### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼashmân**, represented by `{{H820}}`, is defined as a desolate place, possibly derived from a term for a fat-field. This word is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in a single verse in the entire Bible, yet it paints a powerful picture of ruin and isolation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{H820}}` is found in [[Isaiah 59:10]], a passage describing a state of profound spiritual blindness and alienation. The people confess, "We grope for the wall like the blind... we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in **desolate** places as dead men." Here, **ʼashmân** captures the final outcome of their stumbling and confusion: a condition of being utterly forlorn and lifeless, cut off from guidance and vitality even when light is available.
### Related Words & Concepts
The meaning of `{{H820}}` is illuminated by the words used alongside it in its only context:
* `{{H3782}}` **kâshal** (to totter or waver... stumble, faint or fall): This word describes the action that leads to the state of desolation. In [[Isaiah 59:10]], stumbling at midday precedes being in desolate places. This connection between falling and consequence is also seen when the transgressors **fall** `{{H3782}}` in the ways of the LORD [[Hosea 14:9]].
* `{{H5787}}` **ʻivvêr** (blind): This term identifies the core reason for the people's condition. Their spiritual blindness causes them to **grope** `{{H1659}}` and stumble, ultimately leading them into the desolation of `{{H820}}` [[Isaiah 59:10]]. The state of the **blind** `{{H5787}}` is one that the LORD promises to remedy [[Isaiah 35:5]].
* `{{H4191}}` **mûwth** (to die): This word provides the ultimate comparison for the state of being in **desolate** places. The passage equates this condition with being as **dead** `{{H4191}}` men, highlighting a complete separation from life and hope [[Isaiah 59:10]]. This links desolation to the ultimate consequence of sin, which is death [[Genesis 2:17]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H820}}` is concentrated in its singular, stark appearance.
* **Consequence of Spiritual Blindness:** The term is intrinsically linked to a state of being spiritually **blind** `{{H5787}}` and without **eyes** `{{H5869}}`. This lack of perception causes the people to **stumble** `{{H3782}}`, leading them directly to a condition of desolation and lifelessness [[Isaiah 59:10]].
* **A State of Lifelessness:** To be in "desolate places" is explicitly compared to being **dead** `{{H4191}}`. This suggests that spiritual desolation is not merely a physical state but a profound separation from the source of life, a condition warned about as the result of iniquity [[Ezekiel 18:20]].
* **Moral Disorientation:** The context emphasizes a complete loss of moral clarity. The act of stumbling at **noonday** `{{H6672}}` as though it were **night** `{{H5399}}` signifies a world turned upside down, where truth offers no guidance. This disorientation is the immediate precursor to finding oneself in the desolate places of `{{H820}}` [[Isaiah 59:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H820}}` **ʼashmân**, though used only once, provides a potent theological symbol. It represents more than just a barren field; it is the destination for those who are spiritually blind and stumble in confusion. Its appearance in [[Isaiah 59:10]] encapsulates the profound isolation and lifelessness that results from being separated from divine guidance, a condition as final and stark as being among the dead.
TRV