Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Description:Boils are painful, pus-filled bumps that form under the skin when bacteria infect and inflame one or more hair follicles or oil glands. In biblical times, boils were considered a severe affliction and often seen as a manifestation of divine judgment or a test of faith.
Biblical References:1.
The Plague of Boils in Egypt: In the book of Exodus, boils are described as one of the ten plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. The plague of boils is the sixth plague and is described in
Exodus 9:8-11. God instructs Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of soot from a furnace and scatter it toward the sky in the presence of Pharaoh. This soot becomes fine dust over the land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals throughout the land. The magicians of Egypt were unable to stand before Moses because of the boils, as they too were afflicted. This plague demonstrated the power of God over the Egyptian deities and the impotence of Pharaoh's magicians.
Exodus 9:10-11 : "So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on man and beast. The magicians could not stand before Moses because the boils had afflicted them and all the Egyptians."
2.Job's Suffering:
The account of Job is another significant biblical account involving boils. Job, a man described as blameless and upright, is afflicted with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head as part of a test of his faithfulness to God. Despite his intense suffering and the urging of his wife to curse God and die, Job remains steadfast in his faith, refusing to sin with his lips. This account is found inJob 2:7-8.
Job 2:7-8 : "So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes."
3.Hezekiah's Illness:
In2 Kings 20:1-7, King Hezekiah falls ill with a life-threatening boil. The prophet Isaiah tells him to set his house in order because he will not recover. However, Hezekiah prays earnestly to the Lord, and God hears his prayer, granting him an additional fifteen years of life. Isaiah instructs that a poultice of figs be applied to the boil, and Hezekiah recovers. This account highlights the power of prayer and God's mercy in response to sincere supplication.
2 Kings 20:7 : "Then Isaiah said, 'Prepare a poultice of figs.' So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and he recovered."
Theological Significance:
In the biblical context, boils are often associated with divine judgment, testing, and healing. They serve as a reminder of human frailty and the need for reliance on God's power and mercy. The accounts of boils in the Bible illustrate themes of faith, repentance, and the sovereignty of God over human affairs. These narratives encourage believers to trust in God's wisdom and timing, even amidst suffering and trials.Topical Bible Verses
2 Kings 20:7
And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
Topicalbible.orgJob 2:8
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself with; and he sat down among the ashes.
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Leviticus 13:18-23
The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
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Exodus 9:10
And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains on man, and on beast.
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Strong's Hebrew
76. ababuah -- blisters,boils... 75, 76. ababuah. 77 . blisters,
boils. Transliteration: ababuah Phonetic
Spelling: (ab-ah-boo-aw') Short Definition: sores. Word
...7822. shechin -- a boil, eruption
... 7821b, 7822. shechin. 7823 . a boil, eruption. Transliteration: shechin
Phonetic Spelling: (shekh-een') Short Definition:boils....
7280. raga' -- to disturb
... A primitive root; properly, to toss violently and suddenly (the sea with waves,
the skin withboils); figuratively (in a favorable manner) to settle, ie Quiet...
Library
Snake-Worship.
... When I was about eleven years old, my brothers and sisters were suffering fromboils,
and my parents asked a fortune-teller what they should do to get rid of...
The Ark among the Philistines
... Jehovah severely punished the people of Ashdod, for he punished them withboils....
Then Jehovah punished the men of that city, both young and old, withboils....
The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly
... made him humble. Job was a spectacle of misery; he lost all that ever he
had; he abounded only inboils and ulcers. This was sad...
Money for Postage.
... That sickness left me with a bad humor, which, for two years, kept me covered with
boils. When theboils disappeared, the trouble was internal....
The Sorrowful Man's Question
... midst of their joys. Then as if that was not trial enough, Job was himself
smitten from head to foot with soreboils. If you have...
The Plagues of Egypt
... And this extreme cleanliness of theirs the next plague struck at; they were covered
withboils and diseases of skin, and the magicians could not stand before...
The Resurrection
... of the old world, who are kept in the place of departed souls"most likely in the
depths of the earth, in the great fire-kingdom, whichboils and flames miles...
Obedience
... Romans 12:11. Quae ebullit prae ardore. As water thatboils over; so the heart
must boil over with hot affections in the service of God....
'the Angel Adjutant'
... I saw many children with sores andboils; I saw some children whose eyes
looked out at me from a face that was nothing but a scab....
The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
... know that there is none like me in all the earth.' The cattle and sheep shall be
destroyed with murrain; man and beast shall be tormented withboils and blains...
Thesaurus
Boils (6 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Boils (6 Occurrences). Exodus 9:9 It shall become
small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a
...Boil (29 Occurrences)
... and rising of bubbles of steam (or vapor), or of currents produced by heating it
to the boiling point; to be in a state of ebullition; as, the waterboils....
Plagues (28 Occurrences)
... PHENOMENA 1. Water Turned to Blood 2. The Plague of Frogs 3. The Plague of Lice
4. The Plague of Flies 5. The Plague of Murrain 6. The Plague ofBoils 7. The...
Festering (7 Occurrences)
... Exodus 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a
boil breaking forth withboils on man and on animal, throughout all the land...
Magicians (16 Occurrences)
... Exodus 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of theboils;
for theboils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians....
Blisters (2 Occurrences)
... Exodus 9:9 And it shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall become
boils on man and on cattle, breaking out with blisters, throughout the...
Breaking (69 Occurrences)
... Exodus 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a
boil breaking forth withboils on man and on animal, throughout all the land...
Sores (16 Occurrences)
... Exodus 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a
boil breaking forth withboils on man and on animal, throughout all the land...
Couldn't (6 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Exodus 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of theboils;
for theboils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians. (WEB)....
Egyptians (108 Occurrences)
... (See RSV NIV). Exodus 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of
theboils; for theboils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians....
Resources
What were the emerods God afflicted the Philistines with in 1 Samuel 5? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Divine Command Theory? | GotQuestions.orgBoils: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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