### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mâkak**, represented by `{{H4355}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to tumble (in ruins)**. It is used figuratively to describe perishing, being **brought low**, or to **decay**. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible, consistently conveying a sense of decline and ruin.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H4355}}` illustrates the principle of decline resulting from specific causes. In Ecclesiastes, the word describes how a building **decayeth** as a direct result of **slothfulness** [[Ecclesiastes 10:18]]. In the Psalms, Israel's repeated provocation and iniquity led to them being **brought low** by God [[Psalms 106:43]]. The book of Job uses the term to describe the ultimate fate of the wicked, who, after a brief period of being exalted, are **brought low** and perish [[Job 24:24]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the causes and outcomes associated with being brought low:
* `{{H4784}}` **mârâh** (to rebel): This word is often the cause of being brought low. In [[Psalms 106:43]], Israel **provoked** God with their counsel, leading to their decline. The term is consistently used to describe rebellion against God's words and commandments [[Psalms 107:11]].
* `{{H6103}}` **ʻatslâh** (slothfulness): This term is explicitly linked to physical decay. In [[Ecclesiastes 10:18]], it is **slothfulness** that causes the building to **decayeth**. It is also associated with hunger and need [[Proverbs 19:15]].
* `{{H7426}}` **râmam** (to rise): This word serves as a direct contrast to being brought low. In [[Job 24:24]], the wicked are **exalted** for a short time before they are **brought low**, highlighting the temporary nature of their status.
* `{{H5243}}` **nâmal** (be cut down): This word often appears alongside `{{H4355}}` to describe a final, decisive end. After being brought low, the wicked are **cut off** as the tops of the ears of corn [[Job 24:24]], a fate also compared to withering grass or a flower that is **cut down** ([[Psalms 37:2]], [[Job 14:2]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4355}}` is found in its consistent portrayal of cause and effect in a moral universe.
* **Consequence of Rebellion:** The state of being "brought low" is not random but is presented as the direct outcome of iniquity and provoking God. Israel's decline is a result of their own counsel and disobedience [[Psalms 106:43]].
* **Decay from Negligence:** The term connects spiritual or moral laziness to tangible ruin. Just as **slothfulness** causes a physical building to **decayeth** [[Ecclesiastes 10:18]], so too does spiritual idleness lead to ruin.
* **The Brevity of Wickedness:** `{{H4355}}` underscores a theme of divine justice. The wicked may be **exalted**, but their prosperity is temporary, and they are ultimately **brought low** and **cut off**, demonstrating that their end is destruction [[Job 24:24]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4355}}` is a potent term that signifies more than simple physical ruin. It serves as a biblical descriptor for the inevitable decline that follows moral and spiritual failure. Whether describing a building succumbing to **slothfulness**, a nation **brought low** by its iniquity, or the wicked perishing after a fleeting moment of exaltation, **mâkak** illustrates a core principle: actions of rebellion and negligence lead to a state of decay and being brought low.
TRV