Lexical Summary harisuth: Destruction, Ruin Original Word: הֲרִיסוּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance destruction From harac; demolition -- destruction. see HEBREW harac NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom haras Definition an overthrow, destruction, ruin NASB Translation destroyed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [הֲרִיסוּת] noun feminine overthrow, destruction, ruin; — אֶרֶץהֲרִסֻתֵךְ Isaiah 49:19 the land of thine overthrow, i.e. thy ruined land ("" חָרְבֹתַיִךְ וְשֹׁמֲמֹתַיִךְ). הרר (√ of following; meaning dubious). Topical Lexicon Word Family and Conceptual Background הֲרִיסוּת pictures a scene of total collapse—walls torn down, homes emptied, and a city emptied of life. In Hebrew thought, such devastation is never merely architectural; it signals covenant judgment. The term stands within a wider cluster of ruin‐imagery that includes “desolation” and “waste places,” all of which remind the covenant people that sin carries tangible repercussions in history. Biblical Usage The noun appears once, in Isaiah 49:19: “For your waste and desolate places and your ruined land will now be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.” Here הֲרִיסוּת is set in a triad (“waste,” “desolate places,” “ruined land”) that highlights the depth of Zion’s humiliation before it becomes the stage for God’s restoring grace. Historical Context in Isaiah Isaiah 49 addresses the exilic generation that would experience the Babylonian razing of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-10). The prophet looks beyond the smoldering rubble toward a time when the Lord’s Servant will gather Israel, attract the nations, and reverse every visible sign of judgment. Thus, הֲרִיסוּת points to the lowest ebb of Judah’s history while serving as the backdrop for one of Scripture’s brightest restoration promises. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Faithfulness: Ruin results from covenant breach (Leviticus 26:31-33), yet the covenant-keeping God pledges to transform ruin into renewal. Prophetic and Eschatological Implications Isaiah 49:19 feeds later prophetic visions of rebuilding (Isaiah 61:4; Amos 9:11). New Testament writers apply such promises to the gospel era: James cites Amos to explain the ingathering of Gentiles (Acts 15:15-17). The Servant who speaks in Isaiah 49 is ultimately revealed as Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:18-21), whose resurrection turns the world’s ruins into a living temple (1 Peter 2:4-6). Christological Foreshadowing The Servant’s mission moves from shame to glory, mirroring the path from ruin to restoration. Christ enters a ruined humanity, bears covenant curses (Galatians 3:13), and inaugurates the new Zion in which desolation is swallowed by life (Revelation 21:1-5). Practical Ministry Application • Restoration Hope: Communities ravaged by war, disaster, or moral decay can cling to the certainty that God rebuilds what sin destroys. Related Scriptures Leviticus 26:31-33; 2 Kings 25:8-10; Isaiah 61:4; Amos 9:11-12; Matthew 12:18-21; Acts 15:15-17; Romans 8:22-23; 1 Peter 2:4-6; Revelation 21:1-5. Summary הֲרִיסוּת encapsulates the depth of Zion’s downfall and sets the stage for God’s triumphant restoration. From the ashes of judgment rises a vision of a populated, rejoicing city—an image fulfilled in Christ and extended to all who trust in Him. Forms and Transliterations הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑יךְ הרסתיך hă·ri·su·ṯêḵ harisuTeich hărisuṯêḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 49:19 HEB: וְשֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִךְ וְאֶ֖רֶץ הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑יךְ כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ NAS: and desolate places and your destroyed land-- KJV: and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow INT: and desolate land and your destroyed for now 1 Occurrence |
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