חֳלִי (cho.li)
cho.li
sickness
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 20 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun choli refers to a state of being unwell, encompassing both physical disease and emotional distress. It appears twenty times in the Old Testament, with significant occurrences in 2 Kings, Isaiah, and 2 Chronicles. The word derives from the root chalal, meaning to be weak or sickly, and it describes a condition that leaves a person vulnerable or suffering.
While often translated as "sickness" or "disease," choli carries a broader range of meaning. In Deuteronomy 7:15 and 28:61, it denotes physical ailments that God promises to remove from His people. However, in Ecclesiastes 5:16 and Jeremiah 6:7, the term shifts toward grief or calamity, highlighting the psychological weight of suffering. Isaiah 53:4 uses it to describe the sorrows borne by the Suffering Servant, linking physical pain with deep emotional burden.
This dual usage reveals how ancient Hebrew thought did not strictly separate body and mind. A person’s illness was often viewed as a holistic affliction, affecting their entire being. Translators must choose between "disease," "grief," or "sickness" based on context, capturing both the tangible pain of the flesh and the heaviness of the spirit.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word choli describes more than just a physical ailment; it captures the heavy burden of being unwell in body and spirit. In ancient Israel, sickness was often seen as a holistic affliction that affected the whole person. This understanding reminds us that our struggles are real and valid, whether they manifest as pain in the flesh or weight in the heart.
Scripture shows God’s care for those who suffer. In Deuteronomy 7:15, He promises to remove sickness from His people, offering hope in times of vulnerability. Yet the Bible also acknowledges that some suffering remains a mystery. Isaiah 53:4 speaks of the Suffering Servant who bore our sicknesses, linking physical pain with deep emotional burden. This connection helps us see that God is present in our weakest moments.
When we face illness, we do not walk alone. The biblical witness invites us to bring our whole selves—body, mind, and spirit—to God. Whether seeking healing through prayer or finding comfort in the presence of others, choli reminds us that our vulnerability is met with divine compassion. We are held by a God who understands both physical pain and the heaviness of the soul.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 20 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sickness/ his5×
- sickness4×
- from/ sickness3×
- to/ a sickness1×
- the/ sickness1×
- sicknesses/ our1×
- in/ sickness/ his1×
- from/ sickness/ his1×
- and/ sicknesses1×
- and/ [is] an affliction1×
- [will be] in/ sickness<es>1×
- [is] for/ sickness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵ/חֳלִ֥י3×
- חֹ֑לִי2×
- חָלְי֔/וֹ2×
- מֵ/חָלְיֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- לָ/חֳלִ֖י1×
- לָ/חֳלִ֔י1×
- חָלְי֗/וֹ1×
- חָלְי֑/וֹ1×
- חָלְי/וֹ֙1×
- חֳלָיֵ֙/נוּ֙1×
- חֳלִי֙1×
- חֳלִ֥י1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 7:15
Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; and he will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, on you, but will lay them on all those who hate you.
This verse highlights God's covenant promise to protect His people from disease, offering a tangible sign of His care.
-
Isaiah 53:4
Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
Here the word links physical suffering with spiritual bearing, showing how the Servant absorbs both bodily pain and emotional weight.
-
II Kings 1:2
Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers, and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.”
Ahaziah’s inquiry about recovery reveals how sickness often drives people to seek answers from spiritual sources beyond God.
-
Ecclesiastes 6:2
a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
The term describes a profound sense of loss and vanity, where wealth cannot cure the soul's inability to enjoy its blessings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word choli mean?
How is choli different from other words for disease?
Where does choli appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (20 verses across 8 books)
Deuteronomy 3 verses
Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; and he will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, on…
Deuteronomy 28:59then Yahweh will make your plagues and the plagues of your offspring fearful, even great plagues, and of long duration,…
Deuteronomy 28:61Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law, Yahweh will bring them on you until…