Pestilence (Hastings' Dictionary)
A general term used for fatal sickness sent as a Divine judgment, but apperense not employed as the name of a spe- cific disease. It occurs 28 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel ; in all but one instance (Jer 915) coupled with other calamities, usually famine and sword, or evil beasts.
It is em needa Ex δῆ 9", Lv 267, Nu 14%, Dt 287 in the same sense, as also in Solomon’s dedication prayer (1 K 8, 2 Ch 6), in response to which God promised to hear and answer i eb for the removal of His judgments if offered with repentance in the place in which His name was worshipped (see 2 7% 009), It is used for the epidemic which followed David's numbering the people, 2S 24'! (1 Ch 214%), here being a synonym of ‘plague.
’ Habakkuk speaks of pesti- lence as preceding the march of God when He visits the earth in judgment (3°), and in Am 4° it is used for the plagues, or diseases, of Egypt.
The pestilences from which God’s people are protected are called ‘noisome’ and ‘ ralving in darkness’ (Ps 91 ), Deber is the word which is translated ‘ murrain in the Egyptian plague (Ex 95); and probably itis in this sense that the word is used in Ps 78”, where the context favours the marginal reading ‘ gave their beasts to the murrain,’ rather than that of the text ‘ gave their life to the pestilence.’ In NT ‘pestilences’ occurs twice in AV as the tr.
of λοιμοί in the parallel passages Mt 24", Lk 21", in both of which it is Faapled with ‘famine.” This paromoiosis of λιμοὶ καὶ λοιμοί is used by classical authors as in Hesiod, Op. et Di. i. 241 (a fine which may be an ancient interpolation, as A®schines omits it in CtesipA. 137); also in Herodotus, vii. 171, viii. 115; Plutarch, Coriol. xiii. ; Clement of Alexandria quotes this phrase as it occurs in the Sibylline verses. See Wakefield, Silva Critica, v. 39; Field, ad loc.
The fulfilment of the prophecy J. HASTINGS. Τοῦ PETER (SIMON) is recorded in Jos. BJ vi. ix. 3. RV (following Lach., Treg., WH) omits ‘ pestilence’ in Mt. See, further, MEDICINE, p. 324. A. MACALISTER.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Pestilence
Pestilence pes'-ti-lens (debher; loimos): Any sudden fatal epidemic is designated by this word, and in its Biblical use it generally indicates that these are divine visitations. The word is most frequently used in the prophetic books, and it occurs 25 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, always associated with the sword and famine. In 4 other passages it is combined with noisome or evil beasts, or war. In Am 4:10 this judgment is compared with the plagues of Egypt, and in Hab 3:5 it is a concomitant of the march of God from the Arabian mountain. There is the same judicial character associated with pestilence in Ex 5:3; 9:15; Le 26:25; Nu 14:12; De 28:21; 2Sa 24:21; 1Ch 21:12; Eze 14:19,21. In the dedication prayer of Solomon, a special value is besought for such petitions against pestilence as may be presented toward the temple (2Ch 6:28). Such a deliverance is promised to those who put their trust in God (Ps 91:6). Here the pestilence is called noisome, a shortened form of "annoysome," used in the sense of "hateful" or that which causes trouble or distress. In modern English it has acquir…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia