### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **deber**, represented by `{{H1698}}`, primarily means **pestilence** or **plague**. It appears **49 times** across **48 unique verses**, often describing a severe, destructive calamity. The word's origin from a root meaning "to destroy" `{{H1696}}` highlights its nature as a ruinous force, whether afflicting humans or animals as a grievous **murrain** [[Exodus 9:3]].
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H1698}}` is consistently portrayed as a tool of divine judgment. It is frequently grouped with the **sword** `{{H2719}}` and **famine** `{{H7458}}` as a triad of punishments for disobedience ([[Jeremiah 21:7]], [[Jeremiah 29:18]]). God sends **pestilence** upon the people of Israel for breaking His covenant [[Leviticus 26:25]] and upon foreign nations as well [[Amos 4:10]]. It is described as a great **pestilence** that strikes down both man and beast [[Jeremiah 21:6]]. The term is also used in a personified sense, as a **pestilence** that "walketh in darkness" [[Psalms 91:6]] or a force that goes before God Himself [[Habakkuk 3:5]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context and impact of **deber**:
* `{{H2719}}` **chereb** (sword): A cutting instrument, this word almost always appears alongside `{{H1698}}` as a primary form of divine judgment, such as the warning to those who would not serve the king of Babylon [[Jeremiah 27:13]].
* `{{H7458}}` **râʻâb** (famine): This word for hunger or dearth completes the trio of judgments, signifying total devastation of a land and its people ([[Ezekiel 5:12]], [[Ezekiel 6:11]]).
* `{{H4194}}` **mâveth** (death): Often the direct result of the pestilence, this word is used in parallel with `{{H1698}}` in [[Hosea 13:14]], where God personifies death's plagues and destruction.
* `{{H7971}}` **shâlach** (to send): This verb frequently identifies God as the agent who dispatches pestilence upon the earth, emphasizing its role as a deliberate act of divine will ([[2 Chronicles 7:13]], [[Exodus 9:15]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1698}}` is primarily seen in its function as a severe instrument of God's justice and sovereignty.
* **Divine Judgment:** **Pestilence** is one of the "four sore judgments" God sends upon Jerusalem, alongside the sword, famine, and noisome beasts, to punish sin and cut off both man and beast from the land [[Ezekiel 14:21]].
* **Covenantal Curse:** The appearance of **pestilence** is a direct consequence of breaking God's covenant. The Lord warns that He will make the **pestilence** cleave to Israel if they disobey [[Deuteronomy 28:21]] and will send it to avenge the quarrel of His covenant [[Leviticus 26:25]].
* **A Call to Acknowledgment:** While a tool of destruction, the aftermath of **pestilence** is sometimes intended to lead the survivors to a knowledge of God. A remnant is left from the sword, famine, and **pestilence** so that they may declare their abominations and "know that I am the LORD" [[Ezekiel 12:16]].
* **Sovereign Power:** God's power is displayed in His ability to both send **pestilence** [[Amos 4:10]] and deliver from it, as promised to those who trust in Him [[Psalms 91:3]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1698}}` is more than a term for a deadly disease. It is a powerful word representing a divinely sent calamity, a key component in the triad of judgment alongside sword and famine. It functions biblically as a tangible consequence for sin and covenant-breaking, a stark reminder of God's sovereignty over nations and nature, and a severe measure intended to lead humanity to recognize His ultimate authority.
TRV