Desolate
King James Dictionary [1]
DESOLATE, a.
1. Destitute or deprived of inhabitants desert uninhabited denoting either stripped of inhabitants, or never having been inhabitated as a desolate isle a desolate wilderness.
I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Jeremiah 9 .
2. Laid waste in a ruinous condition neglected destroyed as desolate altars desolate towers. Ezek. Zeph.
3. Solitary without a companion afflicted.
Tamar remained desolate in Absaloms house. 2 Samuel 13 .
4. Deserted of God deprived of comfort.
My heart within me is desolate. Psalms 143 .
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [2]
des´ō̇ -lā̇t (very frequently in the Old Testament for שׁמם , shāmēm , and its derivatives; less frequently, חרב , ḥārēbh , and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for ἔρημος , érēmos ( Matthew 23:38; Acts 1:20; Galatians 4:27 ) erēmóō ( Revelation 17:16 ), and monóō ( 1 Timothy 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. Psalm 25:16 , "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yāḥı̄dh , "alone"); 1 Timothy 5:5 , "she that is a widow indeed, and desolate" (Greek memonōménē , "left alone"). (2) In the sense of "laid waste," "destitute of inhabitants," e.g. Jeremiah 4:7 , "to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant." (3) With the meaning "comfortless," "afflicted," e.g. Psalm 143:4 , "My heart within me is desolate." (4) In the sense of "barren," "childless," "unfruitful," e.g. Job 15:34; Isaiah 49:21 (Hebrew galmūdh ).
