Plaster (2)
Hezekiah's Illness and Healing
The medicinal use of plaster in the Bible appears in Isaiah 38:21, where the prophet Isaiah instructed that a cake of figs be applied to King Hezekiah's boil. Hezekiah had been struck with a life-threatening illness, and God had initially told him through Isaiah that he would die (Isaiah 38:1). After Hezekiah's fervent prayer, God granted him fifteen additional years of life (Isaiah 38:5). The fig plaster was prescribed as part of the healing process, combining divine intervention with a natural remedy.
The Fig Poultice
The Hebrew word marach in Isaiah 38:21 refers to the act of rubbing or spreading a substance on the skin — essentially, applying a plaster or poultice. The prescribed remedy was a cake of pressed figs (develah) laid directly on the infected boil. This was not mere folk medicine; figs were well known in the ancient world for their medicinal properties. The parallel account in 2 Kings 20:7 records the same instruction, confirming that the fig plaster was applied and Hezekiah recovered.
Ancient Medical Knowledge
The use of figs as a poultice has remarkable parallels in ancient medical literature. The Papyrus Ebers, an Egyptian medical text dating to around 1550 BC, lists figs as ingredients in various plasters and poultices. The Greek physician Dioscorides (first century AD) also recommended figs combined with other substances for treating skin conditions. Modern research has confirmed that figs contain enzymes with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, suggesting genuine therapeutic value behind the ancient practice.
Faith and Medicine Together
Hezekiah's healing is a powerful example of how Scripture presents divine healing and natural medicine as complementary rather than contradictory. God promised to heal Hezekiah and confirmed the promise with a miraculous sign — turning the shadow on the sundial back ten steps (Isaiah 38:8). Yet he also directed the use of a fig plaster, a practical medical treatment. This pattern appears elsewhere in Scripture: Jesus made mud with saliva to heal a blind man (John 9:6), and Paul advised Timothy to "use a little wine for your stomach" (1 Timothy 5:23).
The Significance of the Boil
The exact nature of Hezekiah's boil is uncertain. The Hebrew word shechin refers to an inflamed sore or ulcer, the same word used for the boils of the sixth plague in Egypt (Exodus 9:9-11) and for Job's affliction (Job 2:7). In Hezekiah's case, the boil was severe enough to be life-threatening. Its healing through prayer, prophetic intervention, and medicine became part of Hezekiah's testimony of praise (Isaiah 38:10-20).
Lessons from the Plaster
The fig plaster applied to Hezekiah teaches that God works through both supernatural and natural means. Seeking medical treatment is not a failure of faith, nor does faith eliminate the value of practical remedies. The combination of Hezekiah's prayer, God's promise, and the fig poultice models a holistic approach to healing that honors both God's sovereignty and the creation he has provided for human benefit.
Biblical Context
The medicinal plaster appears in Isaiah 38:21 and 2 Kings 20:7 in the account of Hezekiah's healing. A fig cake was applied to the king's boil after God promised to extend his life by fifteen years. The incident is part of the broader narrative of Hezekiah's reign and his relationship with the prophet Isaiah.
Theological Significance
The fig plaster demonstrates that God works through natural means alongside supernatural intervention. Hezekiah's healing combined fervent prayer, prophetic promise, and practical medicine, modeling a biblical approach that honors both faith and the created order. It also illustrates God's compassion in responding to sincere prayer.
Historical Background
Figs were widely used as medicinal poultices in the ancient Near East. The Papyrus Ebers from Egypt (c. 1550 BC) prescribes figs in several plaster formulations. Dioscorides and Pliny also noted the therapeutic properties of figs. Modern analysis confirms figs contain ficin and other enzymes with anti-inflammatory properties, validating their ancient medical use.