דֶּ֫בֶר (de.ver)
de.ver
pestilence
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 37 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun dever refers to a destructive plague, often specifically a cattle disease or murrain. Its root sense connects to destruction and death, which explains why the Septuagint frequently translates it with the Greek word for death. This term appears in contexts where God’s judgment brings sudden loss of life, whether to humans or livestock, as seen when Moses warns Pharaoh about the plague on cattle in Exodus 9:3.
While modern readers might think only of human illness, the sources highlight that dever often describes an epidemic that sweeps through a population. It appears frequently in the warnings of Deuteronomy and the prophecies of Jeremiah, where it stands as one of the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. For instance, Psalm 91:3 promises protection from the "snare of the fowler" and from the pestilence that stalks in darkness, framing it as a tangible threat to physical safety.
Translators usually render dever as "pestilence," "plague," or "murrain." The choice depends on context: if cattle are involved, "murrain" is precise; for general human mortality, "pestilence" captures the scale. In Ezekiel 38:22, God declares He will judge Gog with pestilence and bloodshed, showing the word’s weight as an instrument of divine justice. The term underscores the fragility of life when removed from divine protection.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word dever describes a sudden, destructive plague that sweeps through a population or livestock. In the ancient world, this was a terrifying reality, representing the fragility of life when removed from divine protection. It appears in contexts of judgment, such as the plagues in Egypt or the warnings in Jeremiah, reminding us that God is sovereign over both health and sickness.
Yet the Bible does not leave us in fear. Psalm 91:3 offers a profound comfort: God delivers His people from the deadly pestilence. This promise does not mean believers are immune to all suffering, but it assures us of God’s ultimate care and protection. In times of illness or crisis, we can trust that He is present, even when the threat feels overwhelming.
Understanding dever helps us see our dependence on God. It invites us to seek His refuge rather than relying on our own strength. Whether facing personal health struggles or global outbreaks, we can rest in the truth that God is our shield and deliverer, offering peace that surpasses understanding.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 37 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ by <the>/ pestilence8×
- pestilence7×
- with <the>/ pestilence3×
- a pestilence3×
- <the>/ pestilence3×
- the/ pestilence2×
- and/ with <the>/ pestilence2×
- and/ pestilence2×
- to the/ pestilence1×
- from/ a plague of1×
- from/ a plague1×
- by/ a pestilence1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בַ/דָּ֑בֶר4×
- הַ/דָּ֑בֶר3×
- דֶּ֙בֶר֙3×
- דֶּ֖בֶר3×
- וּ/בַ/דָּֽבֶר\׃2×
- דֶּ֣בֶר2×
- מִ֭/דֶּבֶר1×
- מִ/דֶּ֥בֶר1×
- לַ/דֶּ֥בֶר1×
- וּ/לְ/דָֽבֶר\׃1×
- וּ/בַ/דָּ֑בֶר֙1×
- וּ/בַ/דֶּ֜בֶר1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 9:3
behold, Yahweh’s hand is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.
This verse specifies that dever targets livestock, showing it was understood as a specific agricultural disaster affecting the economy and food supply.
-
Psalms 91:3
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.
Here, the word is paired with the 'snare of the fowler' to illustrate God’s role as a protector against hidden and sudden dangers.
-
II Samuel 24:15
So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and seventy thousand men died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba.
This historical account shows the word in action during David’s census, highlighting its severity as an instrument of divine correction that claimed seventy thousand lives.
-
Jeremiah 14:12
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
Jeremiah uses dever alongside sword and famine to show that ritual fasting cannot bypass the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word dever mean?
Is dever different from other words for disease?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
How does Psalm 91 relate to this word?
Every Occurrence (37 verses across 13 books)
Exodus 3 verses
They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and…
Exodus 9:3behold, Yahweh’s hand is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the…
Exodus 9:15For now I would have stretched out my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut…