מַחֲלֶה (ma.cha.leh)
ma.cha.leh
sickness
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun maḥăleh refers to physical sickness or disease. It appears six times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in II Chronicles and Exodus. The word describes the condition of being ill rather than the specific medical nature of the ailment.
It is closely related to the feminine form maḥălâh, which shares the same meaning. In biblical usage, it often appears in contexts where illness is viewed as a consequence or a test, such as when God strikes Pharaoh’s household with diseases (Exodus 12:30) or when kings suffer from ailments that require divine intervention or medical attention.
Translators typically render maḥăleh as "sickness" or "disease." The term is straightforward, focusing on the state of bodily affliction without additional metaphorical layers. Its limited occurrence suggests it was a common enough concept to be mentioned but not central to theological discourse in the same way as words for sin or righteousness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word maḥăleh simply means sickness or disease. It appears six times in the Old Testament, mostly in historical books like Kings and Chronicles, where it describes physical illness as a real part of human life. When Solomon prays in 1 Kings 8:37, he lists sickness alongside famine and war, acknowledging that these hardships are part of our shared experience on earth.
Yet this word also carries a note of hope. In Exodus 15:26, God promises to be the one who heals if His people remain faithful. This shows that while illness is a reality we must endure, we do not face it alone. The Creator who made our bodies is also involved in their restoration.
Proverbs 18:14 adds another layer by noting that a strong spirit can sustain a person through sickness. While physical pain is heavy, inner resilience and trust in God provide strength when the body is weak. This balance reminds us to care for our health while relying on divine support during difficult times.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sickness3×
- sickness/ his1×
- in/ [the] sickness of1×
- <the>/ sickness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַחֲלָֽה\׃2×
- מַחֲלָ֖ה1×
- מַחֲלֵ֑/הוּ1×
- הַ/מַּֽחֲלָ֞ה1×
- בְּ/מַחֲלֵ֣ה1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 15:26
He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”
This verse connects the word directly to God's identity as healer, offering a promise of protection against the diseases He sent upon Egypt.
-
I Kings 8:37
“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is,
Here Solomon includes sickness in a list of national crises, showing it is a common human vulnerability that requires prayer and divine attention.
-
Proverbs 18:14
A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
This proverb highlights the role of inner resilience, suggesting that a sustained spirit helps bear the burden of physical illness.