Lexical Summary marach: To rub, to spread, to anoint Original Word: מָרַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lay for a plaster A primitive root; properly, to soften by rubbing or pressure; hence (medicinally) to apply as an emollient -- lay for a plaister. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to rub NASB Translation apply (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָרַח] verb rub (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic (Talmud) מְרַח; compare Arabic  anoint, smear); — Qal Imperfect יִשְׂאוּ דְּבֶלֶת תְּאֵנִים וְיִמְרְחוּ עַלהַֿשְּׁחִין Isaiah 38:21 let them take a cake of figs and rub it upon the eruption (שִׂים in "" 2 Kings 20:7). — On מרוח see above מֶרְחָב, מֶרְחַבְיָה see רחב. מֶרְחָק see רחק. מַרְחֶ֫שֶׁת see רחשׁ. Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrence and Context Isaiah 38:21 records the sole appearance of the term: “Now Isaiah had said, ‘Let them prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.’”. The word highlights the moment servants physically minister to King Hezekiah at the prophet’s direction, uniting ordinary treatment with extraordinary promise. Historical Background Figs were a common Near-Eastern remedy for inflammation, valued for their drawing and softening qualities. Contemporary Akkadian and Egyptian medical texts commend similar poultices, showing that Isaiah’s instruction fit the medical knowledge of the day while still resting on the Lord’s mandate for its effectiveness. Theological Significance 1. Divine sovereignty through normal means God heals by His word yet often works through created substances. The poultice does not compete with His power; it displays it (cf. 2 Kings 4:41; John 9:6). 2. Prophetic authentication The visible act becomes a sign confirming Isaiah’s message that fifteen additional years were granted to the king (Isaiah 38:5). 3. Foreshadowing sacramental reality A tangible element transmits divine blessing—a pattern later seen in Jesus’ use of mud (John 9:6) and in the church’s anointing of the sick (James 5:14). Connections with Broader Biblical Healing • Balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) — the quest for a healing salve finds fulfilment in the Lord Himself. Practical Ministry Applications • Validate medical help while praying for divine intervention. Christological Perspective Hezekiah’s deliverance through an applied remedy foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate Healer, whose own wounds secure eternal wholeness: “By His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Personal and Corporate Lessons 1. Seek God first in crisis (Isaiah 38:2-3). Though the verb surfaces only once, its narrative displays the harmonious blend of prayer, obedience, and practical care that characterises biblical healing from Genesis to Revelation. Forms and Transliterations וְיִמְרְח֥וּ וימרחו veyimreChu wə·yim·rə·ḥū wəyimrəḥūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 38:21 HEB: דְּבֶ֣לֶת תְּאֵנִ֑ים וְיִמְרְח֥וּ עַֽל־ הַשְּׁחִ֖ין NAS: of figs and apply it to the boil, KJV: of figs, and lay [it] for a plaister upon the boil, INT: A cake of figs and apply and to the boil 1 Occurrence |
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