Topical Bible: The Wind: East

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical literature, the east wind holds significant symbolic and literal importance. It is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, often associated with events of judgment, destruction, and divine intervention. The east wind, known for its harshness and intensity, is a meteorological phenomenon that originates from the desert regions east of Israel, bringing hot and dry conditions.

Symbolism and Significance

The east wind is often depicted as a tool of God's power and judgment. It is a force that can bring both physical and spiritual consequences. In the Bible, the east wind is not merely a natural occurrence but is frequently portrayed as an instrument through which God executes His will.

Biblical References

1. Judgment and Destruction: The east wind is often associated with God's judgment. In the book of Exodus, the east wind is used by God to bring about the plague of locusts upon Egypt. "So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts" (Exodus 10:13). This event demonstrates the east wind's role in executing divine judgment.

2. Desolation and Ruin: The east wind is also linked to desolation and ruin. In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet speaks of the east wind as a force that withers and destroys. "But it was uprooted in fury, cast down to the ground; the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were torn off and consumed by fire" (Ezekiel 19:12). Here, the east wind symbolizes the destructive power that leads to the downfall of nations.

3. Divine Intervention: The east wind is sometimes depicted as a means of divine intervention. In the parting of the Red Sea, the east wind plays a crucial role. "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided" (Exodus 14:21). This miraculous event underscores the east wind as an agent of God's deliverance for the Israelites.

4. Prophetic Imagery: The east wind is used in prophetic imagery to convey messages of warning and impending judgment. In the book of Hosea, the east wind is a metaphor for the coming judgment upon Ephraim. "An east wind will come—the wind of the LORD rising from the desert. His spring will fail, and his well will dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of every treasure" (Hosea 13:15). This imagery serves as a warning of the consequences of disobedience and idolatry.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, the east wind was known for its destructive capabilities. It was a hot, dry wind that could devastate crops and cause severe hardship. This understanding of the east wind as a natural force of destruction is reflected in its biblical usage as a symbol of divine judgment and power.

Theological Implications

The east wind, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the reality of His judgment. It illustrates the concept that God can use natural elements to fulfill His purposes and execute His will. The east wind's role in biblical narratives emphasizes the themes of divine justice, deliverance, and the consequences of sin.

In summary, the east wind in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol that conveys themes of judgment, destruction, and divine intervention. Its presence in Scripture serves as a powerful reminder of God's control over creation and His active involvement in the affairs of humanity.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 27:21
The east wind carries him away, and he departs: and as a storm hurles him out of his place.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 17:10
Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 13:15
Though he be fruitful among his brothers, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

2148. Eurokludon -- Euroklydon, northeast wind
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Eurokludon Phonetic Spelling:
(yoo-rok-loo'-dohn) Short Definition: an east-north-east wind Definition: an east ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2148.htm - 6k

2146b. Eurakulon -- the Euraquilo, a northeast wind
... Word Origin from Euros (the east wind) and the Latin Aquilo (the north wind) Definition
the Euraquilo, a northeast wind NASB Word Usage Euraquilo (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2146b.htm - 5k

Strong's Hebrew

6921. qadim -- east, east wind
... 6920, 6921. qadim. 6922 . east, east wind. Transliteration: qadim Phonetic
Spelling: (kaw-deem') Short Definition: east. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/6921.htm - 6k

8486. teman -- south, south wind
... south side,. Or teman {tay-mawn'}; denominative from yamiyn; the south (as being
on the right hand of a person facing the east) -- south (side, -ward, wind). ...
/hebrew/8486.htm - 6k

2759. charishi -- perhaps sultry
... vehement. From charash in the sense of silence; quiet, ie Sultry (as feminine noun,
the sirocco or hot east wind) -- vehement. see HEBREW charash. 2758, 2759 ...
/hebrew/2759.htm - 6k

Library

Ode to the North-East Wind
... ODE TO THE NORTH-EAST WIND. Welcome, wild North-easter. Shame it is to see Odes
to every zephyr; Ne'er a verse to thee. Welcome, black North-easter! ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/ode to the north-east wind.htm

Visiting Relatives in the East
... The animal became frightened at the sound of the wind-mill where we were watering,
and ... my body, and my brother and I soon started on our journey east again. ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter xviii visiting relatives in.htm

Accidental Causes of Corruption.
... Its name however is sufficiently intelligible; being compounded of Euros, the
south-east wind,' and kludon, a tempest:' a compound which happily survives ...
/.../chapter iv accidental causes of.htm

A Prisoner who Became a Mighty Ruler
... Also seven ears, thin and withered by the east wind, grew up after them.
The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a prisoner who became a.htm

Acts XXVII
... This is indicated by the name Euroclydon, which Bloomfield translates "the
wave-stirring easter." Such a wind, varying from north-east to south-east, is said ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxvii.htm

Chapter xli
... time: and, lo, there were seven ears of grain coming up on one stalk, plump and
nice; and, lo, seven ears, thin and blasted by the east wind, were sprouting up ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xli.htm

The Delights of North Wales
... But the wind coming to the east, he would not go; so about noon we went on board.
In two or three hours we reached the mouth of the harbor. It then fell calm. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/the delights of north wales.htm

How Coinred, King of the Mercians, and Offa, King of the East ...
... With him went the son of Sighere, the king of the East Saxons whom we mentioned ... the
Apostolic Pope, he took ship, and was driven by a west wind into Frisland ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xix how coinred king.htm

The Angel of Death
... northern Goshen. The wind faltered and died; the stars, strewn down the
east, paled and went out, one by one. Fragmentary clouds ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xli the angel of.htm

Another Ninety-Mile Journey
... The wind being east, I was pleasing myself that we should have it on our back; but
in a quarter of an hour it shifted to the northwest and blew the rain full ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/another ninety-mile journey.htm