English · KJV
H3456

יָשַׁם

yâsham /yaw-sham'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto lie waste
KJV usagebe desolate.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yâsham — 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 yâsham, represented by H3456, is a primitive root that means to lie waste; be desolate. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. The term consistently denotes a state of ruin, emptiness, and abandonment, typically describing the condition of land or significant places as a result of judgment, catastrophe, or violence.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H3456 is used to illustrate severe consequences. During the famine in Egypt, the people plead with Joseph for seed so "that the land be not desolate" Genesis 47:19. The prophet Ezekiel employs the word to convey divine judgment against Israel. He prophesies that the high places of idolatry will become desolate Ezekiel 6:6 and that the land itself will be made desolate due to the violence of its people Ezekiel 12:19. It is also used to describe the destructive impact of a wicked ruler, where "the land was desolate" because of his actions Ezekiel 19:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H3456, creating a powerful picture of total destruction:

  • H2717 chârab (to desolate, destroy, lay waste): This word is used in direct parallel with yâsham. In Ezekiel's prophecy, cities are to be "laid waste" H2717 and high places "shall be desolate" H3456, reinforcing the theme of comprehensive ruin Ezekiel 6:6.
  • H816 ʼâsham (to be guilty, be desolate, destroy): This term connects the physical state of desolation with the underlying cause of guilt. As part of God's judgment, altars are not only laid waste but also "made desolate" H816, emphasizing that the destruction is a penalty for offense Ezekiel 6:6.
  • H7665 shâbar (to break, crush, destroy): Used in the same prophecy of judgment, this word describes the physical destruction of idols, which "may be broken" H7665 and cease as part of the desolation of the land Ezekiel 6:6.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3456 is centered on the consequences of sin and the sovereignty of God over the land.

  • Judgment on Idolatry: The term is a key descriptor in God's judgment against false worship. The desolation of high places and altars serves as a tangible sign of divine displeasure with Israel's unfaithfulness Ezekiel 6:6.
  • Land and Covenant: The state of the land is directly tied to the covenant faithfulness of its people. The threat of the land becoming desolate highlights the severe outcome of breaking covenant, whether through violence Ezekiel 12:19 or turning from God.
  • Physical Consequence of Sin: The use of yâsham demonstrates that spiritual and moral corruption has a direct, physical impact on the environment. The violence and sin of the people result in a land that is laid waste and empty.

Summary

In summary, H3456 is a potent term for desolation that extends beyond mere physical ruin. While it appears only four times, it powerfully communicates the state of barrenness and abandonment that results from famine, human violence, and, most significantly, divine judgment against sin. It illustrates the biblical principle that the spiritual health of a people is inseparable from the well-being of the land they inhabit.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

  • תֵשָׁם
  • תֵּשַׁם
  • תִּישָׁמְנָה

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.

H2717 חָרַב or חֲרֵב; a primitive root; to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill; decay, (be) desola H816 אָשַׁם or אָשֵׁם; a primitive root; to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish; [idiom] certainly, be(-come, made) d H7665 שָׁבַר a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively); break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to th

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

1
Genesis
3
Ezekiel

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.