Lexical Summary sair: Goat, hairy, shaggy Original Word: שָׂעִיר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance small rain Formed the same as sa'iyr; a shower (as tempestuous) -- small rain. see HEBREW sa'iyr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition rain (drop) NASB Translation droplets (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שְׂעִירִים noun [masculine] plural rain (-drops), si vera lectio; (so according to Vrss and context; Thes compare II.שַׂעַר; Lag proposes רְסִיסִים); — עֲלֵידֶֿשֶׁא ׳כִּשׂ Deuteronomy 32:2 ("" מָטָר, טַל, רְבִיבִים). Topical Lexicon Primary Imagery and Sense שָׂעִיר (sāʿîr) in Deuteronomy 32:2 designates “showers” or “copious rain.” The term evokes the sudden, abundant downpour that follows lighter moisture in the agricultural cycle. Though the lexical root elsewhere points to “hairy” or “goat,” here the form pictures the rough, pelting character of a vigorous shower. Occurrence in the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:2) “Let my teaching fall like rain, my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants” (Deuteronomy 32:2). Moses contrasts two kinds of moisture—gentle rain (Hebrew טַל) and forceful showers (שְׂעִירִים)—to illustrate how divine instruction meets every need of God’s people. The gentler moisture nurtures the youngest blades; the heavier shower penetrates deeper soil, supplying long-term nourishment. Agricultural and Historical Background In the land of Israel, life depends on winter rains and the brief spring “latter rain.” Farmers welcomed early misty drizzles that germinated seed, yet they relied on sudden heavier showers to swell grain heads. By using שָׂעִיר Moses speaks the language of farmers who knew that without these downpours their harvest would fail. The audience at the cusp of Canaan would have recognized the word as a pledge of covenant provision if they heeded God’s word (compare Deuteronomy 11:13-15). Symbolism of Divine Instruction Rain imagery consistently portrays God’s self-revelation: In each passage, an outward downpour corresponds to an inward operation of truth. The use of שָׂעִיר highlights how Scripture sometimes arrives powerfully, breaking hard ground, cleansing defilement, and quenching deep thirst. Christological Connections Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, embodies both the gentle dew of compassion and the driving shower of authority. His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount falls softly on the humble, yet His cleansing of the temple descends like a torrent against hardened sin. In Him the full range of Deuteronomy 32:2 is realized: “grace and truth” (John 1:14). Implications for Preaching and Discipleship 1. Balance—Biblical ministry must include both tender nurture and convicting power. Devotional Application Believers may pray Deuteronomy 32:2 personally: Summary Though שָׂעִיר appears only once, its placement in the Song of Moses yields a rich theology of God’s revelatory “showers.” The word points to agricultural grace, covenant faithfulness, prophetic authority, and ultimately to the fullness of Christ, whose voice still thunders and nourishes the church today. Forms and Transliterations כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם כשעירם kiś‘îrim kiś·‘î·rim kisiRimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 32:2 HEB: כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־ דֶ֔שֶׁא NAS: as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass KJV: as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, INT: as the dew my speech as the droplets on the fresh 1 Occurrence |
    |