H2470a H2470a
be sick, be ill; become weak, grow feeble; be grievous (of wounds); make sick, cause illness; feign illness; grieve, suffer pain; be wounded (passive)
Covers the spectrum of physical weakness, illness, and debilitation. The basic sense is being sick or ill — like the child in 1 Kings 14:1 who 'became sick,' or Jacob when Joseph heard 'your father is sick' (Genesis 48:1). Can mean losing strength without specific illness, as when Samson says 'I will become weak' (Judges 16:7, 11, 17). The Nifal participle describes wounds as 'grievous' or 'incurable' (Jeremiah 30:12, Nahum 3:19). Causative stems mean making someone sick. The Hitpael describes feigning illness as a ruse (2 Samuel 13). Extends metaphorically to emotional grief or pain ('my grief is incurable,' Jeremiah 15:18).
Senses
1. be sick, be ill — Basic Qal state: being physically sick or ill, including becoming sick and having been sick. The fundamental medical sense with 27 occurrences: Genesis 48:1 (Jacob was sick), 1 Kings 14:1 (child became sick), 2 Kings 13:14 (Elisha fell sick with the illness of which he died). Cross-linguistic medical vocabulary consistently applied: Hindi बीमार (sick), Arabic مَرِيضٌ (sick), Korean 병들었다 (became sick), Swahili -ugua (be sick), showing this as the prototypical core meaning. 27×
AR["المَرِيضِ","حُولَت","حِينَ-مَرِضَ","مَريضٌ","مَرِضَ","مَرِيضًا","مَرِيضٌ","ٱلْمَرِيضَةَ"]·ben["অসুস্থ","অসুস্থ হল","অসুস্থ-হয়েছিলেন","অসুস্থ-হল","অসুস্থ-হলেন","অসুস্থকে","অসুস্থতায়-তার"]·DE["[החולה]","[חולה]","[חולת]","[חלה]","became-krank","er-war-krank","ist-krank","krank","krank-sein","war-krank"]·EN["became-sick","he-was-sick","sick","sick-of","the-sick","was-sick","when-he-was-sick"]·FR["[חולה]","[חלה]","devint-malade","fut-malade","il-fut-malade","malade","sick","être-malade"]·heb["ב-חלותו","ה-חולה","חולה","חולת","חלה"]·HI["खोलेह","तुमने-चंगा-किया","बिमअर","बीमार","बीमार-था","बीमार-हुआ","बीमार-है","बीमार-होने-पर","मैं-मज़बूत-करूँगा","रोगी-हुआ"]·ID["-sakit","ketika-ia-sakit","sakit","yang-sakit"]·IT["[חולה]","[חלה]","ammalarsi","divenne-malato","egli-era-malato","era-malato","essere-malato","malato","sick"]·jav["gerah","géring","ingkang-gerah","nalika"]·KO["그-병든","그가-병들었을-때에","병든-것-을","병들어-있었다","병들었기","병들었다","병들었음을","아팠다","아프다","아픈","아픈-자-라"]·PT["a-doente","adoecera","adoeceu","doente","enferma-de","enfermo","o-doente","quando-adoeceu-ele"]·RU["болен","больная","больное","больной","больную","заболел","когда-болел-он"]·ES["cuando-estuvo-enfermo","el-enfermo","enferma-de","enfermo","enfermó","había-enfermado","la-enferma"]·SW["aliugua","amekuwa-mgonjwa","chalah","mgonjwa","ugonjwa","wagonjwa"]·TR["hasta","hastalandiginda","hastalandı","hastası","hastaydı","hastayı"]·urd["اُس-کے-بیمار-ہونے-پر","بیمار","بیمار-تھا","بیمار-کو","بیمار-ہوا","بیمار-ہے","بیماروں-کو"]
Gen 48:1, 1 Sam 19:14, 1 Sam 30:13, 1 Kgs 14:1, 1 Kgs 14:5, 1 Kgs 15:23, 1 Kgs 17:17, 2 Kgs 1:2, 2 Kgs 8:7, 2 Kgs 8:29, 2 Kgs 13:14, 2 Kgs 20:1 (+15 more)
2. become weak, grow feeble — Becoming weak or losing strength, referring to physical debilitation or feebleness distinct from specific illness. Judges 16:7, 11, 17 — Samson's repeated 'I will become weak' uses this verb, and the context is loss of supernatural strength, not sickness. Isaiah 14:10 'you too have become weak as we are' and 57:10 'you did not feel weak' show exhaustion or enfeeblement. Korean 약해지다 (become weak), Hindi कमज़ोर होना (become weak), Arabic ضَعُفْتَ (you weakened). 5×
AR["ضَعُفْتَ","مَرِضْتِ","وَ-ضَعُفْتُ"]·ben["এবং-দুর্বল-হব","তুমি-দুর্বল-হয়েছ","দুর্বল-হয়েছ"]·DE["krank-sein","und-ich-wird-become-schwach"]·EN["and-I-will-become-weak","you-became-sick","you-have-become-weak"]·FR["et-je-sera-become-faible","être-malade"]·heb["ו-חליתי","חולית","חלית"]·HI["और-कमज़ोर-हो-जाऊँगा","कमज़ोर-हुई","कमजोर-हुआ"]·ID["dan-aku-menjadi-lemah","engkau-menjadi-lemah","menjadi-lemah"]·IT["e-io-volere-become-debole","essere-malato"]·jav["dados-ringkih","lan-kawula-lemes","panjenengan-ringkih"]·KO["그리고-내가-약해질-것이다","약해졌다","약해졌도다"]·PT["e-ficarei-fraco","enfraqueceste"]·RU["и-ослабну","ослабла-ты","сделался-слабым","то-ослабну"]·ES["desfalleciste","has-sido-debilitado","y-me-debilitaré"]·SW["mgonjwa","na-nitakuwa-dhaifu","umedhoofika"]·TR["ve-zayıflarım","ve-zayıflayacağım","yoruldun","zayiflatildin"]·urd["بیمار-ہوئی","تو-کمزور-ہو-جاؤں-گا-میں","کمزور-ہوا"]
3. be grievous, be severe — Nifal participle describing wounds, plagues, or afflictions as grievous, severe, incurable, or painfully destructive. Isaiah 17:11 'incurable pain,' Jeremiah 10:19 'my wound is grievous,' 14:17 'with a very grievous blow,' 30:12 'your hurt is incurable,' Nahum 3:19 'your wound is grievous' — all employ this participial form. Arabic جُرْحٌ عُضَالٌ (incurable wound), Spanish dolorosa/grave (painful/serious), showing attributive force applied to the severity of injury. 5×
AR["بَلِيغَةً","مَرَضٍ","مَرِيضَةٌ","مُؤْلِمَةٌ","وَبِيلَةٌ"]·ben["অসাধ্য","উত্তরাধিকারের","দুরারোগ্য","মারাত্মক"]·DE["Erbe","[נחלה]"]·EN["Grievous","grievous","sickness","very"]·FR["héritage","être-malade"]·heb["נחלה"]·HI["खराब","घातक","बीमारी","भयानक"]·ID["menyakitkan","penyakit","sangat-parah"]·IT["eredità","essere-malato"]·jav["kresah","kronis","nemen","panyakit","sanget"]·KO["병이요","아픈","아픈-것이라","치료할-수-없도다"]·PT["Cruel","enfermidade","grave","incurável"]·RU["болезненна","болезненный","болезни","тяжела"]·ES["dolorosa","enfermedad","grave","incurable"]·SW["chungu","kuu","ni-mbaya","ya-ugonjwa"]·TR["ağır","hastalik","ölümcül"]·urd["بیماری-کے","لاعلاج","مہلک"]
4. make sick, cause illness — Hifil and Piel causative: making someone become sick, afflicting with illness. Deuteronomy 29:22 'the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick,' Hosea 7:5 'they made themselves sick with wine,' Isaiah 53:10 'it pleased the LORD to crush him; he has made him sick.' Korean 병들게 하셨다 (caused to be sick), Arabic أَمْرَضَهُ (made him sick), Hindi बीमार कर दिया (made sick), showing transitive causative force across languages. 5×
AR["أَمْرَضَهَا","أَمْرَضَهُ","أَمْرَضْتُكِ","مَرَضُ-","مَرِضَ"]·ben["-তিনি-রোগগ্রস্ত-করেছিলেন","আরম্ভ-করেছি","দিয়েছেন-রোগ","রোগ-","শুরু-করল"]·DE["[החלו]","[החליתי]","[מחלה]","krank-sein","machte-krank"]·EN["became-sick","have-made-sick","he-made-sick","made-sick","makes-sick"]·FR["fit-sick","être-malade"]·heb["החלו","החלי","החליתי","חילה","מחלה־"]·HI["बीमार-करता-हूँ","बीमार-किया","बीमारी","रोगी-बनाया","शुरू-किया"]·ID["akan-melukai","membuat-Nya-menderita","membuat-sakit-","menjangkiti","sakit"]·IT["ammalarsi","essere-malato","fece-malato"]·jav["ndadosaken-gerah","penyakit-saking","sami-ndamel-gering","wiwit"]·KO["병-이다","병들게-하셨다","병들게-하였다","병들었느니라","아프게-하셨다"]·PT["adoece","adoeceram","adoeci","feriu","fez-adoecer"]·RU["болезнь-","заболели","начал","поразил","поразить"]·ES["enferma","enfermaron","la-enfermó","lo-enfermó","te-enfermaré"]·SW["aliitia","kumfanya-mgonjwa","linaufanya-mgonjwa","nimeanza","wameanza"]·TR["başladım","hasta-etti","hastalandırdılar","hastalığıdır-"]·urd["بیماری","دکھ-دیا","شروع-کیا","شروع-کیا-مارنا","لگائی"]
5. be harmful, be distressing — Qal feminine participle used attributively for something (situation, evil) as grievous, distressing, harmful, or painful. Ecclesiastes 5:13, 16 'a grievous evil' (רָעָה חוֹלָה), Jeremiah 4:31 uses the feminine participle possibly for labor pains or anguished distress. The grammatical form (feminine attributive) and semantic application (to abstract evils or conditions) distinguish this from the personal illness of sense 1. 3×
AR["الغِنَى","فِي-الظُّلْمَةِ","كَـ-مَاخِضَةٍ"]·ben["প্রসবমান-নারীর-মতো","যন্ত্রণাদায়ক"]·DE["[חולה]","krank-sein"]·EN["as-one-in-labor","grievous"]·FR["être-malade"]·heb["חולה","כ-חולה"]·HI["दुखदायी","पीड़िता-जैसी"]·ID["menyakitkan","seperti-perempuan-yang-melahirkan"]·IT["essere-malato"]·jav["kados-ingkang-sakit","sangsara"]·KO["병든","산고하는-여인처럼"]·PT["como-de-parturiente","doentio"]·RU["болезненное,","болезненное:","как-рожающей"]·ES["como-de-mujer-que-da-a-luz","enfermo"]·SW["kama-ya-mwanamke-anayezaa","mkubwa"]·TR["doğuran-kadın-gibi","hasta"]·urd["تکلیف-دہ","درد-زہ-کی-طرح"]
6. be wounded (passive) — Hofal passive: being severely wounded or struck down, typically in battle. 1 Kings 22:34 'I am wounded' (Ahab struck by arrow), 2 Chronicles 18:33 (parallel), 35:23 'I am badly wounded' (Josiah at Megiddo). Arabic جُرِحْتُ (I was wounded), Korean 부상당했다 (was wounded), Hindi घायल हो गया (became wounded). The passive voice and military context (arrows, battle) distinguish this specialized usage from active sickness or weakening. 3×
AR["جُرِحتُ","جُرِحْتُ"]·ben["আমি-আহত-হয়েছি","আহত-হয়েছি","আহত-হয়েছি-আমি"]·DE["[החליתי]","ich-am-wounded"]·EN["I-am-badly-wounded","I-am-wounded"]·FR["[החליתי]","je-am-wounded"]·heb["החליתי","חליתי"]·HI["घायल-हुआ-मैं","घायल-हुआ-हूँ","मैं-बहुत-घायल-हो-गया-हूँ"]·ID["aku-terluka","aku-terluka-parah"]·IT["[החליתי]","io-am-wounded"]·jav["kula-sampun-tatunipun-awrat","kula-tatu"]·KO["나는-중상입었다","내가-상처입었다","부상당했다-내가"]·PT["fui-ferido"]·RU["ранен","ранен-я","я-тяжело-ранен"]·ES["estoy-herido","estoy-muy-herido"]·SW["hacholeytiy","nimejeruhiwa"]·TR["ağır-yaralandım","yaralandım"]·urd["بیمار-ہوا-میں","زخمی-ہوا-ہوں-میں","میں-زخمی-ہوں"]
7. be weak (Nifal) — Nifal sense of being in a state of weakness or infirmity, sometimes used substantively for 'the weak ones.' Ezekiel 34:4 'you have not strengthened the weak,' 34:21 'you push all the weak with your horns,' Daniel 8:27 'I was sick for days' after the vision. Korean 약한 자들 (the weak ones), Arabic الضِّعَافَ (the weak/feeble), Hindi कमज़ोर लोग (weak people), showing both adjectival and substantival uses of the Nifal participle. 3×
AR["وَ-مَرِضْتُ","ٱلضَّعِيفَاتِ"]·ben["এবং-অসুস্থ-ছিলাম","দুর্বলদের"]·DE["[הנחלות]","[ונחליתי]"]·EN["and-was-sick","the-weak"]·FR["et-être-malade","être-malade"]·heb["ה-נחלות","ו-חליתי"]·HI["और-बीमार-रहा-मैं","तक","नहीं"]·ID["Yang-lemah","dan-sakit","yang-lemah"]·IT["ammalarsi","e-ammalarsi"]·jav["ingkang-ringkih","lan-gerah"]·KO["그-약한-것들을","그리고-아팔더라"]·PT["as-fracas","e-estive-doente"]·RU["и-болел","слабых"]·ES["Las-débiles","las-débiles","y-estuve-enfermo"]·SW["na-nikaugua","wanyonge"]·TR["ve-hasta-oldum","zayıfları"]·urd["اور-بیمار-رہا","کمزوروں-کو"]
8. feign illness, pretend sickness — Hitpael reflexive: pretending to be sick, feigning illness as a ruse or deception. All three occurrences are in 2 Samuel 13 where Amnon follows Jonadab's advice: 'lie down and pretend to be ill' (v. 5), 'he made himself ill' (v. 6). Arabic تَمَارَضَ (feigned illness), Korean 병든 체하다 (pretend to be sick), Spanish hazte enfermo (make yourself sick), showing clearly recognized deceptive/pretense semantics distinct from actual illness. 3×
AR["حَتّى مَرِضَ","وَتَمارَض","وَتَمارَضَ"]·ben["-অসুস্থ-হতে","এবং-অসুস্থ-হও","এবং-অসুস্থ-হল"]·DE["und-er-machte-sich-selbst-ill","und-mache-dich-selbst-ill","zu-mache-sich-selbst-ill"]·EN["and-he-made-himself-ill","and-make-yourself-ill","to-make-himself-ill"]·FR["et-fais-toi-même-ill","et-il-fit-lui-même-ill","à-fais-lui-même-ill"]·heb["ו-התחל","ו-יתחל","ל-התחלות"]·HI["और-बीमार-बन","और-बीमार-बना","बीमार-पड़ने-को"]·ID["dan-pura-pura-sakit","dan-pura-puralah-sakit","sampai-sakit"]·IT["a-fa-sé-stesso-ill","e-egli-fece-sé-stesso-ill","e-fa-te-stesso-ill"]·jav["lan-pura-pura-gerah","ngantos-gerah"]·KO["그리고-병들어라","그리고-병들었다","병들리기-위해"]·PT["e-finge-estar-doente","e-fingiu-estar-doente","para-adoecer"]·RU["до-болезни","и-притворился-больным","и-притворись-больным"]·ES["para-enfermarse","y-hazte-enfermo","y-se-hizo-enfermo"]·SW["kuugua","na-akajifanya-mgonjwa","na-ujifanye-mgonjwa"]·TR["hasta-olmak-için","ve-hasta-görün","ve-hasta-göründü"]·urd["اور-بیمار-بن","اور-بیمار-بنا","بیمار-ہونے-تک"]
9. grieve, suffer pain — Emotional or psychological suffering: experiencing grief, hurt, or inner pain rather than physical symptoms. 1 Samuel 22:8 'none of you grieves for me' (possibly 'is hurt/pained for me'), Psalm 77:10 'has his steadfast love ceased forever?' (verb form possibly 'my grief'), Proverbs 23:35 'when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again' (drunkard oblivious to pain). Hindi दुखी होना (be grieved), Arabic حَزِنَ (grieved), showing metaphorical extension from physical to emotional affliction. 3×
AR["أَتَأَلَّمْ","ضَعْفِي","مَرِيضٌ"]·ben["আমি-ব্যথা-পাইনি","এটা-আমার-দুর্বলতা","কষ্ট-পাচ্ছে"]·DE["[חליתי]","eins-grieving","mein-grief"]·EN["I-was-hurt","my-grief","one-grieving"]·FR["un-grieving","être-malade"]·heb["חולה","חלותי","חליתי"]·HI["खल्लोती","दुखि","लगी-चोट-मुझे"]·ID["aku-sakit","kelemahanku","yang-prihatin"]·IT["essere-malato","fu-malato","uno-grieving"]·jav["ingkang-prihatin","kasakitan-kawula","kawula-sakit"]·KO["나-의-고통-이라","아파하는-자가","아프지"]·PT["fiquei-doente","minha-dor","quem-sofre"]·RU["болеющего","заболел-я","немощь-моя"]·ES["enferme","enfermedad-de-mí","quien-sufra"]·SW["ameugua","sikuumia","udhaifu-wangu"]·TR["acıyan","hastalandım","zayıflığımdır"]·urd["درد-کھانے-والا","درد-ہوا","میری-کمزوری"]
10. be exhausted, wear oneself out — Nifal sense of becoming exhausted, wearied, or worn out through great effort, struggle, or affliction. Jeremiah 12:13 'they have wearied themselves but profit nothing,' Amos 6:6 'but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.' Korean 수고하였으나 (toiled but...), Arabic تَعِبُوا (they tired themselves), Hindi थक गए (became exhausted), showing the culmination of effort in depletion. Only 2 occurrences, suggesting specialized or figurative extension of the weakness sense. 2×
AR["تَعِبُوا","يَحْزَنونَ"]·ben["তারা-কষ্ট-পায়","সিদ্ধ-হয়নি-তারা"]·DE["[נחלו]","krank-sein"]·EN["They-have-exhausted-themselves","they-grieve"]·FR["être-malade"]·heb["נחלו","נחלוּ"]·HI["दुखी-होते","परिश्रम-किया-उन्होंने"]·ID["mereka-bersedih","mereka-berusaha"]·IT["ammalarsi","essere-malato"]·jav["piyambakipun-sami-susah","sami-sedhih"]·KO["그들이-병들었다","슬퍼하지"]·PT["cansaram-se","se-afligiram"]·RU["изнемогли","скорбят"]·ES["se-afligen","se-esforzaron"]·SW["kuhuzunika","wamechoka"]·TR["hastalandılar","çalıştılar"]·urd["غمگین-ہوتے","میراث-پائی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. חָלָה vb. be weak, sick (NH id.; Aramaic חֲלָא suffer (rare); Assyrian ḫalû, sickness, grief, DlPr 181)— Qal Pf. ח׳ 1 K 14:1 + 8 times; 2 fs. חָלִית Is 57:10; 1 s. חָלִיתִי 1 S 30:13 + 2 times; וְחָלִי֫תִי consec. Ju 16:7, 11, 17, חָלוּ֫ Je 5:3 (so read, v. infr.); Impf. וַיָּ֑חַל 2 K 1:2; Inf. sf. חֲלֹתוֹ Is 38:9; חֲלוֹתִי ψ 77:11 cf. sub Pi.; חֲלוֹתָם ψ 35:13; Pt. חֹלֶה Gn 48:1 + 6 times +…