Drouth
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Definition and Context:
Drouth, more commonly spelled "drought," refers to a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water. In biblical times, drouth was often seen as a divine judgment or a call to repentance. It was a significant concern for agrarian societies dependent on regular rainfall for crops and livestock.

Biblical References:
Drouth is frequently mentioned in the Bible as a tool used by God to discipline His people or to demonstrate His power. In the Old Testament, droughts are often depicted as consequences of Israel's disobedience to God's commandments.

1. Deuteronomy 28:23-24 : "The sky over your head will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron. The LORD will turn the rain of your land into dust and powder; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed." This passage is part of the curses for disobedience, illustrating how God would withhold rain as a form of judgment.

2. 1 Kings 17:1 : "Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, 'As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.'" Here, the prophet Elijah announces a drought as a direct challenge to King Ahab and the worship of Baal, demonstrating the sovereignty of the God of Israel.

3. Jeremiah 14:1-4 : "This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 'Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. Their jars return empty; they are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.'" This passage describes the physical and emotional toll of drought on the people of Judah, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

Theological Significance:
Drouth in the Bible is often associated with themes of judgment, repentance, and reliance on God. It serves as a reminder of humanity's dependence on divine provision and the consequences of turning away from God's statutes. The withholding of rain is a powerful symbol of God's control over nature and His ability to provide or withhold blessings based on the faithfulness of His people.

Spiritual Lessons:
1. Dependence on God: Drouth teaches believers about the importance of relying on God for sustenance and provision. It underscores the reality that all creation is under God's control, and human efforts are futile without His blessing.

2. Call to Repentance: Droughts often serve as a call to repentance, urging individuals and nations to examine their ways and return to God. The lack of rain is a tangible reminder of the spiritual dryness that can result from sin and disobedience.

3. Faith and Obedience: The accounts of drought in the Bible encourage believers to maintain faith and obedience even in difficult times. They highlight the importance of trusting in God's timing and provision, as seen in the account of Elijah, who was sustained by God during the drought.

Historical and Cultural Context:
In the ancient Near East, agriculture was the backbone of society, and the success of crops was directly tied to rainfall. Droughts could lead to famine, economic hardship, and social instability. The biblical narrative often uses drought as a backdrop to convey deeper spiritual truths and to demonstrate God's interaction with His people.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not provide a systematic theology of drought, the recurring theme of drouth in Scripture serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty, the consequences of sin, and the need for repentance and faithfulness. Through these narratives, believers are encouraged to seek God's face and trust in His provision, even in times of scarcity.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) Same as Drought.
Library

Hosea and Joel.
... (2:25) and a drouth. ... (1) Point out the different statements about the drouth
and locusts that indicate their severity and ruinous effects. ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xviii hosea and joel.htm

Prayer Born of Compassion
... For, day and night, thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drouth
of summer.' Then set Him before you who says: I am not come to call the ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/x prayer born of compassion.htm

Prayer and Trouble
... Good and bad alike experience trouble. As the rain falls alike on the just and unjust,
so drouth likewise comes to the righteous and the wicked. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the essentials of prayer/v prayer and trouble.htm

From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
... (4) Many days spent at Caesarea during which Agabus, who had formerly told them
of the coming drouth, predicted that the Jews of Jerusalem would bind Paul and ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xx from antioch to.htm

Putting God to Work
... this same law. Elijah had foretold to Ahab the coming of that prolonged
drouth, and food and even water became scarce. God sent ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/ii putting god to work.htm

Thesaurus
Drouth (9 Occurrences)
...Drouth (9 Occurrences). Genesis 31:40 Thus I was; in the day the drouth consumed
me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes. (WBS). ...
/d/drouth.htm - 9k

Droughts (3 Occurrences)

/d/droughts.htm - 7k

Snow-waters (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Snow-waters (1 Occurrence). Job 24:19 Drouth and heat
consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (WBS YLT). ...
/s/snow-waters.htm - 6k

Shades (29 Occurrences)
... the LORD that brought us out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness,
through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drouth, and of ...
/s/shades.htm - 13k

Drove (89 Occurrences)

/d/drove.htm - 34k

Resources
Drouth: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Drouth (9 Occurrences)

Genesis 31:40
Thus I was; in the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.
(WBS)

Deuteronomy 8:15
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drouth, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
(WBS)

Job 24:19
Drouth and heat consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned.
(WBS)

Psalms 32:4
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drouth of summer. Selah.
(WBS)

Jeremiah 2:6
Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drouth, and of the shades of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
(WBS)

Jeremiah 17:8
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be anxious in the year of drouth, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
(WBS)

Jeremiah 50:38
A drouth is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
(WBS)

Hosea 13:5
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drouth.
(WBS)

Haggai 1:11
And I called for a drouth upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.
(WBS)

Subtopics

Drouth

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Droughts
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