Wind

(Exod. 15:10). In Palestine, as a maritime land, surrounded on the one side by the sea and on the other by high mountains, the Israelites at all times distinguished four principal winds: a) the west and southwest; b) the south and southeast; c) the east wind; d) the north or northwest wind. The east wind brought harm to vegetation and was dangerous at sea (Ps. 48 [47]:7). The north wind brought coolness with it, the south wind brought heat (Luke 12:55); the southwest and northeast wind foretold good weather and brought with them a particular freshness of the air (Song of Songs 4:16).

In some places of Holy Scripture, as for example in Psalm 103 [102] (v. 16), the expression “the wind passeth over it (over the field flower), and it is gone” attributes to the wind a certain special power, capable of hastening the withering of a plant. By the hot or scorching east wind (Jonah 4:8) is apparently meant the sirocco and the simoom. These winds, according to the description of travelers, are so hot and stifling, like a burning oven, and usually fill the air with the finest particles of sand in enormous quantity.

Truly, as they say, these winds carry the poison of death on their wings. Travelers journeying during a simoom press their faces to the sand so as not to breathe this poisonous wind. Perhaps it was from the deadly action of this wind that the army of Sennacherib perished. “Behold, I will send a blast (spirit) upon him,” thus the sacred historian speaks of the destruction of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:7). Frequent, violent, gusty winds, dangerous for ships and those sailing, occur in Palestine on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:37; Matt. 8:24; Luke 8:23; John 6:18).

The figurative use of the word “wind” is very extensive. The east wind was considered a symbol of falsehood and deceit (Job 15:2; Hos. 12:2), an expression of the devastating action of war (Jer. 18:17), and especially an expression of the wrath of God (Isa. 27:8). The wind also serves as a symbol of swiftness (Ps. 104 [103]:7 [3]; Heb. 1:7), and of transience (Job 7:7); finally, the wind is repeatedly cited in Holy Scripture as testimony to the creative might of God (Eccl. 11:4), and as an instrument by which the action of the Holy Spirit is manifested (John 3:8; Acts 2:2).