The meaning of Sore in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
sor (substantive) (negha'; helkos, verb helkoomai): In the account of the appearance of leprosy (Leviticus 13:42 f.) the spot on the skin is called by this name, which in the King James Version is translated "sore," but in the Revised Version (British and American) "plague"; similarly in the Dedication Prayer (II Chronicles 6:28 f.) the Revised Version (British and American) has altered the rendering of negha' for "sore" to "plague" as it has done also in Psalms 38:11. The word literally means a "stroke" or "blow," and so is applied to a disease or infliction from God. makkah Teriyah, in the King James Version is rendered "putrifying sores," the English Revised Version "festering sores," the American Standard Revised Version and the English Revised Version margin "fresh stripes." See STRIPES. In the only other text in the Old Testament in which "sore" is used as a substantive in the King James Version (Psalms 77:2), the word used is yadh, which literally means the "outstretched hand," hence, the Revised Version (British and American) renders the text: "My hand was stretched out in the night and slacked not." In the New Testament the ulcers on the limbs of Lazarus which were the result of poverty and hardship (Luke 16:20), and were licked by the pariah dogs (Luke 16:21), are called "sores." Sores also which are called noisome and grievous, were the result of the outpouring of the first of the seven bowls of the wrath of God (Revelation 16:2-11).
Alex. Macalister
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