The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917], at sacred-texts.com
dearth
The significance of a drought at this time was very great. It was one of the signs predicted in the Palestinian Covenant (Deu 28:23); (Deu 28:24) and already fulfilled in part in the reign of Ahab. (Kg1 17:1); etc. As that sign had been followed, even though after a long interval, by the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom, it should have been received by Judah as a most solemn warning.