English · KJV
H1110

בָּלַק

bâlaq /baw-lak'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto annihilate
KJV usage(make) waste.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâlaq — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

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.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מְבֻלָּקָה
  • בוֹלְקָ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1238 בָּקַק a primitive root; to pour out, i.e. to empty, figuratively, to depopulate; by analogy, to spread out (as a fruitful vine H4003 מְבוּקָה from the same as בּוּקָה; emptiness; void. H6440 פָּנִים plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a gre

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah and Nahum (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Isaiah
1
Nahum

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.