### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mishbâth**, represented by `{{H4868}}`, translates to **cessation, i.e. destruction; sabbath**. It is an exceedingly rare term, appearing only **1 time** in a single verse in the entire Bible. Its singular usage provides a poignant and specific meaning tied to the desolation and shame of Jerusalem after its fall.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H4868}}` is in [[Lamentations 1:7]]. In this verse, the city of Jerusalem{H3389} is personified, remembering her former glory and "pleasant things" `{{H4262}}` during her current state of "affliction" `{{H6040}}` and "miseries" `{{H4788}}`. The passage describes the moment her people{H5971} fell into the hand{H3027} of the enemy{H6862} with no one to help{H5826} her. In this context of utter defeat, the adversaries{H6862} saw her and "did mock at her **sabbaths**" [[Lamentations 1:7]]. The word here signifies the cessation of her sacred observances, a forced and humiliating "rest" that her enemies derided.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Lamentations 1:7]] illuminate the meaning of `{{H4868}}`:
* `{{H6040}}` **ʻŏnîy** (depression, i.e. misery): This word establishes the state of Jerusalem when its sabbaths are mocked, linking `{{H4868}}` to a setting of profound affliction and trouble.
* `{{H4788}}` **mârûwd** (an outcast; (abstractly) destitution): Used alongside affliction, this term emphasizes Jerusalem's state of being cast out and in misery, providing the backdrop for the mockery of her ceased traditions.
* `{{H6862}}` **tsar** (narrow; an opponent (as crowding)): This word identifies the "enemy" and "adversaries" who witness Jerusalem's downfall. Their presence turns the city's cessation into a public spectacle of distress.
* `{{H7832}}` **sâchaq** (to laugh (in pleasure or detraction)): This defines the action of the adversaries. They don't just observe the cessation of Jerusalem's religious life; they "laugh to scorn" or "deride" it, adding insult to the injury of destruction.
* `{{H2142}}` **zâkar** (properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember): The entire verse is framed by the act of remembering. Jerusalem remembers its past glories, making the current memory of its mocked "sabbaths" all the more painful.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4868}}` is concentrated in its solitary, impactful use.
* **The Desecration of the Sacred:** The mocking of Jerusalem's "sabbaths" represents more than a military defeat; it is the public humiliation of its sacred covenant identity. The cessation is not a holy rest but a punishment that is scorned by outsiders.
* **Suffering as a Spectacle:** The word's context highlights the pain of being seen `{{H7200}}` by adversaries `{{H6862}}` in a moment of helplessness. The "cessation" becomes a source of derision `{{H7832}}`, demonstrating the shame that accompanies judgment.
* **Loss of Identity:** The sabbaths were a sign of the covenant and the people's relationship with God. Their forced cessation `{{H4868}}` symbolizes the loss of this identity, security, and divine favor, a tragic memory for the afflicted `{{H6040}}` city.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4868}}` is a powerful and specific term whose meaning is entirely shaped by its singular context in scripture. While its root relates to the sabbath, its application in [[Lamentations 1:7]] transforms it into a symbol of devastating loss. It represents not a chosen rest, but a forced and destructive "cessation" of religious and national life, made all the more bitter by the derisive laughter of the enemies of Jerusalem.
TRV