72:6 He 1 will descend like rain on the mown grass, 2
like showers that drench 3 the earth. 4
77:17 The clouds poured down rain; 5
the skies thundered. 6
Yes, your arrows 7 flashed about.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 8
there was lightning in their land. 9
1 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
2 tn The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
3 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzÿfu). The translation assumes the latter.
4 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
5 tn Heb “water.”
6 tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”
7 tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the
8 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
9 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”