Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5508 ruins

The remains of a city, town or building after destruction or neglect. In Scripture it mainly describes the aftermath of divine judgment.

Israel's reduction to ruins

As a covenant curse for disobeying God

Leviticus 26:27-33 See also Deuteronomy 13:16; Deuteronomy 28:49-52

The ruin prophesied

Jeremiah 9:11; Micah 1:6-7 See also Isaiah 5:5-7; Isaiah 6:11-13; Jeremiah 4:7,20,23-26; Jeremiah 22:5; Ezekiel 6:6-7,14; Ezekiel 21:27; Amos 3:13-15; Amos 7:9

The ruin described

2 Kings 25:8-15 pp 2 Chronicles 36:17-19 pp Jeremiah 39:8-10 pp Jeremiah 52:12-19

The ruin lamented

Psalm 89:39-41 See also Psalm 74:3; Psalm 80:12-16; Isaiah 64:8-12; Lamentations 2:5-9

The ruin explained

Jeremiah 44:2-6 See also Ezekiel 33:23-29

Restoration of Israel's ruins

Restoration of the ruins prophesied

Isaiah 51:3; Isaiah 61:4 See also Isaiah 44:24-26; Isaiah 58:12; Jeremiah 30:18-19; Jeremiah 31:27-28; Ezekiel 36:8-12,33-36; Amos 9:11-12

Restoration of the ruins fulfilled at the return from exile

Ezra 3:1-13; Nehemiah 1:3-4; Nehemiah 2:11-20; Haggai 1:1-15

Ruins through God's judgment on Israel's enemies

Assyria

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria:

Nahum 3:7; Zephaniah 2:13-15

Babylon

Isaiah 13:19-22; Isaiah 23:13; Jeremiah 51:37

Edom

Ezekiel 35:1-4,9; Malachi 1:2-4

Egypt

Jeremiah 46:19; Ezekiel 29:8-12

Moab

Jeremiah 48:1,18

Philistia

Zephaniah 2:4-6

Tyre

Ezekiel 26:3-4,11-14,19-21

Towns and sites ruined

In warfare

Joshua 8:24-29; 1 Chronicles 20:1

In natural disaster

Joel 1:6-12,16-17

Apocalyptic prophecies of ruin

Isaiah 24:1-13; Isaiah 27:9-10; Revelation 16:17-21; Revelation 18:21-23

Repairs to the ruined temple, altar and defences

1 Kings 18:30 See also 2 Kings 12:1-12 pp 2 Chronicles 24:4-13; 2 Kings 22:3-7 pp 2 Chronicles 34:8-13

Proverbial references to ruins

Proverbs 25:28 See also Job 3:13-14; Job 15:27-28; Psalm 102:6; Proverbs 24:30-31

See also

1025  God, anger of
5295  destruction
7468  temple, rebuilding
9165  restoration
9210  judgment, God's