What does מַחֲלֶה (maḥăleh) mean in the Bible?
מַחֲלֶה (maḥăleh): Disease as divine judgment or test; often paired with healing to show God's sovereignty over life and death
Hebrew · H4245
מַחֲלֶה
Sickness
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מַחֲלֶהH4245
Pronunciationmaḥăleh
What does מַחֲלֶה (maḥăleh) mean in the Bible?
מַחֲלֶה (maḥăleh): Disease as divine judgment or test; often paired with healing to show God's sovereignty over life and death
Full entry for מַחֲלֶה (H4245) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4245?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sickness [may come] (2), a disease (1), his sickness (1), of the diseases (1), sickness (1).
Where does מַחֲלֶה (maḥăleh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 15:26. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (2), Exodus (2), 1 Kings (1), Proverbs (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itsickness [may come]2×1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 6:28
a disease1×2 Chronicles 21:15
his sickness1×Proverbs 18:14
of the diseases1×Exodus 15:26
sickness1×Exodus 23:25
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 15:26הַמַּֽחֲלָ֞הtoof the diseasesArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 23:25מַחֲלָ֖הtosicknessNoun - feminine singular1 Kings 8:37מַחֲלָֽה׃tosickness [may come]Noun - feminine singular2 Chronicles 6:28מַחֲלָֽה׃tosickness [may come]Noun - feminine singular2 Chronicles 21:15בְּמַחֲלֵ֣הtoa diseasePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructProverbs 18:14מַחֲלֵ֑הוּtohis sicknessNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 15:26
Aligned rows6
Books represented4
Exodus21 Kings12 Chronicles2Proverbs1
Source forms
מַחֲלָֽה׃2xma·ḥă·lāh1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 6:28
בְּמַחֲלֵ֣ה1xbə·ma·ḥă·lêh2 Chronicles 21:15
הַמַּֽחֲלָ֞ה1xham·ma·ḥă·lāhExodus 15:26
מַחֲלָ֖ה1xma·ḥă·lāhExodus 23:25
מַחֲלֵ֑הוּ1xma·ḥă·lê·hūProverbs 18:14
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular3xExodus 23:25, 1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 6:28
Article | Noun - feminine singular1xExodus 15:26
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1xProverbs 18:14
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct1x2 Chronicles 21:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Disease as divine judgment or test; often paired with healing to show God's sovereignty over life and death
Source Gloss
sickness
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Disease as divine judgment or test; often paired with healing to show God's sovereignty over life and death
sickness Usage: disease, infirmity, sickness.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Physical or emotional ailment that the spirit can endure or overcome
Showing 1 selected witness from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.