### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **bâlaq**, represented by `{{H1110}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to annihilate** or **(make) waste**. Though it appears only **2 times** across **2 unique verses**, its usage points to a powerful concept of complete and total desolation enacted by divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The two appearances of `{{H1110}}` occur in prophetic warnings of immense destruction. In Isaiah, the LORD is the agent of this action, poised to "maketh the earth empty, and maketh it **waste**" [[Isaiah 24:1]]. This act is part of a larger upheaval that includes turning the world upside down and scattering its inhabitants. Similarly, Nahum describes a city that "is empty, and void, and **waste**" [[Nahum 2:10]], a state that causes the people's hearts to melt and their faces to "gather blackness."
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words appear alongside `{{H1110}}` to intensify the theme of desolation:
* `{{H1238}}` **bâqaq** (to pour out, i.e. to empty): This word is used in parallel with `{{H1110}}` in Isaiah's prophecy, where the LORD "maketh the earth **empty**" [[Isaiah 24:1]]. It reinforces the idea of utter depopulation and ruin, as the land will be "utterly **emptied**" [[Isaiah 24:3]].
* `{{H4003}}` **mᵉbûwqâh** (emptiness; void): This noun appears in Nahum's stark depiction of a desolate city, described as "empty, and **void**, and waste" [[Nahum 2:10]], emphasizing a state of absolute nothingness.
* `{{H6440}}` **pânîym** (the face): This term is used to describe what is affected by the judgment. In Isaiah, God "turneth it upside down," a phrase which literally refers to the **face** of the earth [[Isaiah 24:1]]. In Nahum, the terror of the event is seen on the **faces** of the people [[Nahum 2:10]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1110}}` is focused on the severity and totality of divine judgment.
* **Divine Agency in Judgment:** The word is used to describe an action carried out by God. The LORD is the one who "maketh it **waste**" [[Isaiah 24:1]], underscoring that such annihilation is not a random event but a direct consequence of divine will.
* **Absolute Desolation:** The term signifies more than mere damage; it means "to annihilate." Its pairing with words like "empty" `{{H1238}}` and "void" `{{H4003}}` communicates a state of complete ruin and emptiness in the wake of judgment.
* **Physical and Emotional Impact:** The desolation described by **bâlaq** has tangible effects on humanity. The external reality of a city made "waste" is directly linked to the internal terror of its inhabitants, whose hearts melt and knees smite together [[Nahum 2:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1110}}` is a potent, though infrequent, term for utter destruction. It is reserved for prophetic contexts to describe the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, which results in complete annihilation. The word **bâlaq** illustrates a devastation so complete that it empties the land, overturns the natural order, and fills human hearts with terror.
TRV