Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

“And Do Not Return There till They Have Watered the Earth:” Wondering about Hebrews & Hydrology

By Bill Higgins  |  18 Jan 2015

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

I am wondering about something that is not astronomical, but it does concern the sky.

As a lector in my parish on 11 January, I read aloud a passage from Isaiah, chapter 55, verses 1 through 11.  I became curious about verses 10 and 11, which contain a simile about rainfall.

The Lord is speaking:

Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

That water allows plants to grow, and is thus essential to fertility and fruitfulness, is a fact well known to any agricultural civilization.

What caught my eye was the phrase “And do not return there till they have watered the earth.”  The author appears to believe that water returns to the heavens, and to presume that the reader shares this idea.

This surprised me.  Modern hydrology also teaches that water returns to the sky .

But this does not seem to me to be an obvious idea.  How did the Hebrews know this?

Thinking further, I realized that, on the topic of what the Hebrews knew about nature, my own knowledge is threadbare.  This passage dates from around 550 to 539 B.C., and the words are from the New American Bible.   I looked at a couple of other translations and they all share the idea that water returns to the heavens.

What was the Hebrew understanding of rain, snow, evaporation, and the “water cycle” that returns water to the atmosphere?

Did they get it right because their reasoning, in the light of today’s science, was correct?  Or was it an accident, based on incorrect reasoning that happened to arrive at the answer that water returns to the heavens?

What did other ancient peoples of that time understand about the water cycle?

To get answers, I’ll need to find more about the natural philosophy of the Hebrews. There must be learned people who have studied this.  Perhaps there are books.  Perhaps there is a Web site.  Any ideas?

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter – March 22

By Robert Trembley  |  20 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Bubbles on the Moon

19 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Active Volcanism on Venus

By Robert Trembley  |  19 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Blaise Pascal on Augustine, Aquinas, and the evidence of the Senses

By Faith and Science  |  19 Mar 2023  |  Resources

Archives

      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Bill Higgins

From the Cabinet of Physics: Reflection and Invisible Waves

By Bill Higgins  |  13 May 2017

From the Cabinet of Physics: Better and Better Spectra

By Bill Higgins  |  8 Feb 2017

From the Cabinet of Physics: Riding Along with Foucault’s Pendulum

By Bill Higgins  |  6 Nov 2016

From the Cabinet of Physics: Chladni Sees Sound with Sand

By Bill Higgins  |  16 Sep 2016

From the Cabinet of Physics: The Coherer Jumps to Attention

By Bill Higgins  |  27 Aug 2016

From the Cabinet of Physics: Dressed for the Electrostatic Dance

By Bill Higgins  |  19 Aug 2016

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard