Thunder

is hardly ever heard in Palestine form the middle of April to the middle of September; hence it was selected by Samuel as a striking expression of the divine displeasure toward the Israelites. ( 1 Samuel 12:17 ) Rain in harvest was deemed as extraordinary as snow in summer, ( Proverbs 26:1 ) and Jerome states that he had never witnessed it in the latter part of June or in July. Comm. on ( Amos 4:7 ) In the imaginative philosophy of the Hebrews, thunder was regarded as the voice of Jehovah, ( Job 37:2 Job 37:4 Job 37:5 ; 40:9 ; Psalms 18:13 ; 29:3-9 ; Isaiah 30:30 Isaiah 30:31 ) who dwelt behind the thunder-cloud. ( Psalms 81:7 ) Thunder was, to the mind of the Jew, the symbol of divine power ( Psalms 29:3 ) etc., and vengeance. ( 1 Samuel 2:10 ; 2 Samuel 22:14 )