SPECIAL TOPIC: EMPTY

SPECIAL TOPIC: EMPTY, VAIN, FALSE, NOTHINGNESS (BDB 996)

This word basically means "empty," "vain," or "nothingness."

1. swearing/using YHWH's name in vain – Exod. 20:7; Deut. 5:11; 6:13; 10:20; Ps. 24:4; 139:20

2. of idols – Ps. 31:6; Jer. 18:15; Jonah 2:8

3. of speech – Ps. 12:2; 41:6; 144:8,11; Pro. 30:8; Isa. 59:3; Ezek. 13:8; Hos. 10:4

4. of motives – Job 15:31; Isa. 5:18; 30:28

5. of prophecy – Job 35:13,16; Lam. 2:14; Ezek. 12:24; 13:6,7,9,23; 22:28

6. of worthless men – Job 11:11; Ps. 26:4

7. of human activity – Ps. 60:11; 89:47; 108:12; 127:1-2

8. of worthless offerings – Isa. 1:13

This is not the same term as "vanity" (BDB 210 I), used so often in Ecclesiastes.