royal favor likened to “a cloud that brings the spring rain.”
4. Jeremiah 3:3 – Withheld latter rain as judgment for unrepentance.
5. Jeremiah 5:24 – Call to reverence the Lord who “gives the rain, both autumn and spring.”
6. Hosea 6:3 – Assurance of God’s appearing “like the spring rain that waters the earth.”
7. Joel 2:23 – Promise of restoration: “He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rains as before.”
8. Zechariah 10:1 – Exhortation to pray for rain “in the season of spring rain.”

Theological Themes

Divine Faithfulness

Malkôsh testifies that the God who begins a work also brings it to completion (Philippians 1:6 echoed). The latter rain confirms that the Creator sustains creation to its appointed end (Jeremiah 5:24).

Obedience and Blessing

In Deuteronomy 11:14 Israel’s obedience secures both early and latter rains, grounding covenant ethics in tangible provision.

Judgment and Withholding

Jeremiah 3:3 shows that God may suspend the malkôsh to awaken repentance, illustrating the moral fabric woven through the natural order.

Spiritual Refreshing

Hosea 6:3 and Job 29:23 use malkôsh metaphorically for life-giving revelation. Just as fields soak in the final showers, hearts absorb God’s word and presence.

Prophetic and Eschatological Dimensions

Restoration Imagery

Joel 2:23 connects the return of the latter rain with national renewal after locust devastation, prefiguring end-time restoration. The outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, introduced by Peter from Joel 2:28-32, is framed by the promise of full climatic blessing, suggesting that spiritual and physical restorations converge in the day of the Lord.

Messianic Kingdom Hopes

Zechariah 10:1 encourages prayer for seasonal rain while anticipating a future abundance when the Shepherd-King reigns (Zechariah 10:3-12). The latter rain motif thus feeds into expectations of messianic flourishing.

Use in Wisdom Literature

In Job and Proverbs, malkôsh symbolizes gracious speech and royal favor. The metaphor reveals a worldview where wisdom, governance, and agricultural prosperity are all gifts from the same benevolent Lord.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Prayer for Completeness: Just as farmers sought the spring rain to finish the crop, believers pray for the Spirit’s continuing work until maturity (James 5:7-8 alludes to both rains).
• Assurance in Waiting: Fields appear dry before the malkôsh arrives; likewise ministries may seem unfruitful until God’s appointed season.
• Call to Repentance: If blessing is withheld, Jeremiah’s warnings urge self-examination rather than resignation.
• Motivating Generosity: Proverbs 16:15 links royal favor to latter rain, encouraging leaders to exercise authority in ways that refresh and sustain those under their care.

Summary

מַלְקוֹשׁ embodies the faithfulness of God who not only initiates but perfects His purposes. It is a climatic phenomenon, a covenant sign, a prophetic symbol, and a pastoral lesson in trust, obedience, and hopeful expectancy.

Forms and Transliterations

וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ ומלקוש כְּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ כמלקוש לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃ למלקוש׃ מַלְק֔וֹשׁ מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃ מלקוש מלקוש׃ kə·mal·qō·wōš kemalKoosh kəmalqōwōš lə·mal·qō·wōš lemalKoosh ləmalqōwōš mal·qō·wōš malKoosh malqōwōš ū·mal·qō·wōš umalKoosh ūmalqōwōš

Englishman's Concordance

Deuteronomy 11:14
HEB: בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ
NAS: the early and late rain,
KJV: the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather
INT: season the early and late you may gather your grain

Job 29:23
HEB: וּ֝פִיהֶ֗ם פָּעֲר֥וּ לְמַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
NAS: their mouth as for the spring rain.
KJV: their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
INT: their mouth and opened the spring

Proverbs 16:15
HEB: וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
NAS: is like a cloud with the spring rain.
KJV: [is] as a cloud of the latter rain.
INT: and his favor A cloud the spring

Jeremiah 3:3
HEB: וַיִּמָּנְע֣וּ רְבִבִ֔ים וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ ל֣וֹא הָיָ֑ה
NAS: no spring rain. Yet you had
KJV: have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's
INT: have been withheld the showers spring no has been

Jeremiah 5:24
HEB: (יֹורֶ֥ה ק) וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ בְּעִתּ֑וֹ שְׁבֻע֛וֹת
NAS: Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps
KJV: both the former and the latter, in his season:
INT: rain autumn rain and the spring season weeks

Hosea 6:3
HEB: כַגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ לָ֔נוּ כְּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ י֥וֹרֶה אָֽרֶץ׃
NAS: to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering
KJV: unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain
INT: will come the rain the spring autumn rain the earth

Joel 2:23
HEB: גֶּ֛שֶׁם מוֹרֶ֥ה וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ בָּרִאשֽׁוֹן׃
NAS: The early and latter rain as before.
KJV: the former rain, and the latter rain in the first
INT: the rain rain and latter before

Zechariah 10:1
HEB: מָטָר֙ בְּעֵ֣ת מַלְק֔וֹשׁ יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֣ה
NAS: at the time of the spring rain-- The LORD
KJV: in the time of the latter rain; [so] the LORD
INT: rain the time of the spring the LORD makes

8 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4456
8 Occurrences

kə·mal·qō·wōš — 1 Occ.
lə·mal·qō·wōš — 1 Occ.
mal·qō·wōš — 2 Occ.
ū·mal·qō·wōš — 4 Occ.