Lexical Summary rebibim: Showers, abundant rain Original Word: רָבִיב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shower From rabab; a rain (as an accumulation of drops) -- shower. see HEBREW rabab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rabab Definition abundant showers NASB Translation showers (6). Brown-Driver-Briggs רְבִיבִם noun masculineJeremiah 3:3 plural copious showers causing fertility; — ׳ר Deuteronomy 32:2+ 3t., רְבִבִים Jeremiah 14:22, רְבִבִם Jeremiah 3:3; — copious shower, Jeremiah 3:3 (+ מַלְקוֺשׁ) ׳יִתְּנוּ ר Jeremiah 14:22 ("" מַגְשִׁמִים),׳ר Psalm 65:11; simile,of penetrating. pervasive influence of prophetic words Deuteronomy 32:2 ("" שְׂעִירִם, also מָטָר, טַל ), of Jacob Micah 5:6 ("" טַל), of future king Psalm 72:6 ("" מָטָר). Topical Lexicon Usage OverviewThe noun רָבִיב appears six times in the Hebrew Scriptures and is consistently rendered “showers” or “gentle rain.” Its distribution spans Torah (Deuteronomy), Writings (Psalms), and Prophets (Jeremiah, Micah), allowing the word to function as a thematic thread that binds diverse literary genres around the motif of life-giving precipitation granted—or withheld—by the covenant God. Agricultural Imagery and Covenant Blessing In ancient Israel, rain determined survival. Repeatedly, רָבִיב depicts the soft, soaking showers that penetrate the soil after the harder early rains have prepared the ground. Deuteronomy 32:2 inaugurates Moses’ song with a prayer: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants.” By likening doctrine to רָבִיב, Moses underscores that revelation is never mere information; it is nourishment meant to seep into receptive hearts. Psalm 65:10 continues the theme: “You soften it with showers and bless its crops.” God’s providential care for the earth parallels His covenant faithfulness to His people. Showers symbolize both material provision and spiritual invigoration, confirming that Yahweh remains the sole source of fertility and fruitfulness. Royal Ideals and Messianic Hopes Psalm 72:6 transfers the agricultural imagery to the Davidic king: “May he be like rain that falls on mown grass, like showers that water the earth.” Here רָבִיב becomes a royal metaphor. The ideal monarch refreshes the realm just as spring showers awaken dormant fields. Since Psalm 72 ultimately transcends Solomon and points to an everlasting reign, the word subtly anticipates the Messiah whose presence will revive the world (compare Isaiah 11:1–9). Micah 5:7 broadens the scope: “Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.” After judgment and exile, the surviving community itself becomes the conduit of divine refreshment. The prophetic picture is eschatological: regenerated Israel disperses life-giving grace to the nations, prefiguring the gospel mission that began in Acts and will culminate when “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). Judgment through Withheld Showers While רָבִיב usually connotes blessing, Jeremiah applies it to covenant curses. “Therefore the showers have been withheld” (Jeremiah 3:3) diagnoses Judah’s spiritual adultery. Again in 14:22, the prophet contrasts impotent idols with the Lord who alone can command the skies: “Are You not the LORD our God? Therefore we put our hope in You.” The withheld רָבִיב reveals that creation itself responds to moral order; when the nation breaks faith, heaven closes its windows (see Leviticus 26:19). Yet the plea in 14:22 shows that repentance can still reopen them. Intertextual Connections 1. Deuteronomy 28:12 promises “rain in its season” for obedience, framing later uses of רָבִיב within covenant stipulations. Historical Background Israel’s agrarian calendar depended on a delicate sequence: early rains (October–November), winter rains, and latter or spring rains (March–April). רָבִיב likely refers to the intermittent, lighter showers that follow the heavier early rains, critical for plant maturation. Archaeological evidence from cisterns and terraced hillsides illustrates the importance of capturing these modest but regular precipitations. Theological Significance • Divine Sovereignty: Each occurrence of רָבִיב attributes meteorological events to God’s direct agency, rebutting any ancient Near-Eastern notion of storm deities and modern secular notions of impersonal climate. Ministry Application 1. Preaching: Teachers should aim for messages that “distill as the dew,” saturating congregations over time rather than merely splashing them with isolated facts. Christological Fulfillment Jesus not only commands the wind and the waves (Mark 4:39); He also fulfills the royal and prophetic imagery of רָבִיב. His reign brings “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:19). At Pentecost, tongues of fire accompanied by the sound of rushing wind inaugurated the outpouring of the Spirit—spiritual showers that continue until His return. Thus every earthly shower can remind the church of the greater deluge of grace secured by the cross and guaranteed by the empty tomb. Summary רָבִיב weaves together blessing, instruction, kingship, judgment, and hope. It teaches that the God who waters fields also waters souls, that covenant faithfulness governs climate as well as conscience, and that the ultimate Shower is the Spirit poured out through the risen Messiah. Forms and Transliterations בִּרְבִיבִ֥ים ברביבים וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים וכרביבים כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים כִּרְבִיבִ֖ים כרביבים רְבִבִ֑ים רְבִבִ֔ים רבבים bir·ḇî·ḇîm birḇîḇîm birviVim kir·ḇî·ḇîm kirḇîḇîm kirviVim rə·ḇi·ḇîm rəḇiḇîm reviVim vechirviVim wə·ḵir·ḇî·ḇîm wəḵirḇîḇîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 32:2 HEB: עֲלֵי־ דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־ עֵֽשֶׂב׃ NAS: on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb. KJV: upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: INT: on the fresh and as the showers on the herb Psalm 65:10 Psalm 72:6 Jeremiah 3:3 Jeremiah 14:22 Micah 5:7 6 Occurrences |
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