the vapours exhaled by the sun, which descend from the clouds to water the earth, Ecclesiastes 11:3 . The sacred writers often speak of the rain of the former and latter season, Deuteronomy 11:14; Hosea 6:3 . Twice in the year there generally fell plenty of rain in Judea; in the beginning of the civil year, about September or October; and half a year after, in the month of Abib, or March, which was the first month in the ecclesiastical or sacred year, whence it is called the latter rain in the first month, Joel 2:23 . ( See CANAAN. ) The ancient Hebrews compared elocution, and even learning or doctrine, to rain: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," Deuteronomy 32:2 .