from חָלָה; malady, anxiety, calamity; disease, grief, (is) sick(-ness).
Transliteration:chŏlîy
Pronunciation:khol-ee'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun חֳלִי (chŏlîy, `{{H2483}}`) is derived from the verbal root חָלָה (châlâh, `{{H2470}}`), which carries the core meaning "to be weak, sick, diseased, or grieved." Consequently, chŏlîy primarily denotes a state of physical "sickness," "illness," or "disease."
However, its semantic range extends beyond mere physical ailment to encompass a broader spectrum of human suffering. It can refer to:
* **Malady:** A general term for any physical or spiritual ailment.
* **Anxiety/Grief:** Deep emotional distress, sorrow, or psychological pain. This highlights the interconnectedness of physical and emotional well-being in the biblical worldview.
* **Calamity/Affliction:** A severe misfortune, disaster, or a state of profound distress, often implying a detrimental impact on an individual or community's overall well-being.
Thus, chŏlîy captures not only the physical manifestation of unwellness but also its emotional and broader existential dimensions.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term chŏlîy appears 15 times in the Old Testament, with its usage reflecting its diverse semantic range:
* **Physical Sickness:** In many instances, chŏlîy clearly refers to a literal physical disease. For example, in [[2 Chronicles 16:12]], it describes King Asa's severe foot disease: "And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians." Similarly, [[2 Chronicles 21:15]] speaks of a "great sickness" that would afflict Jehoram. These contexts emphasize the debilitating nature of physical illness.
* **Emotional Grief/Sorrow:** chŏlîy is also used to describe profound emotional or psychological distress. In [[Jeremiah 8:18]], the prophet laments, "My grief is incurable; my heart is faint within me." Here, chŏlîy translates to "grief," indicating deep sorrow rather than a physical ailment. This usage underscores the Bible's recognition of the human experience of emotional pain.
* **Calamity/Affliction:** The term can denote a general state of severe trouble or misfortune. [[Jeremiah 10:19]] uses chŏlîy to describe an "incurable" wound or "grief" of a nation, likely referring to the devastating consequences of divine judgment or national disaster. This extends the concept of "sickness" to encompass collective suffering.
* **The Suffering Servant:** Perhaps the most profound theological use of chŏlîy is found in [[Isaiah 53:4]]: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Here, "griefs" is chŏlîy. This verse is pivotal, as it attributes to the Suffering Servant (understood as the Messiah) the bearing of humanity's chŏlîy – not just physical sickness, but the full weight of sin, suffering, and its consequences. This prefigures the atoning work of Christ.
* **Divine Agency:** The Bible often presents chŏlîy as a consequence of sin or divine judgment ([[Deuteronomy 28:59]], [[2 Chronicles 21:15]]), indicating God's sovereignty over life and death, health and sickness. Conversely, the absence of chŏlîy or healing from it is a sign of divine blessing and covenant faithfulness.
### Related Words & Concepts
The understanding of chŏlîy is enriched by examining its relationship to other Hebrew terms:
* **Root Verb:** חָלָה (châlâh, `{{H2470}}`): The direct verbal root, meaning "to be sick, weak, or grieved." This foundational connection underscores the dynamic state of unwellness that chŏlîy describes.
* **Other Terms for Sickness/Disease:**
* מַחֲלֶה (machăleh, `{{H4245}}`): Also derived from châlâh, often used synonymously with chŏlîy for disease or sickness.
* נֶגַע (nega, `{{H5086}}`): A "stroke" or "plague," often referring to skin diseases (like leprosy) or divinely sent afflictions.
* מַכָּה (makkâh, `{{H4347}}`): A "blow," "wound," or "plague," implying a violent or severe affliction.
* **Terms for Grief/Sorrow:**
* יָגוֹן (yāgôn, `{{H3015}}`): "Grief, sorrow, affliction," emphasizing emotional distress.
* עֶצֶב (etseb, `{{H6094}}`): "Pain, sorrow, toil," often associated with the pain of labor or the sorrow of punishment.
* **Terms for Calamity/Affliction:**
* רָע (ra, `{{H7451}}`): "Evil, bad, distress, misery, calamity," a very broad term for anything detrimental.
* צָרָה (tsārâh, `{{H6869}}`): "Distress, trouble, anguish," often referring to a constricted or difficult situation.
* **Antonymic Concepts:** The opposite of chŏlîy would be concepts of healing (רָפָא - rāphā'), health, and wholeness or peace (שָׁלוֹם - shālôm).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of chŏlîy is profound and multifaceted:
* **Consequence of the Fall:** From a biblical perspective, chŏlîy in all its forms (physical, emotional, societal) is ultimately a manifestation of the brokenness and curse introduced by the Fall of humanity ([[Genesis 3:16-19]]). It is a stark reminder that creation is not as God intended it to be.
* **Divine Discipline and Sovereignty:** God frequently uses chŏlîy as a means of discipline or judgment for sin and disobedience, particularly within the covenant relationship with Israel ([[Deuteronomy 28:59]], [[2 Chronicles 21:15]]). This highlights God's sovereign control over human well-being and His righteous governance. Yet, it is also a means by which God tests faith or draws individuals back to Himself.
* **Human Frailty and Dependence:** The experience of chŏlîy underscores human mortality, vulnerability, and inherent dependence on God. It serves as a humbling reminder that true health and life are ultimately gifts from the Creator.
* **Messianic Atonement:** The most significant theological insight concerning chŏlîy is found in [[Isaiah 53:4]]. The Suffering Servant bearing "our griefs" (chŏlîy) points directly to the atoning work of Jesus Christ. He did not merely heal physical diseases, but absorbed the full weight of human chŏlîy—the spiritual sickness of sin, the emotional agony of separation from God, and the physical consequences of a fallen world—on the cross. His suffering was substitutionary, providing ultimate healing and redemption for humanity.
* **Eschatological Hope:** While chŏlîy is a present reality in a fallen world, biblical eschatology offers a glorious hope. In the new heavens and new earth, God promises a future where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" ([[Revelation 21:4]]). This signifies the ultimate abolition of all chŏlîy by God's perfect and complete restoration.
### Summary
The Hebrew word חֳלִי (chŏlîy, `{{H2483}}`), derived from the root châlâh (`{{H2470}}`), is a rich and significant term in the Old Testament. While primarily denoting physical "sickness" or "disease," its semantic breadth extends to encompass emotional "grief" and broader "calamity" or "affliction." Its contextual occurrences demonstrate this range, from literal ailments like King Asa's disease ([[2 Chronicles 16:12]]) to the deep sorrow expressed in Jeremiah ([[Jeremiah 8:18]]) and the national distress of Israel ([[Jeremiah 10:19]]). Theologically, chŏlîy is understood as a consequence of the Fall, a potential instrument of divine discipline, and a poignant reminder of human frailty. Most profoundly, it takes on messianic significance in [[Isaiah 53:4]], where the Suffering Servant bears humanity's chŏlîy—physical, emotional, and spiritual—pointing to the comprehensive atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ. Ultimately, chŏlîy` highlights the pervasive nature of suffering in a fallen world while simultaneously pointing to God's sovereign power and the future hope of complete restoration where all forms of sickness and sorrow will be abolished.
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