# afflict, affliction, distress

## Definition:

The term “afflict” means to cause someone distress or suffering. An “affliction” is the disease, emotional grief, or other disaster that results from this.

* Sometimes God afflicted his people with sickness or other hardships with the intention for them to repent of their sins and turn back to him.
* God caused afflictions or plagues to come on the people of Egypt because their king refused to obey God.
* To “be afflicted with” means to suffer from some kind of distress, such as a disease, persecution, or emotional grief.

## Translation Suggestions:

* To "afflict" someone could be translated as “cause someone to experience troubles” or “cause someone to suffer” or “cause suffering to come.”
* A phrase like “afflict someone with leprosy” could be translated as “cause someone to be sick with leprosy.”
* When a disease or disaster is sent to “afflict” people or animals, this could be translated as “cause suffering to.”
* Depending on the context, the term “affliction” could be translated as “calamity” or “sickness” or “suffering” or “great distress.”
* The phrase “afflicted with” could also be translated as “suffering from” or “sick with.”

(See also: [leprosy](../other/leprosy.md), [plague](../other/plague.md), [suffer](../other/suffer.md))

## Bible References:

* [2 Thessalonians 01:06](rc://en/tn/help/2th/01/06)
* [Amos 05:12](rc://en/tn/help/amo/05/12)
* [Colossians 01:24](rc://en/tn/help/col/01/24)
* [Exodus 22:22-24](rc://en/tn/help/exo/22/22)
* [Genesis 12:17-20](rc://en/tn/help/gen/12/17)
* [Genesis 15:12-13](rc://en/tn/help/gen/15/12)
* [Genesis 29:32](rc://en/tn/help/gen/29/32)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H205, H3013, H3905, H3906, H6031, H6039, H6040, H6041, H6862, H6869, H6887, H7451, H7489, G2346, G2347, G3804
