קַדַּחַת
inflammation, i.e. febrile disease
Definition
The Hebrew noun קַדַּחַת (qaddachath) refers to a severe, burning fever or inflammatory disease. It describes a febrile illness characterized by intense heat and inflammation in the body. In its two biblical occurrences, it is listed among other physical afflictions as a specific form of divine judgment for covenant disobedience. The term conveys a sense of a consuming, fiery sickness.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in two parallel passages within the legal sections of the Torah, specifically in the lists of curses for breaking God's covenant. It appears in Leviticus 26:16 and Deuteronomy 28:22. In both contexts, it is grouped with other agricultural and bodily disasters, such as consumption (shachepheth, H7829) and drought. The pattern is clear: it is a specific, divinely-sent physical malady used as a covenantal sanction.
Etymology
The noun קַדַּחַת (qaddachath) is derived from the root verb קָדַח (qadach, H6919), which means 'to kindle, burn, or be hot.' This root connection directly informs the word's meaning, emphasizing the burning, feverish quality of the disease. The noun form specifically denotes the state or condition of burning.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is directly tied to the covenant relationship between God and Israel. It is not presented as a random illness but as a specific consequence for national unfaithfulness, illustrating the principle that breaking God's law has tangible, physical repercussions. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of the covenant curses by highlighting the severe and 'burning' nature of this particular judgment, underscoring the seriousness with which God views the covenant.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, fevers and inflammatory diseases were often mysterious, terrifying, and potentially fatal. Lacking modern medicine, such conditions were seen as powerful acts of divine agency, either for judgment or testing. Listing this specific disease among covenant curses would have resonated deeply as a tangible and dreadful sign of God's withdrawn blessing and active displeasure.
שַׁחֶפֶת (shachepheth, H7829) — A 'wasting' or 'consumption' disease, often paired with קַדַּחַת; it emphasizes decay and emaciation, while קַדַּחַת emphasizes burning heat.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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