מַגֵּפָה (mag.ge.phah)
mag.ge.phah
plague
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 20 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun maggephah refers to a fatal blow, often translated as "plague," "pestilence," or "slaughter." Derived from the verb nagaph ("to strike"), it describes a decisive act of divine judgment that results in death. The term appears twenty times in the Old Testament, frequently in Numbers and Samuel, where it marks moments of severe consequence for Israel’s disobedience.
Its meaning shifts slightly depending on context. In historical narratives like 1 Samuel 4:17 and 2 Samuel 18:7, maggephah denotes the slaughter of soldiers in battle, emphasizing the finality of defeat. However, it is most commonly used for infectious diseases or divine strikes, such as the pestilence in Numbers 16:49 or the plague described in Zechariah 14:12. This dual usage highlights a theological view where both military disaster and disease are seen as direct acts of God’s hand.
Translators typically render maggephah as "plague" to capture its supernatural weight, though the literal sense is simply a "stroke" or "blow." The word underscores that these events are not random accidents but purposeful interventions. By using a term rooted in physical striking, the text connects natural disasters and war with intentional divine action, reminding readers of the seriousness of covenant faithfulness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word maggephah carries a heavy weight, referring to a decisive blow or stroke that results in death. While it often describes the devastation of disease or military defeat, its root meaning reminds us that these events are not random accidents. In the ancient context, such calamities were viewed as direct interventions by God, highlighting the seriousness of covenant faithfulness and the consequences of turning away from divine guidance.
Yet this word also reveals a path to restoration. When the people of Israel faced severe judgment, leaders like David and Phinehas took action to stop the plague through repentance and sacrifice. This pattern shows that even in the face of overwhelming disaster, there is room for intercession. The story of David purchasing the threshing floor illustrates how turning back to God can halt destruction and bring relief to a suffering community.
For believers today, maggephah serves as a sobering reminder of our dependence on God. It encourages us to take spiritual matters seriously, recognizing that our actions have real consequences. At the same time, it points toward the hope found in turning back to the Lord, who is able to stop the plague and restore peace when His people seek Him with sincere hearts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 20 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ plague9×
- a slaughter2×
- a plague2×
- to/ a plague1×
- the/ slaughter1×
- plagues/ my1×
- like the/ plague1×
- by the/ plague1×
- by <the>/ plague1×
- a blow1×
- [the] plague of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מַּגֵּפָ֖ה5×
- מַגֵּפָ֥ה3×
- הַ/מַּגֵּפָ֗ה2×
- מַגֵּפֹתַ/י֙1×
- מַגֵּפָֽה\׃1×
- מַגֵּפָ֔ה1×
- מַגֵּפַ֣ת1×
- לְ/מַגֵּפָֽה\׃\ \ס1×
- כַּ/מַּגֵּפָ֖ה1×
- הַ/מַּגֵּפָֽה\׃1×
- הַ/מַּגֵּפָ֧ה1×
- הַ/מַּגֵּפָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 25:9
Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
This verse quantifies the severity of the plague, showing that twenty-four thousand died before Phinehas acted to stop it.
-
II Samuel 24:21
Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.”
David explicitly states his purpose for buying the threshing floor is to build an altar so the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.
-
Psalms 106:30
Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.
The psalmist highlights Phinehas standing up to execute judgment, which directly resulted in the plague being stopped.
-
I Chronicles 21:17
David said to God, “Isn’t it I who commanded the people to be counted? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Yahweh my God, be against me and against my father’s house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued.”
David prays that God's hand be against him and his house rather than against His people, showing intercession to halt the plague.