Psalms 147:16 - Exposition

He giveth snow like wool . The loveliness of new-fallen snow has evidently been felt by the psalmist, to whom it has seemed like a spotless robe of whitest wool spread upon the earth. Snow, though rare in Palestine, does occasionally fall, and is said to "cover the streets of Jerusalem two winters out of three. It generally comes in small quantities; but there are sometimes very snowy winters." In 1879, for instance, snow lay in Jerusalem to a depth of seventeen inches. He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes . The metaphor is less appropriate, and was selected, probably, on account of the near resemblance of the two words, kephor and kaepher .