Dictionary Article

Derivative of a Hebrew word referring to a contagious epidemic disease of devastating proportions. Pestilence is never portrayed in the Bible as an aimless, naturally occurring phenomenon. It is always regarded as a judgment or punishment sent by God.

Pestilence was one form of chastisement brought upon Israel for neglect of her covenant obligations (Lv 26:25; Dt 28:21). This is the reason for the frequent use of the word by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel. These prophets were prosecuting God’s covenant lawsuit against his people. The sentence had been determined, and they announced that its infliction was impending. For this reason, pestilence almost always occurs as part of a list of scourges, such as the formula “sword, famine and pestilence” used throughout Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jer 14:12, etc.). Because pestilence is a punishment for sin, it is not applied indiscriminately upon all. The one who remains faithful will be protected from its effects (Ps 91:1-3). The enemies of Israel could also be objects of this form of judgment (Ps 78:50; Ez 28:23; 38:22).

Show passage in OET: LEV 26:25

OET-RV LEV 26:25

25 I’ll send armies against you all to avenge the breaking of our agreement. You’ll be shut into your cities where I’ll send diseases in for you all, and allow your enemies to defeat you.

OET-LV LEV 26:25

25 And_I _will _bring on_you(pl) a _sword which _will_avenge vengeance _of a _covenant and_you(pl)_will _gather to cities _of_your(pl) and_I _will _send a _pestilence among_you(pl) and_you(pl)_will _be _given in_the_hand _of an _enemy.

Show passage in OET: DEU 28:21

OET-RV DEU 28:21

21 Yahweh will make the deadly disease cling to you until he’s finished you from off the land that you’re about to enter and take ownership of.

OET-LV DEU 28:21

21 YHWH he _will _make _cling to_you DOM (the)_pestilence until he_has _destroyed you from_under the_soil where you are_about _to _go to_(to) to_take_possession _of _it.

Show passage in OET: JER 14:12

OET-RV JER 14:12

12 because even if they fast, I won’t listen to their petition, and when they offer up a burnt offering and a grain offering, I won’t be accepting them, because I’m bringing an end to them by the sword, and famine, and disease.”

OET-LV JER 14:12

12 If/because they _will _fast not_I will _be_listening to of _entreaty _of_their _cry and_because/when they _will _offer _up a _burnt _offering and_a _grain _offering not_I will _of_be_accepting _them if/because by_sword and_by_famine and_by_pestilence I will _be_bringing _to _an _end them.

Show passage in OET: PSA 91:1–3

OET-RV PSA 91:1

91 Anyone who stays where they’re sheltered by the highest one,
⇔ ≈ will be able to rest safely in the powerful one’s shadow.

OET-RV PSA 91:2

2 I will tell people that Yahweh is my safe place and my fortress,
⇔ ≈ my god that I’ll put my trust in.

OET-RV PSA 91:3

3 He will keep you safe from the hunter’s traps,
⇔ ≈ and from deadly diseases.

OET-LV PSA 91:1

91 one _who_dwells in_the _shelter _of the _Most _High in_the _shadow _of the_almighty he _will _lodge.

OET-LV PSA 91:2

2 I _will _say to/for_YHWH refuge _of_my and_stronghold _of_my god _of_my whom_I _trust in/on/over_him/it.

OET-LV PSA 91:3

3 If/because he he_will _deliver _you from_the_snare _of a _fowler from_a _plague _of destruction(s).

Show passage in OET: PSA 78:50

OET-RV PSA 78:50

50 He levelled a path for his anger.
⇔ He didn’t spare them from death
⇔ but allowed deadly disease to ravage them.

OET-LV PSA 78:50

50 He _made _level a _path for_anger _of_his not he _kept _back from_death life _of_their and_life _of_their to_pestilence he _delivered _up.

Show passage in OET: EZE 28:23

OET-RV EZE 28:23

23 I’ll send a deadly disease to afflict you, and there’ll be blood in your streets, and people will fall dead all around you. When the sword comes against you from all around, then you’ll know that I am Yahweh.

OET-LV EZE 28:23

23 And_I _will _send on_it a _pestilence and_blood in_streets _of_its and_ the_slain _it _will _fall in_the _midst _of_of _it by_the_sword on/upon_it(f) from_round _about and_they _will _know if/because _that I am_YHWH.

Show passage in OET: EZE 38:22

OET-RV EZE 38:22

22 Then I’ll punish Gog with deadly diseases and bloodshed, as well as overwhelming rain and hailstones and burning sulfur that I’ll rain down on him and his troops and the many nations that joined with him.

OET-LV EZE 38:22

22 And_I _will _enter _into _judgement with_him/it by_pestilence and_by_blood and_rain overflowing and_stones _of hail fire and_sulfur I _will _rain _down on/upon/above_him/it and_on troops _of_his and_on peoples many which with_him/it.

Jump to OET LEV 26:25 section.

Jump to OET DEU 28:21 section.

Jump to OET JER 14:12 section.

Jump to OET PSA 91:1–3 section.

Jump to OET PSA 78:50 section.

Jump to OET EZE 28:23 section.

Jump to OET EZE 38:22 section.

Pestilence is not identical with plague in the OT. Plague often denotes such diseases as bubonic plague, measles, and smallpox, whereas pestilence might refer to cholera, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery—diseases often afflicting a city under siege. There is some overlap in the terms, however. The death of 70,000 Israelites after David’s census is an example of the severity and virulence of this form of divine chastisement (2 Sm 24:13-15).

Show passage in OET: SA2 24:13–15

OET-RV SA2 24:13

13 Then Gad asked him, “Do you want seven years of famine in your country, or three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of deadly disease in your country? Consider those and let me know which option to pass back to the one who sent me.”

OET-RV SA2 24:14

14 David answered Gad, “This is very distressing, but please let Yahweh be the one to punish me because he’s very merciful—don’t let other men be the ones.”

OET-RV SA2 24:15

15 So Yahweh sent a deadly disease to Yisrael (Israel) from the morning and until the time he’d decided. Seventy thousand people died from Dan in the north down to Be’er -Sheva (Beersheba) in the south.

OET-LV SA2 24:13

13 And_ Gād _he _went to Dāvid and_he _told to_him/it and_he/it _said to_him/it will_it _come to/for_yourself(m) seven years famine in_land _of_your or three months fleeing_your to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before foes _of_your and_he will _of_be_pursuing _you and_if to _be three _of days pestilence in_land _of_your now know and_see what will _I _bring _back the_one _of_who_sent _me message.

OET-LV SA2 24:14

14 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said to Gād it _is _distress to_me exceedingly let _us _fall please in_the _hand _of YHWH if/because are_great his and_in_the _hand _of a _human not let _me _fall.

OET-LV SA2 24:15

15 And_ YHWH _he/it _gave a _pestilence on_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) from_the_morning and_unto a _time _of an _appointed _time and_he/it _died of the_people from_Dān and_unto Bəʼēr Sheⱱaˊ seventy thousand person[s].

Jump to OET SA2 24:13–15 section.

The Greek word loimos occurs three times in the NT. In Acts 24:5 (KJB) Tertullus used this term as a derogatory description of Paul—“a pestilent fellow.” Jesus predicted that the destruction of the temple would be preceded by several judgments, including pestilence or plague (Lk 21:11).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary