מַחֲלוּי

# מַחֲלוּי (machluy): A Rare Hebrew Term for Suffering The Hebrew word *machluy* (H4251) carries the meaning of "suffering" and appears only once in the biblical text. This singular occurrence makes it a hapax legomenon—a word that appears nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible. The rarity of this term distinguishes it from more common Hebrew words for suffering and pain, suggesting it may have been chosen deliberately for a specific rhetorical or theological purpose by its author. The limited data available prevents a comprehensive analysis of the word's full semantic range or its relationship to similar suffering-related terms in biblical Hebrew. A single occurrence provides minimal context for determining whether *machluy* carried specialized connotations, regional associations, or particular nuances that differentiated it from other suffering terms. Without additional uses or comparative textual evidence, scholars can only confirm that the word denotes the general concept of suffering, leaving its precise theological or emotional weight within biblical discourse largely uncertain.