### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yâʼash**, represented by `{{H2976}}`, is a primitive root that means to desist or despond. It is used figuratively to convey a state of despair, hopelessness, or the condition of being desperate. It appears **7 times** across **6 unique verses**, illustrating a potent state of mind where hope is abandoned.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H2976}}` captures different facets of hopelessness. In a strategic sense, David{H1732} hoped that Saul{H7586} would **despair** of finding him if he fled to the Philistines [[1 Samuel 27:1]]. In contrast, the people of Israel express a defiant hopelessness, declaring, "There is **no hope**," as a justification for following strangers and their own evil devices ([[Jeremiah 2:25]], [[Jeremiah 18:12]]). The term also describes a state of personal anguish, as when Job refers to the speeches of "one that is **desperate**" [[Job 6:26]]. In Ecclesiastes, the Preacher actively chose "to **cause** my heart to **despair**" over the fruitlessness of all his labor{H5999} [[Ecclesiastes 2:20]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help frame the context of despair:
* `{{H5999}}` **ʻâmâl** (toil, labour, trouble): This word for wearing effort is the direct cause for the speaker in Ecclesiastes to despair of everything he had worked for under the sun [[Ecclesiastes 2:20]].
* `{{H8307}}` **sherîyrûwth** (imagination, obstinacy): The people's declaration that "There is no hope" is immediately followed by their decision to walk after the **imagination** of their own evil heart{H3820} [[Jeremiah 18:12]].
* `{{H3021}}` **yâgaʻ** (weary, labour): In Isaiah, the people are **wearied** in their sinful way, yet their false sense of security prevents them from saying, "There is no hope," which keeps them from being grieved{H2470} and turning back [[Isaiah 57:10]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2976}}` is significant, often highlighting the human condition in response to sin and toil.
* **A Declaration of Rebellion:** The cry of "no hope" is used not as a lament but as a willful statement of intent to disobey. The people in Jeremiah's time embrace despair as a reason to continue loving{H157} strangers and walking after their own evil imagination{H8307} ([[Jeremiah 2:25]], [[Jeremiah 18:12]]).
* **The Fruit of Worldly Toil:** Despair is presented as a logical conclusion to a life lived "under the sun." The Preacher’s decision to cause his heart{H3820} to despair is a result of realizing the vanity of all his labor{H5999} [[Ecclesiastes 2:20]].
* **The Anguish of the Afflicted:** The word describes the state of a person in deep suffering. Job's use of "one that is **desperate**" suggests that the words spoken from such a place of pain should be understood differently from reasoned arguments [[Job 6:26]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2976}}` **yâʼash** encapsulates a profound loss of expectation. It can be a calculated outcome sought in an enemy, as with David and Saul, but more often it depicts a deep-seated spiritual condition. Whether arising from personal suffering, the perceived futility of human effort, or a hardened heart set on rebellion, to **despair** is to abandon hope and desist from seeking a better way.
TRV