WINDS (winds). The Hebrew word signifies air in motion generally, as breath, wind, etc. The Hebrews speak only of four winds; and so Jo sephus (Antiq. viii. 3, 5). This phrase is equiva lent to the four quarters of the world (Ezek. xxxvii:g; 2 Esdras xiii :5), the several points of the compass, as we should say (Dan. viii :8).
1. The north wind, or, as it was usually called "the north," was naturally the coldest of the four (Eccles. xliii :2o), and its presence is hence in voked as favorable to vegetation in Cant. iv :16. It blows chiefly in October, and brings dry cold (Job xxxvii :g). It is described in Prov. xxv :23 as bringing rain; in this case we must understand the northwest wind.
2. The east wind, venos v6ros, ven tus urens, Spiritus vehentens, ventus ouster. The burning wind, ardor, (•stus, ventus krens. Both forms denote the natural phenomenon (Gen. xli: 6. 23; Job xxxviii:24; Ps. xlviii:7; lxxviii:26; Jonah iv:8). Considerable indefiniteness attends the use of these words. Dr. Shaw remarks that every wind is called by the Orientals an east wind, which blows from any point of the compass between the cast and north, and between the cast and south (Travels, p. 285). Accordingly the Sept. often understands this word to mean the south, as in Exod. x:13, xiv :21 (sec Bochart, Hicrozoicon, pt. ii. lib. i. cap. ti). If the east wind happens to blow a few days in Palestine dur ing the months of May, June, July, and August, it occasions 'great destruction to the vines and harvests on the land, and also to the vessels at sea on the Mediterranean (Hos. xiii :15; job xv :2; Ezek. xvii :to; xix :12; xxvii :26; Ps. chi :16). In Jonah iv:8, the phrase occurs, a still or sultry east wind. For testimonies to the destructiveness of this wind in Egypt and Arabia, see Niebuhr (Beschreib. von Arabien, p. 8) ; Thevenot (Voy ages, pt. i. liv. ii. c :34 ). It is accordingly often used to denote any pernicious wind, as in Ps. xlviii :7, where it is rendered by the Septuagint, the strong wind; the Vulgate, spiritus vellemens.
3. South wind (Job xxxvii:17), (Ps. lxxviii: 26), vent us Africus (Luke xii :55 ; Acts xxvii :13). (See SOUTH.) 4. West wind, wind from the sea. The west and southwest winds reach Palestine loaded with moisture gathered from the Mediterranean, and are hence expressively termed by the Arabs "the fathers of the rain." Westerly winds prevail in Palestine from November to February, and, damp from the sea, drop their moisture and cause the winter rains.
5. In addition to the four regular winds, we have notice in the Bible of the local squalls (Mark iv :37 ; Luke viii :23) to which the Sea of Gen esaret was liable. In the narrative of St. Paul's voyage we meet with the Greek term lips to describe the southwest wind ; the Latin earns or caurus (x6pos), the northwest wind (Acts xxvii: 12) ; and euroclydon, a wind of very violent char acter coming from east-northeast (ver. 14).
6. Wind is mentioned as a natural phenomenon (Job xxi :18 ; xxx :15. 22 ; XXXVii :21 ; Ps. i :4 ; ciii : 16 ; Prov. xxx :4 ; Eccles. i :6 ; xi :4; Is. vii :2 ; xvii :t3 ; Jer. x :t3 ; :16 ; Amos iv :13). It is poetically ascribed to the immediate agency of God ( Ps. cxxxv :7 ; cxlvii:18; comp. Baruch vi :61). In the New Testament it occurs in Matt. xi:7; xiv :24 ; Mark iv :39 ; John iii :8 ; Acts xxvii :4.
7. The wind occurs as the medium of the di vine interposition or agency (Gen. viii :1 ; Exod.
xv :to ; Num. xi :31 ; I Kings xviii :45 ; xix ; Job i :19 ; Is. xi:15; Jonah i :4). In the New Testa ment, the wind was supernaturally employed at the day of Pentecost, like the 'sound' and 'fire' (Acts ii :2). (See SPIRIT). To this class of in stances we refer Gen. i :2, 'and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.' Along with
Patrick and Rosenmfiller, we construe the phrase, 'a wind of God,' a wind employed as the medium of divine agency.
FiguratiVe. The word wind is used metaphor ically in the following instances : ) `The wings of the wind' denote the most rapid motion Sam. xxii :II). (2) Anything light or trifling is called wind (Job vii :7 ; Is. xli :29 ; Ps. lxxviii: 39; comp. Eph. iv :i4 ; Eccles. v :16). (3) Violent yet empty speech is called `a strong wind,' or a mere tempest of words (Job viii :2). (4) 'Vain knowledge' is called knowledge of wind (Job xv: 2). (5) 'Vain words,' words of wind (xvi:2). Many expressive phrases are formed with this word. (6) `To inherit the wind,' denotes extreme disappointment (Prov. xi :29). (7) `To hide the wind,' impossibility (xxvii :t6). (8) `To labor for the wind,' to labor in vain (Eccles. v:i6). (9) To bring forth wind,' great patience and pains for no purpose (Is. XXVI :18 ; comp. Hos. viii:7; xii:t). (to) `To become wind,' to result in nothingness (Jer. v :I3). (II) 'The four winds' denote the four quarters of the globe (Ezek. xxxvii :9). (I2) `To scatter to all winds,' to disperse completely (Ezek. v:to; xii:t4; xvii:21). (13) 'To cause to come from all winds,' to restore completely ( xxxvii :9). (14) 'The wind Math bound her upon her wings,' means deportation into a far country (Hos. iv : JO. (15) `To sow the wind and reap the whirl wind,' unwise labor and a fruitless result (viii :7). (16) 'To feed on the wind,' to pursue delusory schemes (xii :I). (17) To walk in wino,' to live and act in vain (Micah ii :II). (18) 'To observe the wind,' to be over cautious (Eccles. xi:4). (19) 'To winnow with every wind,' to be credu lous, apt to receive impressions (Eccles. v :9). (2o) Disappointment, after high promise or pretension, is 'as wind without rain' (Prov. xxv : 14). (21) The desperate speeches of an afflicted person are compared to wind (Job vi :26). (22) Empires are represented as having wings, and 'the it ind in their wings' denotes the rapidity of their conquests (Zech. v:9). (23) The wind is often used as the symbol or emblem of calamities (Is. xxxii :2 ; Xii :16 ; IVii :13 ; :6). (24) Destruc tion by the Chaldwan army (Jer. iv :it, 12; comp. Wisd. iv :4 ; v :23 ; xi :2o). (25) 'The windy storm' (Ps. lv :8) denotes Absalom and his party. (26) The wind is the frequent emblem of the di vine chastisements (Is. xxvii :8 ; Jer. xxii :22 ; etc. (27) Beautiful expressions occur: Is. xxvii: 8, 'He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind;' that is, God doth not aggravate the misfortunes of mankind by his chastisements; to `make a weight for the winds' (Job xxviii:25). (28) The east wind is used for pernicious speech, a storm of words (Job xv :2). (29) For calami ties, especially by war (Is. xxvii :8; Jer. xviii:17; Ezek. xvii :to ; xix :12 ; xxvii :26 ; Hos. xiii :15). In this latter passage the east wind denotes Shal maneser, king of Assyria; in Ezek. xxvii :26, it de notes the Chaldeeans. Tyre is there represented under the beautiful allegory of a ship towed into deep waters, and then destroyed by an east wind. A very similar representation is given by Horace (Cann. i. 14). (3o) The east wind denotes di- • vine judgment (Job xxvii (31) `Striving of the four winds,' is great political commotions (Dan. vii :2). (32) To 'hold the four winds,' is by irresistible power to secure peace (Rev. vii:t). (33) `To be divided to the four winds' implies utter dispersion (Dan. xi:4; Jer. 32; Ezek. v :JO, 12; XVil :I0). (34) So also the phrase, from the four winds (Matt. xxiv:3I) means from all parts of the world (Mark xiii :27).