SPECIAL TOPIC: THE EAST WIND

This CONSTRUCT, "the east wind" (BDB 924 and BDB 870), is used as an active representation of God's power (ruah) to accomplish His purposes. The east wind is associated with judgments and the west wind with blessings.

the Lord directed an east wind. . .brought the locusts, Exod. 13:10
the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind, Exod. 14:21; 15:10
with the east wind, Thou does break the ships of Tarshish, Ps. 48:7
like an east wind I will scatter them (Israel) before the enemy, Jer. 18:17
completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it (Judah), Ezek. 17:10
the east wind dried up its (Israel) fruit, Ezek. 19:12
the east wind has broken you (Tyre), Ezek. 27:26
an east wind will come. . .his (Israel) spring will be dried up, Hosea 13:15
God appointed a scorching east wind, Jonah 4:8
an east wind is implied in Job 1:19 and Jer. 4:11

The west wind is mentioned once in Exod. 10:19 and implied in Num. 11:31. Rain would come from a northwesterly direction.

As a further exegetical thought, I have added my notes from Ezek. 19:12 on the "East Wind."

Ezek. 19:12 "the east wind" This term (BDB 924 CONSTRUCT BDB 870) is used in Ezekiel many times (over fifty), but most often in chapters 40-48 simply as "the east." It denotes

the direction of the rising sun
imagery for destruction (i.e. desert wind), often with the added theological connotation of being sent by YHWH to accomplish His purposes.

Gen. 41:6,23,27 (negative)
Exod. 10:13; 14:21; Isa. 11:15 (positive)
Wisdom Literature, Job 27:21; 38:24; Ps. 48:7; 78:26 (representative sample)
Isa. 27:8
Jer. 18:17
Ezek. 17:10; 19:12; 27:26

Hosea 13:15

Jonah 4:8

Hab. 1:9

used as imagery to describe YHWH ‒ Exod. 15:8-10

The hot desert wind (Arabic, "sirocco" wind), like the rain, is at YHWH's disposal! Wind (BDB 924, ruah) is often associated with YHWH's power (i.e. Spirit) in the OT.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BREATH, WIND, SPIRIT

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE