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etc-06: Destruction Vocabulary -- Word Studies

Overview

This study examines six primary biblical words used to describe the fate of the wicked: four Hebrew (H6 abad, H8045 shamad, H3615 kalah, H7843 shachath) and two Greek (G622 apollymi, G684 apoleia, G3639 olethros -- seven words total, sometimes grouped as six word-families since apoleia is the noun form of apollymi).

PRIMARY WORDS (Full Treatment)

1. H6: abad -- "to perish, to destroy"

Lexical Data: - Hebrew: אָבַד - Transliteration: abad - Pronunciation: aw-bad - Part of Speech: verb - BLB Count: 184 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 219

Definition (Strong's): A primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy): break, destroy(-uction), not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, and surely, take, be undone, utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | shall perish | 23 | 10.5% | | perish | 16 | 7.3% | | and destroy | 6 | 2.7% | | perished | 6 | 2.7% | | is perished | 6 | 2.7% | | perisheth | 5 | 2.3% | | and destroyed | 4 | 1.8% | | to destroy | 3 | 1.4% | | destroyeth | 3 | 1.4% | | lost | 2 | 0.9% |

Semantic Range: Intransitive: to perish, to be lost, to be destroyed, to vanish, to wander away. Causative (Hiphil/Piel): to destroy, to cause to perish, to put to death, to exterminate. The primary concept is cessation of existence or being brought to ruin.

LXX Translation Map: | Greek Word | Strong's | Count | PMI Score | Meaning | |-----------|----------|-------|-----------|---------| | apollymi | G622 | 141 | 30.45 | to destroy fully | | apoleia | G684 | 11 | 10.82 | ruin, loss, destruction | | phyge | G5437 | 3 | 7.36 | flight, escape | | elpis | G1680 | 6 | 6.65 | hope | | asebeis | G765 | 9 | 6.19 | ungodly | | epilanthanomai | G1950 | 6 | 5.86 | to forget | | teko | G5080 | 3 | 5.03 | to melt | | planao | G4105 | 4 | 4.41 | to wander |

Key Finding: The LXX overwhelmingly translates H6 (abad) as G622 (apollymi) -- 141 times with a PMI score of 30.45 (extremely high). This establishes abad-apollymi as the primary Hebrew-Greek destruction word pair. The noun form apoleia (G684) appears 11 times. This creates the abad -> apollymi -> apoleia lexical chain.

Key Eschatological Verses: - Psa 1:6 -- "the way of the ungodly shall perish (abad)" - Psa 2:12 -- "lest he be angry, and ye perish (abad) from the way" - Psa 37:20 -- "the wicked shall perish (abad)" - Psa 68:2 -- "as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish (abad)" - Psa 73:27 -- "they that are far from thee shall perish (abad)" - Psa 146:4 -- "his thoughts perish (abad)" - Pro 11:7 -- "when a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish (abad)" - Job 4:9 -- "by the blast of God they perish (abad)" - Job 20:7 -- "he shall perish (abad) for ever like his own dung" - Isa 26:14 -- "thou hast destroyed (abad) them, and made all their memory to perish" - Deu 8:19-20 -- "ye shall surely perish (abad)... as the nations which the LORD destroyeth (abad)"

2. G622: apollymi -- "to destroy, to perish"

Lexical Data: - Greek: ἀπόλλυμι - Transliteration: apollymi - Pronunciation: ap-ol-loo-mee - Part of Speech: verb - BLB Count: 92 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 84

Definition (Strong's): From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose).

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | perish | 10 | 11.9% | | to destroy | 7 | 8.3% | | shall lose | 7 | 8.3% | | destroy | 5 | 6.0% | | should perish | 4 | 4.8% | | lost | 4 | 4.8% | | perished | 4 | 4.8% | | destroyed | 4 | 4.8% | | we perish | 3 | 3.6% | | lose | 3 | 3.6% |

Semantic Range: Active: to destroy utterly, to put to death, to ruin. Middle/Passive: to perish, to be destroyed, to be lost. Same semantic range as Hebrew abad (H6). The word is the Greek cognate of abad via the LXX (141x translation correspondence).

Key Eschatological Verses: - Matt 10:28 -- "fear him which is able to destroy (apollymi) both soul and body in hell" - John 3:16 -- "whosoever believeth in him should not perish (apollymi), but have everlasting life" - Luke 13:3,5 -- "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (apollymi)" - Rom 2:12 -- "as many as have sinned without law shall also perish (apollymi)" - 2 Pet 3:9 -- "not willing that any should perish (apollymi)" - 1 Cor 1:18 -- "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish (apollymi)" - 2 Cor 2:15 -- "a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish (apollymi)" - 2 Thess 2:10 -- "deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish (apollymi)" - Luke 17:27,29 -- "the flood came, and destroyed (apollymi) them all... fire and brimstone... destroyed (apollymi) them all" - Jude 1:5 -- "destroyed (apollymi) them that believed not" - Jas 4:12 -- "one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy (apollymi)"

Non-eschatological uses confirming semantic range: - Matt 9:17 -- wineskins "perish" (apollymi) -- they burst and are ruined/destroyed, not tormented - Matt 26:52 -- "all they that take the sword shall perish (apollymi) with the sword" -- physical death - 1 Cor 15:18 -- "they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished (apollymi)" -- if no resurrection, the dead have ceased to exist

3. H8045: shamad -- "to destroy, to exterminate"

Lexical Data: - Hebrew: שָׁמַד - Transliteration: shamad - Pronunciation: shaw-mad - Part of Speech: verb - BLB Count: 90 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 101

Definition (Strong's): A primitive root; to desolate: destroy(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, utterly.

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | to destroy | 8 | 7.9% | | thou be destroyed | 5 | 5.0% | | destroyed | 5 | 5.0% | | shall be destroyed | 5 | 5.0% | | destroy | 4 | 4.0% | | destroyed them | 3 | 3.0% | | utterly | 2 | 2.0% |

Semantic Range: To destroy utterly, to exterminate, to annihilate, to bring to nought. Stronger than abad -- implies total, complete destruction. Used frequently for the destruction of nations, peoples, and cities. The intensified meaning is "to wipe out."

LXX Translation Map: | Greek Word | Strong's | Count | PMI Score | Meaning | |-----------|----------|-------|-----------|---------| | apollymi | G622 | 23 | 14.39 | to destroy fully | | exairo | G1808 | 12 | 11.04 | to remove completely | | apoleia | G684 | 5 | 7.55 | ruin, destruction | | planao | G4105 | 4 | 6.02 | to wander | | hamartoloi | G268 | 4 | 5.79 | sinful |

Key Finding: The LXX translates shamad primarily as apollymi (G622) -- 23 times. Also uses exairo (to remove completely) 12 times and apoleia (destruction) 5 times. All top translations carry the meaning of complete removal or destruction, not ongoing torment.

Key Eschatological Verses: - Psa 37:38 -- "the transgressors shall be destroyed (shamad) together" - Psa 92:7 -- "they shall be destroyed (shamad) for ever" - Psa 145:20 -- "all the wicked will he destroy (shamad)" - Isa 13:9 -- "he shall destroy (shamad) the sinners thereof out of it" - Isa 26:14 -- "thou hast visited and destroyed (shamad) them" (paired with abad)

4. H3615: kalah -- "to consume, to finish, to complete"

Lexical Data: - Hebrew: כָּלָה - Transliteration: kalah - Pronunciation: kaw-law - Part of Speech: verb - BLB Count: 206 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 254

Definition (Strong's): A primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume): accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when...were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, fully, have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | had made an end | 13 | 5.1% | | finished | 6 | 2.4% | | shall fail | 6 | 2.4% | | consumed | 4 | 1.6% | | fail | 4 | 1.6% | | faileth | 4 | 1.6% | | shall consume | 2 | 0.8% | | be consumed | 2 | 0.8% |

Semantic Range: Dual meaning: (1) To complete, finish, end (neutral: completing a task); (2) To consume, destroy, use up (destructive: consuming away). When applied to people, carries the meaning of being consumed, spent up, used up -- ceased to exist. The consumption metaphor is central: as fat is consumed in fire, as food is consumed by eating, so the wicked are consumed by God's judgment.

LXX Translation Map: | Greek Word | Strong's | Count | PMI Score | Meaning | |-----------|----------|-------|-----------|---------| | synteleo | G4931 | 85 | 27.17 | to complete entirely, to consume | | ekleipo | G1587 | 30 | 15.96 | to cease, to leave off, to fail | | pauo | G3973 | 15 | 13.71 | to stop, to cease | | orge | G3709 | 19 | 10.05 | wrath | | teleo | G5055 | 5 | 9.84 | to end, to complete | | analisko | G355 | 3 | 6.75 | to consume | | syntelia | G4930 | 5 | 6.87 | consummation |

Key Finding: The LXX translates kalah primarily as synteleo (to complete entirely/consume, 85 times), ekleipo (to cease/fail, 30 times), and pauo (to stop, 15 times). The dominant semantic field is cessation, completion, and consumption. The presence of orge (wrath) in 19 instances connects consumption to divine judgment.

Key Eschatological Verses: - Psa 37:20 -- "into smoke shall they consume (kalah) away" - Psa 59:13 -- "consume (kalah) them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be" - Psa 104:35 -- "let the sinners be consumed (kalah) out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more" - Psa 73:19 -- "they are utterly consumed (kalah) with terrors" - Isa 1:28 -- "they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed (kalah)"

5. H7843: shachath -- "to destroy, to corrupt, to ruin"

Lexical Data: - Hebrew: שָׁחַת - Transliteration: shachath - Pronunciation: shaw-khath - Part of Speech: verb - BLB Count: 147 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 163

Definition (Strong's): A primitive root; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively): batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, utterly, waste(-r).

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | destroy | 14 | 8.6% | | to destroy | 13 | 8.0% | | to destroy it | 7 | 4.3% | | destroyed | 5 | 3.1% | | corrupt | 3 | 1.8% | | have destroyed | 3 | 1.8% | | destroying | 3 | 1.8% | | have corrupted | 2 | 1.2% | | corrupted | 2 | 1.2% | | was marred | 2 | 1.2% |

Semantic Range: To decay, to corrupt, to ruin, to destroy, to spoil, to mar. The broadest of the four Hebrew destruction words. Includes both physical destruction and moral corruption. The root idea is spoiling, ruining, rendering useless -- something becoming unfit for its purpose.

LXX Translation Map: | Greek Word | Strong's | Count | PMI Score | Meaning | |-----------|----------|-------|-----------|---------| | diaphtheiro | G1311 | 48 | 27.24 | to rot thoroughly, to ruin | | phtheiro | G5351 | 6 | 12.44 | to corrupt, to destroy | | kataklusmos | G2627 | 4 | 8.83 | inundation, flood | | exaleipho | G1813 | 5 | 8.29 | to smear out, to obliterate | | anomos | G459 | 7 | 7.58 | lawless | | diaphthora | G1312 | 3 | 6.26 | decay, corruption | | apollymi | G622 | 9 | 5.81 | to destroy fully |

Key Finding: The LXX translates shachath primarily as diaphtheiro (to rot thoroughly, to destroy, 48 times) and phtheiro (to corrupt/destroy, 6 times). The connection to diaphthora (G1312, decay/corruption) is important: this is the same word used in Acts 2:27,31 and Acts 13:34-37 for the corruption of the grave, linking shachath's "corruption" to physical decomposition.

Key Eschatological Verses: - Gen 6:17 -- "to destroy (shachath) all flesh" - Gen 18:28-32 -- "wilt thou destroy (shachath) all the city...?" - Gen 19:13-14 -- "we will destroy (shachath) this place" - Isa 11:9 -- "they shall not hurt nor destroy (shachath) in all my holy mountain" - Isa 65:8 -- "destroy (shachath) it not; for a blessing is in it" - Hos 13:9 -- "thou hast destroyed (shachath) thyself"

6. G684: apoleia -- "destruction, perdition"

Lexical Data: - Greek: ἀπώλεια - Transliteration: apoleia - Pronunciation: ap-o-li-a - Part of Speech: feminine noun - BLB Count: 20 occurrences - KJV Occurrences: 17

Definition (Strong's): From a presumed derivative of apollymi; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal).

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | perdition | 5 | 29.4% | | destruction | 4 | 23.5% | | waste | 2 | 11.8% | | perish | 1 | 5.9% | | die | 1 | 5.9% | | of perdition | 1 | 5.9% | | damnable | 1 | 5.9% | | pernicious ways | 1 | 5.9% | | damnation | 1 | 5.9% |

Semantic Range: The noun form of apollymi (G622). Means destruction, ruin, loss, waste, perdition. Note: English "perdition" derives from Latin perdere (to lose/destroy) -- the same semantic field as the Greek. This is not a separate concept from "destruction"; it IS destruction.

ALL Verses Using G684: 1. Matt 7:13 -- "broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction (apoleia)" 2. Matt 26:8 -- "To what purpose is this waste (apoleia)?" (of ointment) 3. Mark 14:4 -- "Why was this waste (apoleia)?" (of ointment) 4. John 17:12 -- "none of them is lost, but the son of perdition (apoleia)" 5. Acts 8:20 -- "Thy money perish (apoleia) with thee" 6. Acts 25:16 -- [textual variant] 7. Rom 9:22 -- "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction (apoleia)" 8. Phil 1:28 -- "to them an evident token of perdition (apoleia)" 9. Phil 3:19 -- "whose end is destruction (apoleia)" 10. 2 Thess 2:3 -- "the son of perdition (apoleia)" 11. 1 Tim 6:9 -- "drown men in destruction and perdition (apoleia)" 12. Heb 10:39 -- "draw back unto perdition (apoleia)" 13. 2 Pet 2:1 -- "bring upon themselves swift destruction (apoleia)" 14. 2 Pet 2:2 -- "pernicious ways (apoleia)" 15. 2 Pet 2:3 -- "their damnation (apoleia) slumbereth not" 16. 2 Pet 3:7 -- "perdition (apoleia) of ungodly men" 17. 2 Pet 3:16 -- "unto their own destruction (apoleia)" 18. Rev 17:8 -- "go into perdition (apoleia)" 19. Rev 17:11 -- "goeth into perdition (apoleia)" 20. Rev 19:20 -- [textual variant]

7. G3639: olethros -- "destruction, ruin"

Lexical Data: - Greek: ὄλεθρος - Transliteration: olethros - Pronunciation: ol-eth-ros - Part of Speech: masculine noun - BLB Count: 4 occurrences

Definition (Strong's): From a primary ollymi (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, i.e. death, punishment.

Translation Distribution: | Translation | Count | Percentage | |------------|-------|-----------| | destruction | 3 | 75.0% | | the destruction | 1 | 25.0% |

ALL 4 Verses (complete):

  1. 1 Cor 5:5 -- "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction (olethros) of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

  2. Context: Church discipline. The "destruction of the flesh" is remedial, not eschatological.

  3. 1 Thess 5:3 -- "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction (olethros) cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."

  4. Context: The Day of the Lord. Sudden destruction comes upon the unprepared.

  5. 2 Thess 1:9 -- "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction (olethros) from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

  6. Context: The return of Christ. The ONLY verse pairing aionios with olethros.

  7. 1 Tim 6:9 -- "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction (olethros) and perdition (apoleia)."

  8. Context: Warning against greed. Uses BOTH olethros AND apoleia.

Key Finding: Olethros means "destruction, ruin, death." It never means "ongoing conscious torment." In 2 Thess 1:9, "everlasting destruction (olethros aionios)" pairs "everlasting" with a word meaning "destruction/ruin." Olethros is etymologically related to ollymi, the root of apollymi (G622), placing it in the same destruction word family.

H3617: kalah (noun) -- "completion, consumption, destruction"

  • Noun form of H3615 (kalah verb)
  • BLB Count: 22 occurrences
  • Key translations: "a full end" (8x, 33.3%), "altogether" (3x), "a consumption" (2x), "an utter end" (2x)
  • Definition: A completion; adverb, completely; also destruction.
  • Key verse: Nah 1:8-9 -- "he will make an utter end (kalah)... affliction shall not rise up the second time"
  • Key verse: Jer 30:11 -- "I will make a full end (kalah) of all nations"

H8: obed -- "perishing, destruction"

  • Active participle of H6 (abad)
  • BLB Count: 2 occurrences
  • Num 24:20,24 -- "he perish" / "shall perish"
  • Confirms the "perishing" semantic range of abad

H4889: mashchiyth -- "destruction, destroying"

  • From H7843 (shachath)
  • BLB Count: 11 occurrences
  • Key translations: "to destroy" (4x, 30.8%), "destruction" (2x, 15.4%), "corruption" (1x)
  • Definition: Destructive, destruction, corruption, trap
  • Key verses: Exo 12:13 (the destroyer); Jer 51:25 (O destroying mountain); Eze 5:16 (arrows of famine for destruction); Eze 25:15 (destruction from old hatred)

G4881: synapollymi -- "to destroy together"

  • From syn + apollymi
  • BLB Count: 1 occurrence (Heb 11:31)
  • "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not (synapollymi) with them that believed not"
  • Also appears in LXX: Psa 25:9 (26:9); Psa 26:9 (27:9)
  • Confirms the "perish/be destroyed" meaning of apollymi in context of divine judgment

G355: analisko -- "to consume"

  • BLB Count: 3 occurrences
  • Luke 9:54 -- "wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?"
  • 2 Thess 2:8 -- "whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth"
  • Gal 5:15 -- "if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another"
  • Key finding: LXX uses analisko to translate kalah (H3615) 3 times, linking the Hebrew "consume" vocabulary to Greek "consume" vocabulary

G1311: diaphtheiro -- "to rot thoroughly, to destroy"

  • Primary LXX translation of H7843 (shachath) -- 48 times
  • BLB Count: 6 NT occurrences
  • Luke 12:33 -- moths "corrupt"
  • 2 Cor 4:16 -- "though our outward man perish"
  • 1 Tim 6:5 -- men of "corrupt minds"
  • Rev 8:9 -- a third part of ships "were destroyed"
  • Rev 11:18 -- "shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth"
  • Rev 11:18 -- "them which destroy the earth"
  • Key finding: diaphtheiro bridges the testaments -- it translates shachath in the LXX and appears independently in the NT with the same range of "corrupt/destroy/ruin"

G5351: phtheiro -- "to corrupt, to destroy"

  • BLB Count: 8 NT occurrences
  • 1 Cor 3:17 -- "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy"
  • 1 Cor 15:33 -- "evil communications corrupt good manners"
  • 2 Pet 2:12 -- "shall utterly perish in their own corruption"
  • Jude 1:10 -- "in those things they corrupt themselves"
  • Rev 19:2 -- "the great whore, which did corrupt the earth"
  • Key finding: phtheiro is second-ranked LXX translation of shachath (6x). The phtheiro/diaphtheiro word family carries the same decay-destruction semantics as shachath.

CROSS-REFERENCE: TORMENT VOCABULARY (for comparison)

The following words form the "torment" semantic field, which is distinct from the "destruction" semantic field:

G929: basanismos -- "torment, torture"

  • 6 NT occurrences
  • Rev 9:5; 14:11; 18:7,10,15 -- all in Revelation
  • Matt 4:24 (variant reading)

G928: basanizo -- "to torment, to torture"

  • 12 NT occurrences
  • Used of physical ailments (Matt 8:6), sea storms (Matt 14:24), and eschatological torment (Rev 14:10; 20:10)

G2851: kolasis -- "punishment"

  • 2 NT occurrences
  • Matt 25:46 -- "everlasting punishment" (kolasis)
  • 1 John 4:18 -- "fear hath torment (kolasis)"

Key Distinction: The destruction vocabulary (apollymi, apoleia, olethros, etc.) and the torment vocabulary (basanizo, basanismos, kolasis) are different word families with different semantic ranges. The Bible uses destruction vocabulary far more frequently than torment vocabulary when describing the fate of the wicked.

SUMMARY: THE DESTRUCTION WORD FAMILY

Hebrew Destruction Words:

Word Strong's Count Primary Meaning LXX Primary Translation
abad H6 184 perish, destroy apollymi (G622) -- 141x
shamad H8045 90 destroy utterly apollymi (G622) -- 23x
kalah H3615 206 consume, finish synteleo (G4931) -- 85x
shachath H7843 147 corrupt, destroy diaphtheiro (G1311) -- 48x

Greek Destruction Words:

Word Strong's Count Primary Meaning Hebrew Source
apollymi G622 92 destroy, perish abad (141x), shamad (23x)
apoleia G684 20 destruction, perdition noun of apollymi
olethros G3639 4 destruction, ruin root: ollymi

Combined Occurrences:

  • Total Hebrew destruction word occurrences: ~627
  • Total Greek destruction word occurrences: ~116
  • Grand total: ~743 occurrences across both testaments

The Abad-Apollymi-Apoleia Lexical Chain:

H6 (abad, verb, "perish") --> G622 (apollymi, verb, via LXX 141x) --> G684 (apoleia, noun form)

This chain establishes that when the NT uses apollymi or apoleia for the fate of the wicked, it draws on the same vocabulary that the OT uses for perishing and destruction throughout its entire narrative.

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