### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qippôwd**, represented by `{{H7090}}`, refers to the **bittern**. It appears **3 times** in **3 unique verses**, where it consistently serves as a symbol of utter desolation in a place under divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H7090}}` is exclusively used in prophetic contexts to describe the grim fate of powerful, prideful nations. The LORD `{{H3068}}` of hosts `{{H6635}}` declares that Babylon will become a "possession for the **bittern**" [[Isaiah 14:23]], a land swept with the "besom `{{H4292}}` of destruction" `{{H8045}}`. Similarly, in the judgment against Edom, the cormorant `{{H6893}}` and the **bittern** will possess `{{H3423}}` the land, which will be measured by a "line `{{H6957}}` of confusion" `{{H8414}}` and "stones `{{H68}}` of emptiness" `{{H922}}` [[Isaiah 34:11]]. The prophecy against Nineveh uses the same imagery, with the **bittern** lodging `{{H3885}}` in the ruined "upper lintels" `{{H3730}}` of the city, its voice `{{H6963}}` singing in the windows amidst widespread desolation `{{H2721}}` [[Zephaniah 2:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illustrate the theme of desolation associated with the bittern:
* `{{H6893}}` **qâʼath** (cormorant): Defined as "probably the pelican... cormorant," this bird is mentioned alongside the bittern as a co-inheritor of ruined cities, emphasizing that the land will be given over to wild creatures ([[Isaiah 34:11]], [[Zephaniah 2:14]]).
* `{{H8414}}` **tôhûw** (confusion): Meaning "a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing... confusion, empty place, without form," this word describes the state of the land that the bittern will inherit. God stretches out the "line of **confusion**" over it [[Isaiah 34:11]].
* `{{H2721}}` **chôreb** (desolation): This word means "drought or desolation." It is used to describe the state of the thresholds `{{H5592}}` in ruined Nineveh, where the voice of the bittern is heard [[Zephaniah 2:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7090}}` is tied directly to God's sovereignty and judgment.
* **Symbol of Divine Judgment:** The **bittern** is not merely a creature of the wild; it is a sign of fulfilled prophecy. Its presence confirms that a place once marked by human pride has been turned into a "possession `{{H4180}}` for the **bittern**" by the LORD `{{H3068}}` [[Isaiah 14:23]].
* **Reversal of Human Pride:** The image of a **bittern** lodging in the "upper lintels" `{{H3730}}` of a once-great city is a powerful depiction of a complete reversal. Elaborate human structures, like those with "cedar work" `{{H731}}`, are uncovered `{{H6168}}` and become nesting places for animals, signifying the futility of human glory against divine decree [[Zephaniah 2:14]].
* **Return to Desolation:** The **bittern** inherits a land characterized by "confusion" `{{H8414}}` and "emptiness" `{{H922}}`, words that evoke a state of primordial chaos [[Isaiah 34:11]]. This suggests that God's judgment can return a developed, populated area to an uninhabitable waste, a state "without form `{{H8414}}`, and void `{{H922}}`" [[Genesis 1:2]].
### Summary
In summary, **qippôwd** `{{H7090}}` is a focused and potent term within scripture. Though appearing rarely, it is used with precision to paint a picture of final desolation. The **bittern** serves as a prophetic marker, its presence confirming that God has executed judgment, humbled the proud, and returned a place of human achievement to a desolate wilderness. It stands as a testament to the LORD's `{{H3068}}` power to "sweep" a nation with the "besom of destruction" [[Isaiah 14:23]].
TRV