Several words are used to express the East, which imply “going forth,” “rising,” “that which is before,” having reference to the sun and its rising. Nearly all the references in scripture to the East or to other quarters are of course reckoned from Palestine; so that “children of the East,” “men of the East,” point out Assyria, Babylon, etc.
THE EAST WIND was distressing and destructive to vegetation (Gen. 41:6,23,27); dangerous to vessels at sea (Psa. 48:7; Ezek. 27:26); and is symbolical of the withering power of God’s judgments (Hos. 13:15).