### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word madveh (מַדְוֶה, `{{H4064}}`) is a noun derived from the verbal root davah (דָּוָה, `{{H1738}}`). The root davah primarily signifies a state of being ill, faint, or menstruating, often implying a condition of weakness, debility, or ritual impurity. Building upon this root, madveh denotes "sickness," "disease," or "malady." It refers to a physical affliction or ailment that impairs health and causes suffering. While its core meaning is a straightforward physical illness, the contexts in which it appears often imbue it with deeper implications of distress, divine judgment, and the pervasive nature of human frailty within a fallen world. It is not merely a clinical description but carries a sense of the grave consequences of brokenness, whether personal or corporate.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term madveh (מַדְוֶה) appears relatively infrequently in the Old Testament, but its occurrences are highly significant, primarily found within legal and prophetic texts concerning divine judgment.
* **Deuteronomy 28:59, 61:** In the extensive list of curses pronounced upon Israel for disobedience to the covenant, madveh is explicitly linked to divine retribution.
* [[Deuteronomy 28:59]]: "Then the LORD will bring upon you and your offspring extraordinary plagues, great and lasting plagues, and severe and lasting sicknesses (מַדְוֶה)." Here, madveh is described with emphatic adjectives ("great and lasting" - גְדֹלֹת וְנֶאֱמָנוֹת), underscoring its severity, chronic nature, and the divine intentionality behind it as a consequence of covenant infidelity.
* [[Deuteronomy 28:61]]: "Every sickness (מַדְוֶה) also and every plague which is not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring on you until you are destroyed." This verse broadens the scope of divine judgment to include all conceivable forms of illness, emphasizing the comprehensive and inescapable nature of God's power to afflict as a means of discipline or destruction. The phrase "not written" suggests an open-ended list, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty.
* **2 Chronicles 21:15, 18, 19:** This word is used multiple times to describe the specific, divinely ordained illness that afflicted King Jehoram of Judah, serving as a direct fulfillment of prophetic judgment against his wickedness.
* [[2 Chronicles 21:15]]: "And you yourself will suffer a severe sickness (מַדְוֶה), an illness of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness (מַדְוֶה) day by day." The repetition of madveh emphasizes the severity and the progressive, debilitating nature of the affliction, directly targeting his internal organs.
* [[2 Chronicles 21:18]]: "After all this the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable sickness (מַדְוֶה)." Here, madveh is qualified as "incurable" (לְמַרְפֵּא), stressing its divine origin and the futility of human efforts to alleviate it. It highlights God's definitive judgment.
* [[2 Chronicles 21:19]]: "So he died in severe sicknesses (מַדְוֶה) in great pain." The use of the plural form madvim (מַדְוִים) could indicate multiple painful symptoms, a prolonged period of suffering, or a culmination of various afflictions leading to his demise.
Across these occurrences, madveh consistently denotes a grave physical ailment that is directly linked to divine action, often as a punitive measure for disobedience or unrighteousness. It is not merely a natural occurrence but a manifestation of God's judicial will.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **Root `{{H1738}}` (דָּוָה, davah):** As the verbal root from which madveh is derived, davah means "to be ill," "to be faint," or "to be unwell," often specifically referring to menstruation and its associated ritual impurity. This connection underscores the debilitating and sometimes "unclean" nature associated with madveh.
* **`{{H4245}}` (מַחֲלָה, machalah):** This is another common Hebrew term for "sickness" or "disease." While madveh often carries a strong connotation of divine judgment, machalah is a more general term for illness (e.g., [[Exodus 15:26]], [[Deuteronomy 7:15]]). The distinction lies in the emphasis: madveh points more directly to a divinely sent affliction, whereas machalah can be any ailment.
* **`{{H5061}}` (נֶגַע, nega'):** Often translated as "plague," "stroke," or "mark," this term frequently refers to afflictions sent by God, particularly skin diseases like leprosy, which carried both physical and ritual impurity (e.g., [[Leviticus 13]]). Nega' shares the punitive and divinely-sent nuance with madveh.
* **`{{H2483}}` (חֳלִי, choli):** Another general term for sickness or disease, often found in parallel with machalah. It can describe chronic illness or a general state of ill health (e.g., [[Isaiah 53:3]]).
* **Covenant Curses:** The concept of madveh is deeply embedded in the Deuteronomic theology of curses for disobedience ([[Deuteronomy 28]]), standing in stark contrast to the blessings of health and prosperity promised for obedience.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of madveh is profound, primarily due to its consistent and explicit association with divine judgment and the consequences of sin.
* **Divine Sovereignty over Health and Disease:** The use of madveh unequivocally affirms God's absolute control over all aspects of life, including health and sickness. He is depicted as the one who "brings" (יָבִיא) these severe diseases ([[Deuteronomy 28:59, 61]]) and "strikes" (נָגַף) individuals with them ([[2 Chronicles 21:18]]). This challenges any purely naturalistic view of illness, presenting it as potentially a direct instrument in God's providential and judicial dealings with humanity.
* **Consequence of Disobedience and Sin:** In its most prominent occurrences, madveh serves as a tangible and severe manifestation of the covenant curses. It is a direct, often prolonged, and inescapable consequence of national and individual rebellion against God's commands. This highlights the gravity of sin and its far-reaching implications, which can extend beyond spiritual estrangement to profound physical suffering.
* **Prophetic Fulfillment and Justice:** The narrative of King Jehoram ([[2 Chronicles 21]]) powerfully illustrates madveh as a precise fulfillment of prophetic warning. This demonstrates God's unwavering justice, where unrepentant actions inevitably lead to their divinely appointed consequences, and His word proves true. The "incurable" nature of Jehoram's madveh underscores the finality and severity of divine judgment.
* **Human Frailty and Dependence:** Even when explicitly punitive, the very existence of madveh reminds humanity of its inherent frailty, vulnerability, and ultimate dependence on God for healing, sustenance, and life itself. It points to the brokenness of the fallen world and the ultimate need for divine redemption and intervention.
### Summary
The Hebrew word madveh (מַדְוֶה, `{{H4064}}`) denotes "sickness" or "disease," deriving from the root davah (דָּוָה, `{{H1738}}`), which implies a state of weakness or impurity. While a straightforward term for physical ailment, its limited but impactful occurrences in the Old Testament imbue it with significant theological weight. Predominantly found in [[Deuteronomy 28]] as part of the covenant curses and in [[2 Chronicles 21]] describing King Jehoram's affliction, madveh is consistently presented as a severe, often prolonged, and divinely ordained affliction. It functions as a direct consequence of covenant disobedience and a clear instrument of divine judgment. Unlike more general terms for sickness like machalah (מַחֲלָה, `{{H4245}}`) or choli (חֳלִי, `{{H2483}}`), madveh carries a distinct nuance of punitive suffering. Theologically, madveh powerfully affirms God's absolute sovereignty over health and disease, underscores the dire consequences of rebellion against His will, and highlights the precise fulfillment of His prophetic word, ultimately reminding humanity of its profound dependence on the Creator.
TRV