Word Study for H4245 (מַחֲלֶה)

Rootor (feminine) מַחֲלָה · from חָלָה

Meaningsickness

KJV usagedisease, infirmity, sickness.

In depth

Word Study

A plain-language study of machăleh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word machăleh, represented by H4245, refers to sickness, disease, or infirmity. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses, and is used to describe physical ailments, often in the context of divine action or human frailty.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, machăleh is frequently tied to the covenant relationship between God and Israel. God promises that if Israel will diligently hearken to His voice and keep His statutes, He will not put the diseases of the Egyptians upon them Exodus 15:26. Similarly, if they serve the LORD their God, He promises to take sickness away from their midst Exodus 23:25. The term is also included in lists of potential national calamities, alongside famine, pestilence, and plagues, for which Solomon prays for divine forgiveness and intervention (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28). It can also describe a specific, severe physical affliction, such as the great disease of the bowels mentioned in 2 Chronicles 21:15, or a general infirmity that a person's spirit must sustain Proverbs 18:14.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the context and meaning of machăleh:

H2483 chŏlîy (malady, anxiety, calamity): A close synonym for sickness that is used in parallel with machăleh. It appears in contexts of both physical disease and emotional grief (2 Chronicles 21:15; Isaiah 53:3).
H1698 deber (pestilence): Often listed alongside machăleh as a form of divine judgment or widespread calamity that can strike a nation (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28).
H7495 râphâʼ (to cure, heal, physician): As the direct contrast to sickness, this word identifies God as the ultimate source of healing. The LORD identifies Himself as the one who "healeth" His people from the diseases He can also inflict Exodus 15:26.
H5061 negaʻ (plague, sore, stricken): This term for a blow or infliction is used in lists with machăleh to describe the various afflictions that may befall a people (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of machăleh is significant, highlighting key principles of God's relationship with humanity.

Covenantal Consequences: Sickness is presented not as a random occurrence, but as a potential consequence of disobedience. The promise to avoid the diseases of the Egyptians is conditional upon Israel's obedience to God's commandments Exodus 15:26.
Divine Sovereignty: The texts demonstrate God's ultimate authority over health and affliction. He is the one who can "put" H7760 diseases upon a people, but also the one who can "take" H5493 sickness away and "heal" H7495 them (Exodus 15:26; Exodus 23:25).
Human Frailty and Resilience: The use of machăleh in Proverbs acknowledges physical infirmity as a part of the human experience that can be sustained by a strong spirit, while also showing the devastation of a wounded H5218 spirit that cannot be borne Proverbs 18:14.

Summary

In summary, machăleh moves beyond a simple definition of sickness. It functions within a theological framework where physical well-being is directly connected to spiritual faithfulness. It underscores God's sovereignty over all aspects of life, including health and disease, and serves as a reminder of both human vulnerability and the restorative power available through a right relationship with the LORD.

Translation

How the KJV Renders It

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Morphology

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 6 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מַחֲלָה
מַחֲלֵה
מַחֲלֵהוּ

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Context

Theographic Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Distribution

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus and 2 Chronicles (2 verses each); never once in the other 35.

Exodus

1 Kings

2 Chronicles

Proverbs

Concordance

Every Occurrence

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.