### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mᵉshôwʼâh**, represented by `{{H4875}}`, denotes **desolation**, **waste**, and **ruin**. Derived from the same root as `{{H7722}}` `shôwʼ` (wasteness), this term appears **3 times** in **3 unique verses**. It is used to describe both the abstract act of ruination and the concrete wreck that results from it.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H4875}}` consistently conveys a state of utter devastation. In the prophecy of Zephaniah, it is a defining characteristic of the day of the Lord's wrath, a day described as one of "wasteness `{{H7722}}` and **desolation** `{{H4875}}`" [[Zephaniah 1:15]]. In the book of Job, the term describes the barren wilderness where people suffering from want and famine flee, a place that is "desolate `{{H7722}}` and **waste** `{{H4875}}`" [[Job 30:3]]. God later uses the same imagery, asking Job who has the power to satisfy the "desolate and **waste** ground" to make herbs grow [[Job 38:27]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words appear alongside `{{H4875}}` to intensify the picture of devastation:
* `{{H7722}}` **shôwʼ** (wasteness): As the root word, it appears in every verse where `{{H4875}}` is found, creating a powerful pairing that emphasizes complete and total ruin. It is defined as a tempest, devastation, or destruction ([[Zephaniah 1:15]], [[Job 30:3]], [[Job 38:27]]).
* `{{H6869}}` **tsârâh** (trouble): This word, meaning tightness or distress, is used in Zephaniah's prophecy to describe the anguish associated with the day of desolation [[Zephaniah 1:15]].
* `{{H2822}}` **chôshek** (darkness): Also part of the description of the day of the Lord, this term signifies not just a lack of light but also misery, destruction, and sorrow [[Zephaniah 1:15]].
* `{{H2639}}` **cheçer** (want): This word for poverty and destitution provides the context for the desolate and waste landscape in Job, highlighting a state of absolute lack [[Job 30:3]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4875}}` is tied to concepts of judgment, emptiness, and divine power.
* **Divine Judgment:** The word is a key descriptor for the "day of the LORD," portraying desolation not as a random event but as a direct consequence of God's wrath upon a land [[Zephaniah 1:15]].
* **Ultimate Barrenness:** In Job, `{{H4875}}` illustrates a state of absolute physical ruin and emptiness, a landscape that is the epitome of want and famine [[Job 30:3]].
* **God's Creative Power:** God's question to Job about satisfying the "waste ground" establishes that even the most desolate and ruined places are subject to His sovereign power to bring forth life and provision [[Job 38:27]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4875}}` is a potent and specific term for profound ruin. Though used sparingly, it powerfully illustrates a state of utter desolation, whether as a feature of divine judgment or as the description of a barren and empty landscape. Its consistent pairing with `{{H7722}}` `shôwʼ` underscores the totality of the devastation, while its use in Job highlights that even in the most wasted places, God's authority remains absolute.
TRV