H4288 H4288
Ruin or destruction (especially of fools); terror or object of dread (in prophetic judgment contexts).
A poetic noun appearing almost exclusively in Proverbs and the prophets, carrying two related but distinguishable senses. In wisdom literature, it denotes ruin as the natural consequence of folly and wickedness: the fool's mouth is his own ruin (Prov 10:14; 13:3; 18:7), poverty is the ruin of the poor (Prov 10:15), and evildoers face destruction (Prov 10:29). In prophetic texts the emphasis shifts to terror and dread: Zion is promised freedom from terror (Isa 54:14), Jeremiah asks God not to be a terror to him (Jer 17:17), and Moab becomes an object of dread (Jer 48:39). Spanish distinguishes the two nicely: 'ruina' for the wisdom contexts, 'terror' for the prophetic ones.
Senses
1. ruin, destruction — Ruin or destruction as the consequence of foolishness, wickedness, or poverty -- a dominant theme in Proverbs. The fool's mouth is his own ruin (Prov 10:14; 13:3; 18:7), poverty ruins the poor (Prov 10:15), and without people a prince faces ruin (Prov 14:28). Psalm 89:40 extends this to the devastation of strongholds. Spanish 'ruina' and French 'ruine' uniformly render this sense. The word functions as a wisdom concept: moral and practical collapse following from folly, opposed to the 'stronghold' (מָעוֹז) that righteousness provides (Prov 10:29). 8×
AR["خَرابٌ-", "خَرابُ", "خَرَابًا", "خَرَابٌ", "خَرَابُ", "وَ-خَرَابٌ", "وَ-رُعْبٌ"]·ben["এবং-ধ্বংস", "কিন্তু-ভয়", "ধ্বংস", "ধ্বংস-"]·DE["[ומחתה]", "[מחתה]", "[מחתת]", "ein-ruin"]·EN["a-ruin", "but-destruction", "comes-to-ruin", "destruction", "is-ruin", "is-the-ruin-of", "the-ruin-of"]·FR["de-effroi", "et-ruine", "ruine"]·heb["ו-מחיתה", "מחיתה", "מחיתה־", "מחיתת"]·HI["और-विनाश", "खंडहर", "परंतु-विनाश", "विनाश", "विनाश-"]·ID["kebinasaan", "kebinasaan-", "kehancuran", "reruntuhan", "tetapi-kebinasaan", "tetapi-kehancuran"]·IT["[מחתה]", "comes-a-ruin", "destruction", "e-ma-destruction", "il-ruin-di", "è-il-ruin-di", "è-ruin"]·jav["dados-rèntah", "karisakan", "karusakan", "karusakan-saking", "lan-karusakan", "nanging-karisakan"]·KO["그러나-두려움이니라", "그러나-파멸-은", "파멸-은", "파멸-이다", "파멸이니라-", "폐허-로"]·PT["destruição-", "e-destruição", "e-ruína", "em-ruínas", "ruína", "ruína-de"]·RU["а-разорение", "а-разрушение", "в-руину", "гибель", "разорение", "разорение-"]·ES["en-ruinas", "pero-ruina", "ruina", "ruina-de", "y-ruina"]·SW["lakini-hofu", "lakini-uharibifu", "magofu", "ni-maangamizi", "ni-uharibifu", "ni-uharibifu-wa", "uharibifu", "uharibifu-wa"]·TR["fakat-yıkımdır", "harabe", "ve-yıkım", "yıkımı", "yıkımı-", "yıkımıdır", "yıkımıdır-"]·urd["اور-بربادی", "اور-دہشت", "بربادی", "تباہی-", "کھنڈر"]
2. terror, object of dread — Terror or an object of dread, used in prophetic contexts of divine judgment. Isaiah 54:14 promises restored Zion that she will be far from terror (מְחִתָּה), paired with oppression (עֹשֶׁק). Jeremiah 17:17 implores God not to become a terror to the prophet, and Jeremiah 48:39 declares Moab an object of dread and derision. Spanish 'terror' and the English 'dread' capture the affective weight -- not merely ruin as outcome, but the fearful apprehension that divine judgment produces. The word moves from wisdom's cause-and-effect logic to prophecy's emotional and existential register. 3×
AR["رُعْبًا", "وَ-عَنِ-الرُّعْبِ", "وَلِلرُّعْبِ"]·ben["-এবং-সন্ত্রাস-থেকে", "এবং-ভয়ের-জন্য", "ভয়ের-কারণ"]·DE["[ולמחתה]", "[וממחתה]", "[למחתה]"]·EN["and-a-terror", "and-from-terror", "for-ruin"]·FR["[ולמחתה]", "[וממחתה]", "[למחתה]"]·heb["ו-ל-מחיתה", "ו-מ-מחיתה", "ל-מחיתה"]·HI["और-के-लिए-भय", "और-भय-से", "को-भय"]·ID["dan-dari-kengerian", "dan-kengerian", "menjadi-kengerian"]·IT["[ולמחתה]", "[וממחתה]", "[למחתה]"]·jav["kanggé-kagol;", "lan-pagiris", "lan-saking-pagiris"]·KO["그리고-공포에서-", "그리고-두려움으로", "두려움이"]·PT["e-de-terror", "e-para-terror", "para-terror;"]·RU["для-ужаса", "и-в-ужас", "и-от-ужаса"]·ES["para-terror", "y-de-terror", "y-para-terror"]·SW["hofu", "na-hofu", "na-kutoka-hofu"]·TR["için-dehşet", "ve-için-dehşet", "ve-korku-verenlerden-"]·urd["اور-دہشت", "اور-دہشت-سے", "دہشت-کا-سبب"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מְחִתָּה n.f. terror, destruction, ruin, poet. (especially Pr)—abs. מ׳ Pr 10:14 + 8 times; cstr. מְחִתַּת Pr 10:15; 14:28;— 1. a. terror, Is 54:14 (‖ עֹשֶׁק), Je 17:17; = obj. of terror, 48:39 (‖ שְׂחֹק). b. dismay, Pr 21:15 (opp. שִׂמְחָה). 2. ruin, of strongholds ψ 89:41; בְּאֶפֶם לְאֹם מ׳ רָזוֹן Pr 14:28 without people is ruin to a prince (opp. הַדְרַת־מֶלֶךְ); מ׳ דַּלִּים רֵישָׁם 10:15 the…