“ I also held back rain from you. The time to harvest crops was still three months away. I sent rain on one town. But I held it back from another. One field had rain. But another had no rain and dried up.

“在收割的前三月，我使雨停止，不降在你们那里；我降雨在这城，不降雨在那城；这块地有雨，那块地无雨；无雨的就枯干了。

“在收割的前三个月，我不降雨在你们那里，我降雨在这城，不降雨在那城；这块地有雨，那块无雨的地就必枯干。

“在收割的前三个月，我不降雨在你们那里，我降雨在这城，不降雨在那城；这块地有雨，那块无雨的地就必枯干。

“我在收割前三个月停止降雨。我在一座城降雨，在另一座城不降雨；我使一块田有雨水的滋润，另一块田因无雨而干裂。

“我曾在收割前三个月，不降雨给你们；我降雨给一个城，在另一个城却不降雨；我在一块地降雨，另一块地没有雨水就枯干了。

在收割的前三月，我使雨停止，不降在你們那裏；我降雨在這城，不降雨在那城；這塊地有雨，那塊地無雨；無雨的就枯乾了。

「在收割的前三個月，我不降雨在你們那裏，我降雨在這城，不降雨在那城；這塊地有雨，那塊無雨的地就必枯乾。

「在收割的前三個月，我不降雨在你們那裏，我降雨在這城，不降雨在那城；這塊地有雨，那塊無雨的地就必枯乾。

「我在收割前三個月停止降雨。我在一座城降雨，在另一座城不降雨；我使一塊田有雨水的滋潤，另一塊田因無雨而乾裂。

“我曾在收割前三個月，不降雨給你們；我降雨給一個城，在另一個城卻不降雨；我在一塊地降雨，另一塊地沒有雨水就枯乾了。

『也是我在收割前還有三個月使雨停止不降在你們那裏；我降雨在一個城，不降雨在另一個城；這一塊地有雨，那一塊地無雨，就枯乾了。

穫前三月、我禁厥雨、惟雨此邑、不雨彼邑、一田得雨、他田無雨、則枯槁焉、

耶和華又曰、秋前三月、我不降雨、惟雨一邑、他邑不雨、惟潤一田、他田不潤、遂致荒蕪、

穡前三月、我禁止雨降、降雨於一邑、不降雨於他邑、一田得雨、他田不得雨、遂致乾旱、

“ I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up.

“ I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither;

“ I kept the rain from falling when your crops needed it the most. I sent rain on one town but withheld it from another. Rain fell on one field, while another field withered away.

I also withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until harvest. I sent rain on one city but no rain on another. One field received rain while a field with no rain withered.

“ Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, But on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.

“ I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered.

And I also have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

I also withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until harvest. I sent rain on one city but no rain on another. One field received rain while a field with no rain withered.

And also I have withholden the rain from you, when[ there were] yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

“ I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I gave rain to one city, but not to another. One field would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up.

“ I also have withheld the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city. One place was rained on, and the piece where it didn’t rain withered.

So I have held back the showers. I have kept the spring rains from falling. But you still have the bold face of a prostitute. You refuse to blush with shame.

The only place it didn’t hail was in the area of Goshen. That’s where the people of Israel were.

I will turn my vineyard into a dry and empty desert. It will not be pruned or taken care of. Thorns and bushes will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”

Elijah was a human being, just as we are. He prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain. And it didn’t rain on the land for three and a half years.

No one could see anyone else or go anywhere for three days. But all the people of Israel had light where they lived.

But I will treat Israel’s livestock differently from yours. No animal that belongs to the people of Israel will die.” ’ ”

The ground is dry and cracked. There isn’t any rain in the land. The farmers are terrified. They cover their heads.

“‘ After all that, suppose you still do not listen to me. And suppose you continue to be my enemy.Then I will be angry with you. I will be your enemy. I myself will again punish you for your sins over and over.

Please do something for me. I’ll put a piece of wool on the threshing floor. Suppose dew is only on the wool tomorrow morning. And suppose the ground all around it is dry. Then I will know that you will use me to save Israel. I’ll know that your promise will come true.”And that’s what happened. Gideon got up early the next day. He squeezed the dew out of the wool. The water filled a bowl.Then Gideon said to God,“ Don’t be angry with me. Let me ask you for just one more thing. Let me use the wool for one more test. But this time make the wool dry. And let the ground be covered with dew.”So that night God did it. Only the wool was dry. The ground all around it was covered with dew.

“ Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn’t any rain. But your people pray toward this place. They praise you by admitting they’ve sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer.Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.

So because of what you have done, the heavens have held back the dew. And the earth has not produced its crops.I ordered the rain not to fall on the fields and mountains. Then the ground did not produce any grain. There were not enough grapes to make fresh wine. The trees did not bear enough olives to make oil. People and cattle suffered. All your hard work failed.”

If you do, the Lord will be very angry with you. He’ll close up the sky. It won’t rain. The ground won’t produce its crops. Soon you will die. You won’t live to enjoy the good land the Lord is giving you.

“‘ After all those things, suppose you still do not accept my warnings. And suppose you continue to be my enemy.Then I myself will be your enemy. I will make you suffer again and again for your sins.

Some nations might not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King. If they don’t, they won’t have any rain.

Our fields are wiped out. The ground is dried up. The grain is destroyed. The fresh wine is gone. And there isn’t any more olive oil.Farmers, be sad. Cry, you who grow vines. Mourn because the wheat and barley are gone. The crops in the fields are destroyed.The vines and fig trees are dried up. The pomegranate, palm and apple trees don’t have any fruit on them. In fact, all the trees in the fields are dried up. And my people’s joy has faded away.Priests, put on the clothing of sadness and mourn. Cry, you who serve at the altar. Come, you who serve my God in the temple. Spend the night dressed in the clothes of sadness. Weep because no one brings grain offerings and drink offerings to the house of your God anymore.Announce a holy fast. Tell the people not to eat anything. Gather them together for a special service. Send for the elders and all who live in the land. Have them come to the house of the Lord your God. And pray to him.The day of the Lord is near. How sad it will be on that day! The Mighty One is coming to destroy you.Our food has been taken away right in front of our eyes. There isn’t any joy or gladness in the house of our God.The seeds have dried up in the ground. The grain is also gone. The storerooms have been destroyed. The barns are broken down.Listen to the cattle groan! The herds wander around. They don’t have any grass to eat. The flocks of sheep are also suffering.

“ Suppose I close up the sky and there isn’t any rain. Suppose I command locusts to eat up the crops. And I send a plague among my people.But they make themselves humble in my sight. They pray and look to me. And they turn from their evil ways. Then I will listen to them from heaven. I will forgive their sin. And I will heal their land. After all, they are my people.

These witnesses have power to close up the sky. Then it will not rain while they are prophesying. They also have power to turn the waters into blood. And they can strike the earth with every kind of plague. They can do this as often as they want to.

Do any of the worthless gods of the nations bring rain? Do the skies send down showers all by themselves? No. Lord our God, you send the rain. So we put our hope in you. You are the one who does all these things.

People of Zion, be glad. Be joyful because of what the Lord your God has done. He has given you the right amount of rain in the fall. That’s because he is faithful. He has sent you plenty of showers. He has sent fall and spring rains alike, just as he did before.

The sky above you will be like bronze. The ground beneath you will be like iron.The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder. It will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.

You do not say to yourselves,“ Let us have respect for the Lord our God. He sends rain in the fall and the spring. He promises us that the harvest will come at the same time each year.”But the things you have done wrong have robbed you of these gifts. Your sins have kept these good things far away from you.’

“‘ After all that, suppose you still will not listen to me. Then I will punish you for your sins seven times.I will break down your stubborn pride. I will make the sky above you like iron, and it will not rain. I will make the ground under you like bronze, and you will not be able to farm it.You will work with all your strength, but it will not do you any good. That is because your soil will not produce any crops. The trees of your land will not bear any fruit.“‘ Suppose you continue to be my enemy. And suppose you still refuse to listen to me. Then I will multiply your troubles many times because of your sins.

Don’t you have a saying? You say,‘ It’s still four months until harvest time.’ But I tell you, open your eyes! Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest right now.

“‘ “But on that day I will treat the area of Goshen differently from yours. That is where my people live. There will not be large numbers of flies in Goshen. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.

Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you brag as though you did not?