pestilence

Everyday

1. (old or formal) A deadly disease that spreads quickly through many people, such as the plague. tree →
2. (Bible) One of the disasters sent as punishment or warning, as in the plagues of Egypt; the rider "Pestilence" of the Book of Revelation. tree →
3. Something that is very harmful or annoying (old use). tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, the Black Death of 1347-1351 was a pestilence that killed huge numbers of people in Europe. In Bible lessons and old stories, pestilence goes together with famine and war. The modern word is "epidemic" or "pandemic".

Examples

• The pestilence swept through the town in 1665. tree →
• In the Bible, pestilence and famine are warnings. tree →
• The Black Death was a terrible pestilence. tree →
• People fled the city to escape the pestilence. tree →
• Rats and fleas helped spread the pestilence. tree →
• Old prayers asked God to keep people safe from pestilence. tree →
• But at last the gods afflicted the country with a grievous pestilence, which made terrible havoc among the people. tree →

Note

Old-fashioned and formal; modern words: plague, epidemic, pandemic. Related: pest, pesticide. Pronounced "PES-ti-lunce".

In Jewish tradition

It is one of the plagues in Egypt, and a threat in the warnings of what happens if Israel breaks the covenant. The prophets and psalms picture it as a messenger that walks before God or in the dark, and it struck Israel after David counted the people.

Interpretation. Tradition reads such sickness as a call to turn back to God, and in Numbers Moses pleads and God forgives the people. The psalm's pestilence in darkness is read as a danger from which those who trust in God are protected.

Examples

• I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.' (Torah NUM.14.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth. (Torah EXO.9.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• The LORD will make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until He have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest in to possess it. (Torah DEU.28.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• Before him goeth the pestilence, and fiery bolts go forth at His feet. (Prophets HAB.3.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• Of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (Writings PSA.91.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. (Writings 1CH.21.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Old-fashioned and formal; modern words: plague, epidemic, pandemic. Related: pest, pesticide. Pronounced "PES-ti-lunce".

Early Modern English

Meaning

A deadly disease that spreads quickly among many people, such as the plague. tree →

Then and now

Old or formal word; today we usually say plague or epidemic, so the old word is used here.

Examples

• I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.' (Torah NUM.14.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) tree →
• Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth. (Torah EXO.9.15, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Today: plague, deadly disease.