The term "destitute" refers to a state of extreme poverty, where an individual lacks the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter. In the biblical context, the condition of being destitute is often associated with vulnerability, dependence on God, and the community's responsibility to care for those in need.

Biblical References:

1. Old Testament Context:
· The Law of Moses includes numerous provisions for the care of the destitute, emphasizing God's concern for the poor and marginalized. For instance, Leviticus 19:9-10 instructs the Israelites to leave the gleanings of their harvest for the poor and the foreigner: "When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God."
· The Psalms frequently highlight God's compassion for the destitute. Psalm 72:12-13 states, "For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the destitute."

2. New Testament Context:
· Jesus' ministry was marked by a profound concern for the destitute. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declares, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). This beatitude underscores the spiritual dimension of poverty, recognizing the destitute as those who are aware of their need for God.
· The early church exemplified care for the destitute, as seen in Acts 4:34-35: "There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need."

Theological Implications:

The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as a defender of the destitute, calling His people to emulate His compassion and justice. The destitute are often depicted as having a special place in God's heart, and their plight serves as a test of the community's righteousness and obedience to God's commands.

Practical Application:

Believers are called to respond to the needs of the destitute with generosity and love, reflecting the character of Christ. James 1:27 emphasizes this responsibility: "Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

In summary, the biblical treatment of the destitute challenges Christians to live out their faith through acts of mercy and justice, recognizing that in serving the least of these, they serve Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40).1. (a.) Forsaken; poverty-stricken; not having in possession (something necessary, or desirable); deficient; lacking; devoid; -- often followed by of.

2. (a.) Not possessing the necessaries of life; in a condition of want; needy; without possessions or resources; very poor.

3. (v. t.) To leave destitute; to forsake; to abandon.

4. (v. t.) To make destitute; to cause to be in want; to deprive; -- followed by of.

5. (v. t.) To disappoint.

4433. ptocheuo -- to be a beggar, be destitute
... to be a beggar, be destitute. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ptocheuo Phonetic
Spelling: (pto-khyoo'-o) Short Definition: I am in poverty Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4433.htm - 7k

3007. leipo -- to leave, leave behind
... be destitute, lack. A primary verb; to leave, ie (intransitively or passively) to
fail or be absent -- be destitute (wanting), lack. (leipei) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3007.htm - 6k

4434. ptochos -- (of one who crouches and cowers, hence) beggarly ...
... hence) beggarly, poor. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: ptochos Phonetic
Spelling: (pto-khos') Short Definition: poor, destitute Definition: poor ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4434.htm - 8k

5302. hustereo -- to come late, be behind, come short
... Word Origin from husteros Definition to come late, be behind, come short NASB Word
Usage am...lacking (1), come short (1), comes short (1), destitute (1), fall ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5302.htm - 8k

642. aporphanizo -- to be bereaved
... Word Origin from apo and orphanizo (to make orphan, destitute) Definition to be
bereaved NASB Word Usage taken away (1). to make an orphan of. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/642.htm - 7k

2050. eremosis -- a making desolate
... devastation. 2050 (from 2049 , "lay waste, make destitute, barren") --
(desecration) that results from being cut off (isolated). Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2050.htm - 6k

650. apostereo -- to defraud, deprive of
... defraud, deprive. From apo and stereo (to deprive); to despoil -- defraud, destitute,
kept back by fraud. see GREEK apo. (apesteremenos) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/650.htm - 7k

6199. arar -- stripped, destitute
... 6198, 6199. arar. 6200 . stripped, destitute. Transliteration: arar Phonetic
Spelling: (ar-awr') Short Definition: destitute. Word ...
/hebrew/6199.htm - 6k

2638. chaser -- needy, lacking, in want of
... destitute, fail, lack, have need, void, want. From chacer; lacking; hence, without --
destitute, fail, lack, have need, void, want. see HEBREW chacer. ...
/hebrew/2638.htm - 6k

6168. arah -- to be naked or bare
... leave destitute, discover, empty, make naked, pour out, rase, spread self,
uncover. A primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bare ...
/hebrew/6168.htm - 6k

5800. azab -- to leave, forsake, loose
... commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave destitute, off, refuse,
A primitive root; to loosen, ie Relinquish, permit, etc. ...
/hebrew/5800.htm - 5k

7326. rush -- to be in want or poor
... root Definition to be in want or poor NASB Word Usage am a poor (1), destitute
(1), lack (1), poor (18), poor man (2), pretends to be poor (1). ...
/hebrew/7326.htm - 6k

8074. shamem -- to be desolated or appalled
... 1), causes horror (1), causing consternation (1), desolate (22), desolated (4),
desolating (1), desolation (5), desolations (3), destitute (1), destroy (1 ...
/hebrew/8074.htm - 6k

2310. chadel -- forbearing, lacking
... he that forbears, frail, rejected. From chadal; vacant, ie Ceasing or destitute --
he that forbeareth, frail, rejected. see HEBREW chadal. 2309, 2310. ...
/hebrew/2310.htm - 6k

6185. ariri -- stripped
... Word Origin from arar Definition stripped NASB Word Usage childless (4). childless.
From arar; bare, ie Destitute (of children) -- childless. see HEBREW arar. ...
/hebrew/6185.htm - 6k

34. ebyon -- in want, needy, poor
... beggar, needy, poor man. From 'abah, in the sense of want (especially in feeling);
destitute -- beggar, needy, poor (man). see HEBREW 'abah. 33, 34. ...
/hebrew/34.htm - 6k

Why Man is Destitute of Natural Weapons and Covering
... III."Philosophical Works. VII. Why man is destitute of natural weapons and
covering. 1. But what means the uprightness of his figure? ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/vii why man is destitute.htm

From the Previous Part of the Work we Clearly See How Completely ...
... Of Prayer. John Calvin Chapter 1 FROM the previous part of the work we clearly
see how completely destitute man is? FROM the previous ...
/.../calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 1 from the previous.htm

Argument: Moreover, what Will Happen to the Christians Themselves ...
... XII."Argument: Moreover, What Will Happen to the Christians Themselves After Death,
May Be Anticipated from the Fact that Even Now They are Destitute of All ...
/.../the octavius of minucius felix/chapter xii argument moreover what will.htm

If the Heathen, and those who are Strangers to the True Knowledge ...
... (Rom. i, 18-21, 25, 28; ii, 14, 15.) Without this explanation there will be a
contradiction in this enunciation. "He who is entirely destitute of the true ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article xv if the heathen.htm

John Chapter xvi. 12, 13 (Continued).
... Beware, with fear and prayer, of rushing into that mystery of Solomon's, where
"the woman that is foolish and brazen-faced, and become destitute of bread ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xcvii john chapter xvi.htm

The Fig-Tree Cursed. (Matt. , xxi. , 18; Mark, xi. , 12. ) ...
... The fig-tree, rich in foliage, but destitute of fruit, represents the Jewish people,
so abundant in outward shows of piety, but destitute of its reality. ...
/.../section 245 the fig-tree cursed.htm

Maximus, Bishop of Jerusalem.
... "You assert, then, that matter, destitute of all qualities ... "But matter was destitute
of qualities and of form: this I assumed at the outset of the discussion. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/maximus bishop of jerusalem.htm

Bardesan.
... because there is no faith in them, are not even capable of being convinced; but
they are always pulling down and building up, and so are found destitute of all ...
/.../unknown/the decretals/ancient syriac documents bardesan.htm

The Vanity of Idols.
... Are they not blind? Are they not without life? Are they not destitute of feeling?
Are they not incapable of motion? Are they not all liable to rot? ...
/.../the epistle of mathetes to diognetus/chapter ii the vanity of idols.htm

Superstitions of the Jews.
... For while the Gentiles, by offering such things to those that are destitute of sense
and hearing, furnish an example of madness; they, on the other hand by ...
/.../the epistle of mathetes to diognetus/chapter iii superstitions of the jews.htm

Destitute (25 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To leave destitute; to forsake; to abandon. 4. (vt) To make destitute; to
cause to be in want; to deprive; -- followed by of. 5. (vt) To disappoint. ...
/d/destitute.htm - 13k

Poor (276 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (superl.) Destitute of property; wanting in
material riches or goods; needy; indigent. 2. (superl.) So ...
/p/poor.htm - 60k

Bald (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Destitute of the natural or common covering on the head or top, as of hair,
feathers, foliage, trees, etc.; as, a bald head; a bald oak. ...
/b/bald.htm - 11k

Empty (84 Occurrences)
... 3. (superl.) Having nothing to carry; unburdened. 4. (superl.) Destitute of effect,
sincerity, or sense; -- said of language; as, empty words, or threats. ...
/e/empty.htm - 35k

Fatherless (44 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Destitute of a living father; as, a fatherless
child. 2. (a.) Without a known author. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/f/fatherless.htm - 24k

Dark (234 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Destitute, or partially destitute, of light; not receiving, reflecting,
or radiating light; wholly or partially black, or of some deep shade of color ...
/d/dark.htm - 44k

Desolate (189 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy;
as, a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house. ...
/d/desolate.htm - 38k

Black (52 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot
or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white ...
/b/black.htm - 24k

Void (64 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Being without; destitute; free; wanting; devoid; as, void of learning, or
of common use. 4. (a.) Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain. ...
/v/void.htm - 26k

Lack (86 Occurrences)
... of sufficient food. 3. (vt) To blame; to find fault with. 4. (vt) To be
without or destitute of; to want; to need. 5. (vi) To be ...
/l/lack.htm - 33k

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