When heaven is shut up,.... As it may be said to be when the air is quite serene, and not a cloud in it:
and there is no rain; in its season, neither the former nor the latter, as it was in the times of Elijah:
because they have sinned against thee; want of rain was threatened in case of sin, and was always the effect of it, Leviticus 26:19,
if they pray towards this place; in any part of the country where they were; for it sometimes rained on one city, and not on another, Amos 4:7
and confess thy name; own his power and his providence, and the justness of his dealings with them:
and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them; their affliction being made useful, to bring them to a sense of their sin, and to repentance for it, and reformation from it; or, "when thou hearest" or "answerest them" (g); so the Targum, receives their prayer; thus the goodness of God leads to repentance.
(g) כי תענם "cum exaudieris eos", Vatablus.
When heaven is shut up,.... As it may be said to be when the air is quite serene, and not a cloud in it:
and there is no rain; in its season, neither the former nor the latter, as it was in the times of Elijah:
because they have sinned against thee; want of rain was threatened in case of sin, and was always the effect of it, Leviticus 26:19,
if they pray towards this place; in any part of the country where they were; for it sometimes rained on one city, and not on another, Amos 4:7
and confess thy name; own his power and his providence, and the justness of his dealings with them:
and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them; their affliction being made useful, to bring them to a sense of their sin, and to repentance for it, and reformation from it; or, "when thou hearest" or "answerest them" (g); so the Targum, receives their prayer; thus the goodness of God leads to repentance.
(g) כי תענם "cum exaudieris eos", Vatablus.