The Hebrew word maggephah means plague, pestilence, or a great slaughter. It derives from the root nagaph (H5062, to strike or smite) and refers to a divinely sent calamity or a devastating defeat in battle. The word appears approximately 26 times in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, maggephah is consistently connected with divine judgment. Whether it is the plague that struck Israel after the golden calf incident, the pestilence following David's census, or the defeat at Ai due to Achan's sin, this word signals that God acts decisively against rebellion and disobedience. Yet even in judgment, the plagues are often halted through intercession and repentance, revealing God's mercy alongside His justice.