Lexical Summary balaq: devastates, waste Original Word: בָּלַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make waste A primitive root; to annihilate -- (make) waste. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to waste, lay waste NASB Translation devastates (1), waste (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בָּלַק] verb waste, lay waste (Assyrian balâ‡u, Pi`el destroy, LyonSargon 61; compare Arabic  a desert) — Po`el Participle without מ, suffix בּוֺלְקָהּ Isaiah 24:1 ("" בּוֺקֵק, subject ׳י, object הארץ); — on form (which might also be Qal Participle) compare Ol§ 254 LagGN 1882, 403; also בקק Po. Jeremiah 51:2, and intensive use of Infinitive absolute Niph`al Isaiah 24:3; further Punic (i.e. intensive) Participle Nahum 2:11 (this however perhaps largely influenced by assonance). Pu`al Participle מְבֻלָּקָ֑ה Nahum 2:11 (׳בּוּקָה וּמְבוּקָה ומב), devastated, or as substantive a devastated city. Topical Lexicon Semantic Profile and Imagery בָּלַק (Strong’s 1110) conveys the idea of making something utterly void—stripping it of substance until only barrenness remains. The term evokes a landscape scoured by judgment, emptied of both life and security. The connotation is not mere neglect but purposeful devastation, a deliberate act that leaves nothing to build upon. Canonical Occurrences • Isaiah 24:1 – “Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and devastate it; He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.” Here בָּלַק underscores a global dimension of judgment. The prophet describes creation itself being up-ended, a reversal of Genesis 1’s ordering work. The emptiness is total, touching every social class and occupation (24:2), showing that no earthly distinction shields from divine wrath. • Nahum 2:10 – “She is emptied! She is desolate and devastated! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!” Nahum applies the word to Nineveh. The triple alliteration “empty, desolate, devastated” climaxes with the בָּלַק form, emphasizing the thoroughness of Nineveh’s downfall. What once boasted of impregnable walls is reduced to an object lesson in the futility of human pride. Theological Themes Judgment as Reversal בָּלַק presents judgment as an undoing of creation’s goodness. Where Genesis records God filling voids, Isaiah 24:1 shows Him re-introducing emptiness in response to persistent sin (24:5–6). The word therefore dramatizes covenant retribution—blessing withdrawn, order reversed. Universality and Specificity Isaiah speaks universally; Nahum addresses a particular empire. Together they assert that the same holy standard governs all nations (Psalm 96:10, Acts 17:31). בָּלַק becomes a lexical bridge linking cosmic and historical judgment. Finality Unlike disciplinary chastening meant to restore, בָּלַק depicts final ruin. In Nahum it is the end of Assyria’s oppression; in Isaiah it anticipates the cataclysm preceding the ultimate reign of the LORD (Isaiah 24:23). The word warns that a day arrives when reprieve is no longer offered. Historical Backdrop Isaiah 24 belongs to a section sometimes called the “Little Apocalypse,” likely delivered during the Assyrian threat yet projecting far beyond it. The vocabulary of emptying would have resonated with audiences who had seen cities razed and populations deported. Nahum prophesies between the fall of Thebes (663 BC) and Nineveh (612 BC). Assyria’s terror left nations trembling; Nahum’s oracle promised that the very engine of devastation would itself be בָּלַק—emptied and exposed. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Gravity of Sin בָּלַק confronts complacency. Preachers can point to Isaiah’s worldwide scope to remind congregations that sin is never trivial; it threatens the very fabric of creation (Romans 8:20). 2. Assurance of Justice Victims of systemic evil find solace in Nahum’s use. The same LORD who allowed Assyria to rise also ordained its total ruin. Oppressors will not escape (Revelation 18). 3. Call to Refuge in Christ If divine judgment culminates in emptiness, the gospel offers fullness (John 10:10; Colossians 2:9–10). Presenting בָּלַק alongside Christ’s promise of abundant life sharpens the contrast and heightens the invitation. 4. Eschatological Sobriety Isaiah 24’s cosmic scope foreshadows the final shaking described in 2 Peter 3:10–13. Teaching on בָּלַק helps believers grasp the seriousness of that day, fueling holy living and urgent evangelism. Related Hebrew Vocabulary בּוּקָה (emptiness) and מְבוּקָה (desolation) in Nahum 2:10 join בָּלַק in a poetic triad. While they share the notion of emptiness, בָּלַק adds the nuance of purposeful stripping, intensifying the effect. Christological Perspective Where בָּלַק empties the earth, Philippians 2:7 says Christ “emptied Himself” (ἐκένωσεν) voluntarily, not in judgment but in redemptive humility. The fearful void of divine wrath is answered by the self-emptying of the Savior, turning devastation into salvation for those who believe. Summary בָּלַק stands as a stark witness to divine judgment that leaves nothing untouched. Its two appearances—one cosmic, one historical—affirm both the certainty and the comprehensiveness of God’s justice. At the same time, the term drives readers toward the sufficiency of God’s provision in Christ, the only refuge from a devastation that otherwise renders all human hope void. Forms and Transliterations וּבֽוֹלְקָ֑הּ וּמְבֻלָּקָ֑ה ובולקה ומבלקה ū·ḇō·wl·qāh ū·mə·ḇul·lā·qāh ūḇōwlqāh ūməḇullāqāh umevullaKah uVolKahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 24:1 HEB: בּוֹקֵ֥ק הָאָ֖רֶץ וּבֽוֹלְקָ֑הּ וְעִוָּ֣ה פָנֶ֔יהָ NAS: waste, devastates it, distorts KJV: empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth INT: lays the earth devastates distorts surface Nahum 2:10 2 Occurrences |
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