Biblical Lexicon

μάστ-ιξ G3148

N-GFP | 6× in 2 senses

A whip or scourge; literally an instrument of punishment, figuratively a disease or affliction conceived as a divine lash.

The classical Greek image is vivid: a whip cracking over horses, or the lash driving soldiers forward. In the NT, mastix splits into two registers. Figuratively, it describes diseases and afflictions as 'scourges' — divine lashes that mark and torment the body. The woman with the flow of blood is healed 'from her scourge' (Mark 5:29, 34), and crowds press toward Jesus so that all who had 'scourges' might touch him (Mark 3:10; Luke 7:21). Spanish captures the figurative sense with 'enfermedad' (disease) alongside 'azotes' (lashings), showing how the metaphor works. Literally, the word denotes the physical instrument of Roman punishment: Paul is about to be 'examined by scourging' (Acts 22:24), and OT heroes 'experienced mockings and scourgings' (Heb 11:36).

Read in Bible → Strong's / BibleHub Blue Letter Bible

Senses

1. affliction, disease (figurative scourge) — An affliction, disease, or plague understood figuratively as a 'scourge' or lash — suffering conceived as a striking blow. The woman with the hemorrhage is healed 'from her scourge' (Mark 5:29, 34), and the sick press toward Jesus because he heals all their 'scourges' (Mark 3:10; Luke 7:21). Spanish 'enfermedad' (disease) and 'enfermedades' (diseases) alongside 'azotes' (lashings) reveal the dual register: the underlying metaphor of being struck persists even when the referent is illness. This figurative usage echoes the classical Greek 'scourge of God' — affliction as divine discipline. 4×

BODY_HEALTH › Physiological Processes and States › Disease and Affliction

AR["آلامٍ", "أَمْراضٌ", "الدّاءِ", "دائِكِ"]·ben["কষ্ট", "ব্যাধি;"]·DE["Geisseln", "μαστίγων"]·EN["affliction", "afflictions"]·FR["fléau"]·heb["מַכּוֹת", "נְגִעוֹת", "נֶגַע"]·HI["कोड़े", "कोड़ों"]·ID["penyakit", "penyakit;", "siksaan"]·IT["mastigas", "mastigon", "mastigos"]·jav["penyakit", "penyakit.", "penyakit;", "sangsara"]·KO["병", "병.", "질병을", "채찍들"]·PT["enfermidade", "enfermidade.", "enfermidades;", "flagelos"]·RU["бичей", "болезни"]·ES["azotes", "enfermedad", "enfermedades"]·SW["gonjwa", "gonjwa.", "mapigo", "maradhi;"]·TR["dertlerden,", "hastalıklar;", "hastalıktan.", "hastalığından"]·urd["اور", "تکلیف", "تکلیفیں"]

Mark 3:10, Mark 5:29, Mark 5:34, Luke 7:21

2. whip, scourge (instrument of punishment) — A whip or scourge as a literal instrument of physical punishment — the leather thongs or rods used in Roman judicial flogging. In Acts 22:24 the tribune orders Paul to be 'examined with whips' (mastixin), the standard Roman procedure for extracting testimony from non-citizens. In Heb 11:36 the faithful endured 'scourgings' among other tortures. Spanish 'con-azotes' (with whips) and English 'with-whips' both emphasize the concrete, physical instrument, sharply distinguishing this from the figurative disease sense. 2×

ARTIFACTS › Artifacts › Whip Scourge

AR["بِالسِّيَاطِ", "جَلْدَات"]·ben["চাবুক-দিয়ে", "চাবুকের"]·DE["Geisseln", "μάστιξιν"]·EN["of-scourgings", "with-whips"]·FR["fléau"]·heb["בְּשׁוֹטִים", "מַלְקוֹת"]·HI["कोड़ों,", "कोड़ों-से"]·ID["cambukan,", "dengan-cambuk"]·IT["flagello", "mastigōn"]·jav["gebagan", "pecut"]·KO["채찍들의", "채찍으로"]·PT["de-açoites"]·RU["бичами", "бичеваний"]·ES["azotes", "con-azotes"]·SW["kwa-mijeledi", "mijeledi"]·TR["kamçılarla", "kırbaçların"]·urd["کوڑوں-سے", "کوڑوں-کا"]

Acts 22:24, Heb 11:36

BDB / Lexicon Reference

μάστ-ιξ, ῑγος, ἡ, whip, scourge, mostly for driving horses, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἵππου μ. horse-whip, Refs 5th c.BC+; λιγυρὰ μ. διπλῆ Refs 5th c.BC+; later, scourge, ὑπὸ μαστίγων διαβαίνειν to cross under the lash, of soldiers flogged on, Refs 5th c.BC+; μάστιγ᾽ ἔχων whip in hand, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II metaphorically, scourge, plague, μάστιξ Διός Refs 8th c.BC+; διπλῇ μ., τὴν Ἄρης φιλεῖ, i.e. fire and…