Dew

Concept

Dew was of vital agricultural importance in Palestine, where the long dry summer (May–October) brought no rain and crops depended on the heavy night dews drawn from Mediterranean moisture. Its presence or absence was accordingly treated as a sign of divine blessing or curse. Isaac's blessing to Jacob included "the dew of heaven" (Genesis 27:28), and the absence of dew was part of Elijah's curse on Israel during the drought (1 Kings 17:1). God's provision of manna came with the morning dew (Exodus 16:13–14). In prophetic imagery, dew symbolizes gentle, life-giving divine blessing: the LORD's teaching falls like dew (Deuteronomy 32:2); the remnant of Jacob will be like dew among the nations (Micah 5:7); and the Messiah's coming will be like dew on the mown grass (Psalm 72:6). Gideon's fleece test involving dew remains one of Scripture's most memorable signs of divine confirmation (Judges 6:36–40).