Lexical Summary baqaq: To empty, to lay waste, to devastate Original Word: בָּקַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make empty, fail, utterly, make void A primitive root; to pour out, i.e. To empty, figuratively, to depopulate; by analogy, to spread out (as a fruitful vine) -- (make) empty (out), fail, X utterly, make void. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [בָּקַק] verb be luxuriant (Arabic  be profuse, abundant (see especially Conjugations I. IV, Lane)) — Qal Participle בֹּקֵק luxuriant Hosea 10:1 (figurative of Israel as vine). II. [בָּקַק] verb empty (compare probably Arabic Qal Perfect וּבַקֹּתִ֫י Jeremiah 19:7, בָּֽקֲקוּ Nahum 2:3; Participle בּוֺקֵק Isaiah 24:1, בִּקֲקִים Nahum 2:3; empty, lay waste land, accusative, Isaiah 24:1; Nahum 2:3, also absolute Nahum 2:3; figurative make void (object עֵצָה) Jeremiah 19:7. Niph`al Perfect וְנָָֽבְקָה (compare Ges§ 67, R. 11) Isaiah 19:3; Imperfect3feminine singular תִּבּוֺק Isaiah 24:3; Infinitive absolute הִבּוֺק Isaiah 24:3; — be emptied (laid waste) Isaiah 24:3 הִבּוֺק תִבּוֺק, of land ("" הִבּוֺז תִּבּוֺז); figurative of spirit, courage Isaiah 19:3. Po. Imperfect יְבֹקֲקוּ Jeremiah 51:2 empty out (devastate) land. Topical Lexicon Thematic Overview Nine times the verb בָּקַק depicts God’s decisive act of “emptying”—draining power, pride, or plenty until nothing remains. Whether shattering Egypt’s confidence (Isaiah 19:3), laying waste the whole earth (Isaiah 24:1, 3), or stripping Babylon bare (Jeremiah 51:2), the term consistently reveals the Lord’s sovereign right to overturn human security. Key Old Testament Occurrences • Isaiah 19:3 – “The spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied from among them”. Prophetic Imagery of Devastation 1. Vessel overturned—everything pours out (Isaiah 24:1). Judgment and Spiritual Emptiness Physical ruin mirrors inner barrenness. Egypt’s “spirit” collapses, Judah’s strategizing fails, Israel’s religious pageantry is exposed. The Lord empties what is falsely full, compelling repentance and dependence on Him alone. Redemptive Undercurrents Baqaq is never final. Immediately after the double devastation of Nahum 2:2 comes the pledge: “The Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob.” Emptiness functions as pruning, clearing the way for covenant renewal (Isaiah 24:23). Practical Ministry Implications • Warning: Prosperity without obedience is vulnerable to God’s emptying. Intertextual Resonances Hannah’s song (1 Samuel 2:5), Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:53), and Paul’s renunciation of worldly gain (Philippians 3:8–9) echo the baqaq principle: God sends the self-satisfied away empty to fill the humble with lasting riches. Conclusion בָּקַק portrays a God who drains hollow greatness so He might refill vessels with His own glory. For every believer and nation, the choice is clear: cling to fragile fullness and be emptied, or submit to the Refiner and emerge truly filled. Forms and Transliterations בְקָקוּם֙ בֹּֽקְקִ֔ים בּוֹקֵ֥ק בּוֹקֵק֙ בוקק בקקום בקקים הִבּ֧וֹק ׀ הבוק וְנָבְקָ֤ה וִיבֹקְק֖וּ וּ֠בַקֹּתִי ובקתי ויבקקו ונבקה תִּבּ֛וֹק תבוק ḇə·qā·qūm ḇəqāqūm bō·qə·qîm bō·w·qêq boKek bokeKim bōqəqîm bōwqêq hib·bō·wq hibBok hibbōwq tib·bō·wq tibBok tibbōwq ū·ḇaq·qō·ṯî ūḇaqqōṯî Uvakkoti vekaKum venaveKah vivokeKu wə·nā·ḇə·qāh wənāḇəqāh wî·ḇō·qə·qū wîḇōqəqūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 19:3 HEB: וְנָבְקָ֤ה רֽוּחַ־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ NAS: of the Egyptians will be demoralized within KJV: of Egypt shall fail in the midst INT: will be demoralized the spirit of the Egyptians Isaiah 24:1 Isaiah 24:3 Isaiah 24:3 Jeremiah 19:7 Jeremiah 51:2 Hosea 10:1 Nahum 2:2 Nahum 2:2 9 Occurrences |
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make a gurgling noise, of a mug dipped in water, or emptied of water) —