Bible Dictionaries
Boil

Holman Bible Dictionary

A general term used in the Bible to describe inflamed swellings of the skin. Boils are mentioned in connection with blains (KJV; an inflamatory swelling or sore) in the sixth plague on Egypt (Exodus 9:9-10 ). Since this plague affected both animals and men, many have suggested the malignant pustule of cutaneous anthrax as the sore or boil mentioned. Hezekiah's boil (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21 ) is identified as a furuncle—a localized swelling and inflamation of the skin caused by the infection of a hair follicle that discharges pus and has a central core of dead tissue. The boils suffered by Job (Job 2:7 ) have been identified with smallpox or with treponematosis (a parasitic infection).