The term "sickly" refers to a state of poor health or frequent illness. In the biblical context, sickness and health are often discussed in relation to spiritual and moral conditions, divine judgment, and God's healing power. The Bible provides numerous accounts and teachings that address the condition of being sickly, both physically and spiritually.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, sickness is sometimes portrayed as a consequence of sin or disobedience to God's commandments. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28, God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, which include various diseases and afflictions: "The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish" (Deuteronomy 28:22).

However, the Old Testament also emphasizes God's power to heal and restore. In Exodus 15:26, God declares, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commandments and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you" .

New Testament Context

The New Testament continues to address the theme of sickness, often highlighting the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus' compassion for the sick is evident in numerous accounts where He heals those suffering from various ailments. In Matthew 8:16-17, it is recorded, "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases'" .

The Apostle Paul also addresses the issue of sickness in the context of the church. In 1 Corinthians 11:30, he notes that some members of the Corinthian church are "weak and sickly" due to their improper observance of the Lord's Supper, indicating a connection between spiritual and physical health.

Spiritual Implications

Sickness in the Bible is not only a physical condition but often has spiritual implications. It can serve as a reminder of human frailty and the need for reliance on God. James 5:14-15 encourages believers to seek spiritual and physical healing through prayer and faith: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven" .

Divine Healing and Faith

The Bible consistently presents God as the ultimate healer, emphasizing the importance of faith and obedience in receiving healing. While sickness can be a trial or a consequence of sin, it is also an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power and mercy. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's sovereignty and seek His intervention through prayer, as seen in the healing miracles of Jesus and the apostles.

In summary, the biblical perspective on being sickly encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, highlighting the need for faith, repentance, and reliance on God's healing power.1. (superl.) Somewhat sick; disposed to illness; attended with disease; as, a sickly body.

2. (superl.) Producing, or tending to, disease; as, a sickly autumn; a sickly climate.

3. (superl.) Appearing as if sick; weak; languid; pale.

4. (superl.) Tending to produce nausea; sickening; as, a sickly smell; sickly sentimentality.

5. (adv.) In a sick manner or condition; ill.

6. (v. t.) To make sick or sickly; -- with over, and probably only in the past participle.

732. arrostos -- not strong, ie feeble, sickly
... not strong, ie feeble, sickly. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: arrostos
Phonetic Spelling: (ar'-hroce-tos) Short Definition: infirm, sick, ill ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/732.htm - 7k

772. asthenes -- without strength, weak
... of (). 722 () refers to a ("") - literally, "without adequate strength"
and hence ", (sickly).". Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/772.htm - 8k

3418. yereq -- green, greenness
... From yaraq (in the sense of vacuity of color); properly, pallor, ie Hence, the
yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely, verdure, ie Grass or ...
/hebrew/3418.htm - 6k

2470a. chalah -- to be weak or sick
... 1), makes the sick (1), pretend to be ill (1), pretended to be ill (1), putting
him to grief (1), serious (1), sick (13), sickliness (1), sickly (1), sorry (1 ...
/hebrew/2470a.htm - 6k

The Diverse Forms of Spiritual Sickness.
... The Apostle indeed says, writing to the Corinthians who had diverse sicknesses,
"For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." [5331 ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/24 the diverse forms of.htm

Of Certain Temptations of Satan. Instructions Relating Thereto.
... those actions are which we are to admire, and what those are which we are to imitate;
for it would be wrong in a person who is weak and sickly to undertake ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xiii of certain temptations.htm

Healing Precedes Participation in the Loaves of Jesus.
... He healed the sick, in order that, having been restored to health, they might
participate in the loaves of blessing; for while they are yet sickly, they are ...
/.../25 healing precedes participation in.htm

Letter x. The Preservation of Health.
... healthy and vigorous state. No farmer would think of employing a weak and
sickly man in his field, upon full wages. The nature of ...
/.../letter x the preservation of.htm

Wilt Thou be Made Whole?
... The prevailing feeble and sickly life is entirely owing to the lack of the apprehension
of the Divine truth, that as long as we expect Christ continually to do ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter viii wilt thou be.htm

Why the Pharisees were not a Plant of God. Teaching of Origen on ...
... this were so, it would sanctify even him who eats unworthily of the bread of the
Lord, and no one on account of this food would become weak or sickly or asleep ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/14 why the pharisees were.htm

Home as a Nursery.
... How often do ignorant and indolent parents, by giving their children over to the
care of sickly and immoral nurses, ruin forever the health and souls of their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter xiii home as a.htm

How to Make Use of Christ as the Life, when the Believer is So ...
... It is true, while the soul is in that case, it cannot act a strong and lively faith;
yet it can act a weak and a sickly faith; and a weak faith and a sickly ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xxi how to make.htm

Lovely to a Poet or an Artist's Eye is the Unevenly-Built and ...
... What have you to do with the little Fabien Doucet?"the poor child is sickly
and diseased by the will of God.". "I don't see why ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/ii lovely to a poet.htm

'As I have Loved'
... I have said that there is too much of mere sickly sentimentality about the ordinary
treatment of this great commandment, and that I desired to lift it out of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/as i have loved.htm

Sickly (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Somewhat sick; disposed to illness; attended
with disease; as, a sickly body. 2. (superl.) Producing ...
/s/sickly.htm - 7k

Sickliness (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality or state of being sickly.
Multi-Version Concordance Sickliness (1 Occurrence). Isaiah ...
/s/sickliness.htm - 6k

Weak (102 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) Wanting physical strength. 2. (vi) Deficient in
strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly; debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted. ...
/w/weak.htm - 38k

Lizard (3 Occurrences)
... called abu-brais, "father of leprosy," either on account of its supposed poisonous
qualities or because it has a semi-transparent and sickly appearance, being ...
/l/lizard.htm - 16k

Green (72 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Having a sickly color; wan. 3. (superl.) Full of life and vigor; fresh
and vigorous; new; recent; as, a green manhood; a green wound. ...
/g/green.htm - 31k

Grass (92 Occurrences)
... (2.) Hebrews deshe', green grass (Genesis 1:11, 12; Isaiah 66:14; Deuteronomy
32:2). "The sickly and forced blades of grass which spring up on the flat ...
/g/grass.htm - 43k

Invalid (3 Occurrences)
... health. 4. (n.) Not well; feeble; infirm; sickly; as, he had an invalid
daughter. 5. (vt) To make or render invalid or infirm. 6 ...
/i/invalid.htm - 7k

Temperate (6 Occurrences)
... such things as do not seem beyond right reason." Basil: "To avoid excess on both
sides, so as neither by luxury to be confused, nor, by becoming sickly, to be ...
/t/temperate.htm - 12k

Temperance (3 Occurrences)
... such things as do not seem beyond right reason." Basil: "To avoid excess on both
sides, so as neither by luxury to be confused, nor, by becoming sickly, to be ...
/t/temperance.htm - 12k

Dor (7 Occurrences)
... It is about 8 miles north of Caesarea, "a sad and sickly hamlet of wretched
huts on a naked sea-beach.". Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/d/dor.htm - 13k

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Sickly: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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