Topical Bible: Rain: Rarely Falls in Egypt

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, Egypt is often depicted as a land where rain is a rare occurrence. This characteristic of Egypt is significant in understanding the agricultural and economic practices of the region, as well as its reliance on the Nile River for sustenance and prosperity.

Geographical and Climatic Context

Egypt's climate is predominantly arid, with the vast majority of its territory consisting of desert. The Nile River, which flows from south to north, is the lifeline of the country, providing the necessary water for agriculture and daily life. The scarcity of rain in Egypt is highlighted in the Bible, emphasizing the contrast between Egypt and the Promised Land, which is described as a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8).

Biblical References

In Deuteronomy 11:10-11 , the distinction between Egypt and the Promised Land is made clear: "For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated by hand as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven." This passage underscores the reliance of Egypt on manual irrigation and the Nile, as opposed to the natural rainfall that sustains the land of Canaan.

Symbolic and Theological Implications

The rarity of rain in Egypt carries symbolic and theological implications in the biblical narrative. Egypt, often representing a place of bondage and reliance on human effort, contrasts with the Promised Land, which symbolizes divine provision and blessing. The dependence on the Nile and the manual labor required for irrigation in Egypt can be seen as a metaphor for human striving, whereas the rain-fed land of Canaan represents trust in God's provision.

Historical and Cultural Context

Historically, the Egyptians developed sophisticated irrigation systems to maximize the use of the Nile's waters. The annual flooding of the Nile was crucial for replenishing the soil and ensuring successful harvests. This dependence on the river is reflected in the biblical narrative, where Egypt's agricultural practices are depicted as labor-intensive and reliant on human ingenuity.

Prophetic and Eschatological Themes

In prophetic literature, Egypt's lack of rain is sometimes used to illustrate divine judgment or blessing. For instance, in Zechariah 14:17-18 , the withholding of rain is a form of punishment: "And if any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the people of Egypt do not go up and take part, they will have no rain; the LORD will inflict on them the plague He inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles."

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of Egypt as a land where rain rarely falls serves to highlight the contrast between human reliance on natural resources and divine provision. This theme is woven throughout the biblical narrative, offering insights into the spiritual lessons that can be drawn from the physical characteristics of the land.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 11:10
For the land, where you go in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from from where you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 14:18
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, with which the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Nile and Egypt
... with this resource, the level of the water falls daily, and ... The uraeus is rarely
found except in the desert or ... wearer from the sun or from the rain, from the ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... while to the south, the country falls naturally into ... the forests of Lebanon were
more rarely utilised, it ... of rare occurrence in winter, and rain is infrequent ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... used copper, and we encounter only rarely a kind ... marauding abroad by hidden paths,"*
and Egypt enjoyed a ... and one or two reservoirs for catching rain or storing ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... almost always calls them Persians,"very rarely, Turks. ... of the heavy cloud and rain,
and recalling ... what follows the sixth trumpet necessarily falls within the ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... by steep cliffs, and rises or falls periodically with ... snow is unknown, hoar-frost
is rarely seen, but ... in November and December there is much rain: after this ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... sun, washed into deep crevasses by the rain, and bearing ... of one architect, and bears
traces but rarely of those ... heaven and over the earth:"it falls upon the ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

A Clearing-Up Storm in the Realm
... against attack, and in withholding rain, and sending ... [111] The book of Isaiah falls
naturally into ... This rarely Spirit-controlled man modestly or unconsciously ...
/.../vi a clearing-up storm in the.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... feeble to have any chance of success without the help of Judah, Tyre, and Egypt. ...
The date, which necessarily falls between 692 and 689 BC, has been decided by ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

The Memphite Empire
... of eight or ten hours the air becomes clear, the wind falls, the rain ceases; the ...
We rarely find at Medum finished and occupied sepulchres except that of ...
/.../chapter iithe memphite empire.htm

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... And the seventy-five souls descended from Jacob who entered Egypt are said ... 440] Rarely
go abroad ... you, the roll still in your hands; when your head falls, let it ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm