Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

JAMES 5:7KJV
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James 5:7 (KJV)

What does James 5:7 mean?

James 5:7 urges believers to be patient as they wait for the return of Jesus, comparing this patience to a farmer who waits for valuable crops to grow, depending on both early and late rains. The verse encourages a calm, steady endurance, trusting that the awaited outcome will come in its proper time.

James, writing to fellow Christians facing hardship, uses the image of a "husbandman" (farmer) to illustrate the kind of patience needed. The farmer cannot rush the process but must wait for both the early rain (which softens the ground for planting) and the latter rain (which helps the crop mature). This picture would have been familiar to people living in an agricultural society, making the call to patience practical and relatable.

The Greek behind James 5:7

  • "patient" (μακροθυμέω, makrothymeō): This word means to be long-suffering or to endure patiently, especially in difficult circumstances. It is not just waiting, but waiting with a steady spirit.
  • "coming" (παρουσία, parousia): This term refers to an arrival or presence, and in the New Testament, it often points to the anticipated return of Jesus. The use of this word highlights that the patience is specifically directed toward waiting for Christ's return.
  • "husbandman" (γεωργός, geōrgos): This word means farmer, emphasizing someone who works the land and depends on natural processes outside their control. The image stresses dependence and trust, not just effort.
  • "early" (πρόιμος, proimos) and "latter" (ὄψιμος, opsimos) "rain" (ὑετός, hyetos): These terms refer to the seasonal rains in Palestine, crucial for crops. Mentioning both shows that the process of waiting involves multiple stages, not just a single event.

Why James 5:7 matters

  • James 5:7 clarifies that Christian patience is not passive resignation, but an active, hopeful waiting, much like a farmer who expects a real harvest.
  • The verse connects the believer’s experience to a familiar, everyday image, making the call to patience feel practical and attainable rather than abstract.
  • By linking patience to the "coming of the Lord," James ties everyday endurance to a larger hope, reminding readers that their waiting has a purpose and an end.

Where else these words appear

“rain” Greek G5205 · used in 6 verses

  • Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
  • Acts 28:2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
  • James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

“waiteth” Greek G1551 · used in 8 verses

  • John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
  • 1 Corinthians 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
  • Hebrews 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

“patient” Greek G3114 · used in 9 verses

  • Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
  • Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
  • Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

“precious” Greek G5093 · used in 13 verses

  • Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
  • 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
  • Revelation 18:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,