Desolate
Desolate
deso-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for , shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, , harebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for , eremos (Mat 23:38; Act 1:20; Gal 4:27) eremoo (Rev 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished: (1) Its primary sense is left lonely, forlorn, e.g. Psa 25:16, Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate (Hebrew yahdh, alone); 1Ti 5:5, she that is a widow indeed, and desolate (Greek memonomene, left alone). (2) In the sense of laid waste, destitute of inhabitants, e.g. Jer 4:7, to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant. (3) With the meaning comfortless, afflicted, e.g. Psa 143:4, My heart within me is desolate. (4) In the sense of barren, childless, unfruitful, e.g. Job 15:34; Isa 49:21 (Hebrew galmudh).