מָרַץ (ma.rats)
ma.rats
be sick
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb marats describes a state of being sick, but with a specific intensity that goes beyond ordinary illness. In the Old Testament, it appears only four times, always in derived forms. The Niphal stem indicates suffering from something grievous or painful, while the Hiphil stem means to cause sickness or distress. This word carries a weight of severity, pointing to affliction that is deep and burdensome rather than minor discomfort.
Its usage highlights the connection between physical pain and emotional or spiritual distress. In Job 13:26, for instance, the speaker asks God why He makes him suffer from such grievous wounds, using marats to describe the overwhelming nature of his torment. Similarly, in Micah 3:2, the prophets are accused of making Jacob sick by twisting justice, suggesting that moral corruption can have a debilitating effect on the community. The word thus bridges the gap between bodily ailment and the pain caused by injustice or divine discipline.
The rarity of marats underscores its power. When it appears, it signals a crisis point where suffering is acute and undeniable. Translators often render it as "sick" or "afflicted," but these terms may not fully capture the intensity implied by the original Hebrew. The word serves as a reminder that in biblical thought, sickness is not merely a physical condition but can be intertwined with deeper existential struggles.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word marats points to a sickness that feels heavy and overwhelming, often linking physical pain with deep emotional or spiritual distress. When you face moments where suffering seems too much to bear, this rare biblical term reminds you that your anguish is seen and understood by God. It is not just minor discomfort but a profound affliction that cries out for attention.
In Job 13:26, the speaker uses this word to describe feeling wounded by God, highlighting how intense suffering can blur the lines between physical pain and spiritual crisis. This honest expression shows that bringing your deepest hurts to God is part of faithful prayer. You do not have to hide the weight you carry.
Similarly, Micah 2:10 uses a related form to describe how injustice and corruption can make a community sick. This connection reminds us that our well-being is tied to the health of our relationships and society. When you feel overwhelmed, remember that God cares about both your body and your spirit, inviting you to bring your whole self to Him in trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they are painful1×
- is it making sick/ you1×
- grievous1×
- [will be] grievous1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִּמְרְצ֥וּ1×
- נִמְרָֽץ\׃1×
- נִמְרֶ֔צֶת1×
- יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְ/ךָ֗1×
Key Verses
-
Micah 2:10
Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.
Here a related form describes uncleanness that destroys with grievous destruction, linking moral corruption to a debilitating sickness that affects the whole community.
-
I Kings 2:8
“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
Shimei’s curse is described as grievous, using the same root concept to show how verbal abuse can cause deep emotional and spiritual distress.
-
Job 6:25
How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what does it reprove?
While this verse does not contain marats, it is included in the candidate list to provide context for Job’s intense suffering, which often uses language of grievous affliction.