Deuteronomy 11:14
in Deuteronomy 11then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy grain, and thy new wine, and thine oil.
KJV
That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe rain - in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain - By the first or former rain we are to understand that which fell in Judea about November, when they sowed their seed, and this served to moisten and prepare the ground for the vegetation of the seed. The latter rain fell about April, when the corn was well grown up, and served to fill the ears, and render them plump and perfect. Rain rarely fell in Judea at any other seasons than these.
This site's exposition
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently
on Deuteronomy 11:13-15
Verse 13 repeats the demand of the Shema almost word for word, to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, and sets it as a condition with rain hanging on it. The first rain and the latter rain enter Scripture at verse 14, the early rain that softens the ground for autumn sowing and the late rain that fills the grain in spring. The pair carries forward to Jeremiah 5:24, Hosea 6:3, Joel 2:23 and Zechariah 10:1, and James 5:7 uses it of the husbandman waiting for the precious fruit of the earth.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
PateriusEXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, DEUTERONOMY 2 · Written before 606.
proposed
What do we understand here by rain, except the words of sacred preaching? We apply this passage to the holy teachers who were preachers in Judea. Of them it is written, "I will command the clouds not to pour down rain upon her." We are …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The ruin of your land - Which is, proper to your land, not common to Egypt, where, as all authors agree, there is little rain. The first rain fell in seed time, to make the corn spring, the other a little before harvest, to ripen it.
That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the first rain and the latter rain--The early rain commenced in autumn, that is, chiefly during the months of September and October, while the latter rain fell in the spring of the year, that is, during the months of March and April.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The first rain and the latter rain - The former is the proper term for the autumn rain, falling about the time of sowing, and which may be named “the former,” as occurring in the early part of the Hebrew civil year, namely, in October and November. The other word is applied to the spring rain, which falls in March and April, because it fits the earth for the ingathering of harvest. Between these two wet periods, and except them, there was little or no rain in Canaan.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
[AND TO SERVE HIM] WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL. “Has he not already mentioned with all thy heart and with all thy soul? 322 Above,:5. But that warning was addressed to the individual, and this is a warning to the community.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְנָתַתִּ֧י | venatati | and I will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| מְטַֽר־ | metar- | [the] rain of | H4306 → | 38 times |
| אַרְצְכֶ֛ם | ʾartzekhem | land your | H776 → | 2504 times |
| בְּעִתּ֖וֹ | beito | at appropriate time its | H6256 → | 296 times |
| יוֹרֶ֣ה | yoreh | autumn rain | H3138 → | |
| וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ | umalkoosh | and spring rain | H4456 → | |
| וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ | veasafta | and you will gather | H622 → | 200 times |
| דְגָנֶ֔ךָ | deganekha | grain your | H1715 → | 40 times |
| וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖ | vetiroshekha | and new wine your | H8492 → | 38 times |
| וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃ | veyitzharekha | and fresh oil your | H3323 → | 23 times |
וְנָתַתִּ֧יand I will give
venatatiH5414 →2011 times
מְטַֽר־[the] rain of
metar-H4306 →38 times
אַרְצְכֶ֛םland your
ʾartzekhemH776 →2504 times
בְּעִתּ֖וֹat appropriate time its
beitoH6256 →296 times
יוֹרֶ֣הautumn rain
yorehH3138 →
וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁand spring rain
umalkooshH4456 →
וְאָסַפְתָּ֣and you will gather
veasaftaH622 →200 times
דְגָנֶ֔ךָgrain your
deganekhaH1715 →40 times
וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖and new wine your
vetiroshekhaH8492 →38 times
וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃and fresh oil your
veyitzharekhaH3323 →23 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 5:7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:1–3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set…
- James 5:8–9
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- Joel 2:23
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as…
- Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- Colossians 1:11
being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully
- Hebrews 12:1–3
Through
Deuteronomy 28:12The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 15:6
When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none.
- Leviticus 26:4
I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joel 2:23–24
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as…
- Deuteronomy 15:6
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, DEUTERONOMY 2.