Deuteronomy 28:24 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 24. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust— Houbigant renders this, the Lord shall give to thy land, instead of rain, dust and sand, which shall fall from heaven upon thee, &c. That is, by reason of the long drought, dust, blown up into the air by the wind, shall fall down in showers, instead of rain. The terrible consequence, of this phenomenon are thus related by an author who has travelled to the east: "These dry showers most grievously annoy all they fall upon, filling their eyes, ears, nostrils, and are enough to deprive them of their sight." See Thevenot, part 1: book 2 chap. 80.