בּוּקָה
emptiness (as adjective)
Definition
בּוּקָה (bûwqâh) is a Hebrew adjective meaning 'emptiness,' 'void,' or 'desolation.' It describes a state of being completely empty, hollowed out, or laid waste. In its sole biblical occurrence in Nahum 2:10, it poetically depicts the total and shocking desolation of Nineveh after God's judgment, conveying a scene stripped of all inhabitants, wealth, and vitality. The word carries a strong sense of resultant emptiness following a catastrophic event.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the prophetic book of Nahum. It appears in Nahum 2:10 within a vivid taunt song pronouncing judgment on Assyria's capital, Nineveh. The context is military conquest and divine wrath, where the city is described as 'empty, void, and waste' (using בּוּקָה alongside synonyms like בָּקַק). Its usage is exclusively poetic and dramatic, emphasizing the totality of the coming ruin.
Etymology
בּוּקָה is a feminine passive participle derived from an unused root (בּוּק) meaning 'to be hollow' or 'to empty out.' This root idea connects to creating a void or a cavity. As a participle, it describes a state that has been brought about—something that has been made empty. It is related to the verb בָּקַק (bāqaq, H1238), which means 'to empty out,' often used for pouring out vessels or laying waste to land.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, בּוּקָה is theologically significant as it vividly encapsulates the theme of God's thorough and decisive judgment against pride and violence, as seen in Nahum's prophecy against Nineveh. It underscores that divine judgment can result in absolute desolation, reversing human power and wealth into nothingness. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the prophetic emphasis on the completeness of God's justice and the ultimate futility of opposing Him.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a conquered city was often plundered and its population killed or deported, leaving it literally 'empty.' The prophecy in Nahum 2:10 uses this tangible reality to communicate the severity of Nineveh's fate. For the original audience, the term would evoke the shocking image of a once-teeming imperial capital reduced to a silent, abandoned ruin, a powerful symbol of divine reversal.
בָּקַק (bāqaq, H1238) — a verb meaning 'to empty out' or 'to lay waste,' focusing on the action. תֹּהוּ (tōhû, H8414) — 'formlessness' or 'waste,' often describing primordial chaos (Genesis 1:2). שָׁמֵם (shāmēm, H8074) — 'to be desolate' or 'appalled,' emphasizing devastation and horror.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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