Heavy storms of wind and rain are common in Palestine and the Mediterranean. The storms particularly mentioned in the Bible are:<br /><br />

(1) the 40 days’ rain of ~the great flood of Noah (<bibleref ref="Gen.7.4">Ge 7:4</bibleref>);

(2) hail and rain as a plague in Egypt (<bibleref ref="Exod.9.18">Ex 9:18</bibleref>);

(3) the great rain after the drought and the contest of Elijah on Carmel (<bibleref ref="1Kgs.18.45">1Ki 18:45</bibleref>);

(4) the tempest on the sea in the story of Jonah (1:4);<br /><br />

(5) the storm on the Lake of Galilee when Jesus was awakened to calm the waves (<bibleref ref="Matt.8.24">Mt 8:24</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Mark.4.37">Mr 4:37</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Luke.8.23">Lu 8:23</bibleref>);

(6) the storm causing the shipwreck of Paul at Melita (<bibleref ref="Acts.27.18">Ac 27:18</bibleref>).

Frequent references are found to God’s power over storm and use of the tempest in His anger: "He maketh the storm a calm" (<bibleref ref="Ps.107.29">Ps 107:29</bibleref>); He sends the "tempest of hail, a destroying storm" (<bibleref ref="Isa.28.2">Isa 28:2</bibleref>). See also <bibleref ref="Job.9.17">Job 9:17</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Job.21.18">21:18</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Isa.30.30">Isa 30:30</bibleref>. Yahweh overwhelms His enemies as with a storm: "She shall be visited of Yahweh of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest" (<bibleref ref="Isa.29.6">Isa 29:6</bibleref>). Yahweh is a "refuge from the storm" (<bibleref ref="Isa.25.4">Isa 25:4</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Isa.4.6">4:6</bibleref>).<br /><br />

Alfred H. Joy<br /><br />

Tempest