What does מַכָּה (makāh) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew noun makkah can name a blow, wound, injury, plague, or severe defeat. Narratives use it for battlefield loss and a king's wound.
Hebrew · H4347
מַכָּה
A blow (in 2 Chronicles 2:10, of the flail); by implication, a wound ; figuratively, carnage , also pestilence
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מַכָּהH4347
Pronunciationmakāh
What does מַכָּה (makāh) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew noun makkah can name a blow, wound, injury, plague, or severe defeat. Narratives use it for battlefield loss and a king's wound.
Reader summary
Full entry for מַכָּה (H4347) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4347?
The BSB source-word alignment has 48 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include slaughter (5), . . . (4), blow (4), her wounds (3), the wounds (3).
Where does מַכָּה (makāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 26:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (10), 1 Samuel (7), Deuteronomy (6), Isaiah (5).
What This Word Actually Means
The Hebrew noun makkah can name a blow, wound, injury, plague, or severe defeat. Narratives use it for battlefield loss and a king's wound. Covenant warnings use it for devastating plagues, while prophets speak of wounds that appear incurable as images of communal ruin and judgment. Wisdom can refer to blows that leave visible injury. The noun's broad range does not make every illness a divine plague, every defeat a moral verdict, or every wound suitable for discipline.
When Scripture describes an event as judgment, that conclusion comes from the passage's revealed setting, not from the word alone. Physical violence, disease, trauma, and social collapse require different responses. Responsible teaching uses non-graphic language, attends to who caused and suffered harm, and refuses to romanticize pain. It does not authorize corporal punishment, domestic violence, coercive discipline, medical neglect, or predictions that a present disaster reveals specific hidden sin.
Lament about an incurable wound expresses severity and need; it is not a clinical prognosis that should discourage treatment, protection, or hope.
How the Bible Uses It
Makkah describes blows, wounds, plagues, and defeats in narrative, covenant warning, wisdom, and prophecy. Cause, scale, and literary framing control whether the injury is physical, communal, or figurative.
- 1Kgs.22.35
The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
Ahab remains propped in his chariot during battle while his wound continues bleeding before his death.
- 1Sam.19.8
When war broke out again, David went out and fought the Philistines and struck them with such a mighty blow that they fled before him.
David fights the Philistines and strikes them with a great blow, causing them to flee.
- Deut.28.59
He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses.
The covenant warning announces extraordinary and prolonged plagues for persistent covenant disobedience.
- Mic.1.9
For her wound is incurable; it has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself.
Micah describes Samaria's wound as incurable and its judgment as reaching Judah and Jerusalem.
- Nah.3.19
There is no healing for your injury; your wound is severe. All who hear the news of you applaud your downfall, for who has not experienced your constant cruelty?
Nahum tells Nineveh there is no healing for its wound as nations celebrate the end of cruelty.
- Prov.20.30
Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
A wisdom saying speaks of blows and beatings in relation to removing evil and inner correction.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itslaughter5×Joshua 10:10, Joshua 10:20, Judges 15:8, 1 Samuel 6:19
. . .4×Deuteronomy 25:3, Deuteronomy 28:59, Esther 9:5, Jeremiah 30:14
blow4×Judges 11:33, 1 Samuel 19:8, 1 Samuel 23:5, 2 Chronicles 13:17
her wounds3×Jeremiah 19:8, Jeremiah 49:17, Jeremiah 50:13
the wounds3×2 Kings 8:29, 2 Kings 9:15, 2 Chronicles 22:6
The slaughter2×1 Samuel 4:10, 1 Samuel 14:30
your wound2×Jeremiah 30:12, Nahum 3:19
and beatings1×Proverbs 20:30
and my wound1×Jeremiah 15:18
and plague1×Deuteronomy 28:61
and wounds1×Jeremiah 6:7
as He struck1×Isaiah 27:7
as when He struck1×Isaiah 10:26
assault1×1 Samuel 14:14
blows1×Isaiah 14:6
disasters1×Deuteronomy 28:59
force1×2 Chronicles 28:5
from his wound1×1 Kings 22:35
He has inflicted1×Isaiah 30:26
her wound1×Micah 1:9
my wound1×Jeremiah 10:19
of ground1×2 Chronicles 2:10
of plagues1×1 Samuel 4:8
plague1×Numbers 11:33
plagues1×Deuteronomy 28:59
sores1×Isaiah 1:6
the plagues1×Deuteronomy 29:22
wound1×Jeremiah 14:17
wounded1×Psalms 64:7
wounds1×Zechariah 13:6
your plagues1×Leviticus 26:21
your wounds1×Jeremiah 30:17
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 26:21מַכָּ֔הtoyour plaguesNoun - feminine singularNumbers 11:33מַכָּ֖הtoplagueNoun - feminine singularDeuteronomy 25:3מַכָּ֣הto. . .Noun - feminine singularDeuteronomy 28:59מַכֹּ֣תְךָ֔todisastersNoun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:59מַכּ֤וֹתto. . .Noun - feminine plural constructDeuteronomy 28:59מַכּ֣וֹתtoplaguesNoun - feminine plural constructDeuteronomy 28:61מַכָּ֔הtoand plagueNoun - feminine singularDeuteronomy 29:22מַכּ֞וֹתtothe plaguesNoun - feminine plural constructJoshua 10:10מַכָּֽה־toslaughterNoun - feminine singularJoshua 10:20מַכָּ֥הtoslaughterNoun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 26:21
Aligned rows48
Books represented17
Leviticus1Numbers1Deuteronomy6Joshua2Judges21 Samuel71 Kings22 Kings22 Chronicles4Esther1Psalms1Proverbs1Isaiah5Jeremiah10Micah1Nahum1Zechariah1
Source forms
מַכָּ֖ה5xmak·kāhNumbers 11:33, Judges 11:33, 1 Samuel 4:8, 1 Samuel 14:30
מַכָּ֣ה5xmak·kāhDeuteronomy 25:3, Judges 15:8, 1 Samuel 19:8, 1 Samuel 23:5
מַכָּ֥ה4xmak·kāhJoshua 10:20, 1 Samuel 6:19, 1 Kings 20:21, 2 Chronicles 28:5
הַמַּכִּים֙3xham·mak·kîm2 Kings 8:29, 2 Kings 9:15, 2 Chronicles 22:6
הַמַּכָּ֖ה2xham·mak·kāh1 Samuel 4:10, 1 Kings 22:35
מַכָּ֔ה2xmak·kāhLeviticus 26:21, Deuteronomy 28:61
הַכְּמַכַּ֥ת1xhak·kə·mak·kaṯIsaiah 27:7
הַמַּכָּ֣ה1xham·mak·kāh1 Samuel 14:14
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular17xLeviticus 26:21, Numbers 11:33, Deuteronomy 25:3, Deuteronomy 28:61
Article | Noun - feminine plural4x2 Kings 8:29, 2 Kings 9:15, 2 Chronicles 22:6, Zechariah 13:6
Noun - feminine plural construct4xDeuteronomy 28:59, Deuteronomy 29:22, 2 Chronicles 2:10
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular4xJeremiah 19:8, Jeremiah 49:17, Jeremiah 50:13, Micah 1:9
Article | Noun - feminine singular3x1 Samuel 4:10, 1 Samuel 14:14, 1 Kings 22:35
Noun - feminine singular construct3xEsther 9:5, Isaiah 14:6, Jeremiah 30:14
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular2xIsaiah 1:6, Jeremiah 6:7
Article, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct1xIsaiah 27:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Serious injury, heavy bleeding, altered consciousness, severe pain, breathing difficulty, or signs of shock require prompt emergency help.
- Reports of inflicted injury require safety planning, appropriate documentation, qualified care, and applicable safeguarding or legal reporting.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that makkah reveals the spiritual cause, prognosis, or deservedness of a modern wound or illness.
- Do not claim that biblical battle or discipline language authorizes domestic, institutional, or retaliatory violence.
- Do not claim that prophetic incurability overrides medical evidence, prayerful hope, or responsible treatment.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical violence expanding into divine judgment: blow becomes plague, wound becomes pestilence, stroke becomes covenant curse
Source Gloss
a blow (in 2 Chronicles 2:10, of the flail); by implication, a wound ; figuratively, carnage , also pestilence
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical violence expanding into divine judgment: blow becomes plague, wound becomes pestilence, stroke becomes covenant curse
a blow (in 2 Chronicles 2:10, of the flail); by implication, a wound; figuratively, carnage, also pestilence BDB: blow Usage: beaten, blow, plague, slaughter, smote, × sore, stripe, stroke, wound(-ed).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Physical injury or trauma, used metaphorically for spiritual devastation and mourning
Severe injury depicting judgment and affliction, with promise of healing and restoration
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 48 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מַכָּה is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Makkah names harm without supplying a universal explanation for it. Ahab's battlefield wound belongs to a narrative that has already interpreted his conduct and prophetic warning. David's blow against the Philistines concerns warfare in Samuel's story. Deuteronomy's plagues stand within covenant sanctions addressed to Israel, while Micah and Nahum use wound language to portray public judgment and the collapse of violent powers.
None of these occurrences allows a teacher to look at a present illness, injury, disability, war loss, or natural disaster and announce its divine cause. Proverbs 20:30 contains severe discipline imagery that must be read as ancient wisdom rhetoric, not a safeguarding policy or permission to strike children, spouses, congregants, employees, or detainees. Faithful teaching can acknowledge that violence and judgment are real biblical subjects while refusing fascination with injury.
It protects those harmed, pursues truthful accountability, and supports appropriate care. Prophetic descriptions of an incurable wound announce the gravity of a named historical judgment; they do not make clinicians, pastors, or families surrender hope or withhold treatment from a person with a difficult condition.
Anchor passage
Mic.1.9
Doctrinal connections
- Ahab's wound occurs within a narrative of rejected prophetic truth and accountable kingship.
- Battlefield defeat reveals human vulnerability without making every military victor morally righteous.
- Deuteronomy's plague warnings belong to Israel's covenant sanctions and cannot be casually reassigned.
- Micah uses wound imagery to communicate the breadth and severity of judgment reaching Jerusalem.
- Nahum's incurable wound concerns the downfall of an oppressive imperial power and relief for those harmed.
- Wisdom's severe correction imagery must be received under Scripture's wider demands for justice and protection.
Makkah is a Hebrew noun derived from striking vocabulary and can denote a blow, wound, plague, slaughter, or defeat. Number, modifiers, the affected party, and narrative or prophetic context establish scale and whether the use is literal or figurative.
From Old to New Testament
The New Testament narrates wounds, beatings, illness, persecution, warfare imagery, discipline, and final judgment with different terms. Canonical comparison can address suffering and accountability without treating makkah as a diagnosis of every later wound.