ICE (קֶ֫רַח, H7943). Because of the mildness of the climate, ice is almost never seen in Palestine and Syria except on the highest mountains. Hail is common in the winter, and is sometimes very destructive. The pools at Jerusalem have sometimes been covered with ice, but this is rare. At heights of about 4,000 ft. a little ice sometimes forms during the night in winter, but it melts in the sun the next day. Ice is mentioned in the Bible three times in connection with the power of God. “By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast” (Job 37:10). “From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?” (Job 38:29). “He casts forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold?” (Ps 147:17). The word is used once in a fig. sense to describe treacherous friends, who are like torrents of water “which are dark with ice” (Job 6:16). See [http://biblegateway/wiki/V. Climate PALESTINE, V, CLIMATE].