Biblical Lexicon

σφάζω G4969

V-RPM/P-GMP | 10× in 1 sense

Slay, slaughter — to kill violently, especially by cutting the throat; used of sacrificial and murderous killing

The verb σφάζω (sphazo) denotes violent killing, originally with the specific nuance of throat-cutting or butchering, though the NT extends it to any brutal slaying. Cain 'slaughtered' Abel (1 John 3:12), using the same verb applied to the Lamb 'slain from the foundation of the world' (Rev 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8). This lexical pairing is theologically potent: the first murder and the ultimate sacrifice share the same word. In Revelation, the Lamb bears the marks of slaughter yet stands alive, and the great red dragon's sword is given authority to 'slay' on earth (Rev 6:4). Spanish 'degollar/matar' and French 'égorger' preserve the visceral, sacrificial register.

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Senses

1. slay, slaughter — To kill by violent means, originally connoting throat-cutting or butchering, applied both to murder (Cain slaying Abel, 1 John 3:12) and to sacrificial slaughter (the Lamb 'slain,' Rev 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8). Revelation uses it for eschatological violence as well: the rider on the red horse is empowered to cause people to 'slay one another' (Rev 6:4, 9; 18:24). The perfect passive participle ἐσφαγμένον ('having been slain') becomes a standing christological title for the Lamb. Spanish 'degollar' and German 'schlachten' both retain the butchering connotation. 10×

VIOLENCE_CONFLICT › Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill › Killing and Removing

AR["المَذبوحينَ", "المَذبوحُ", "المَذبوحِ", "المَذْبوحينَ", "ذَبَحَ", "ذَبَحَهُ", "ذُبِحتَ", "مَذبوحٌ", "مَذبوحٍ", "يَذبَحونَ"]·ben["তারা-বধ-করবে;", "তুমি-বধ-হয়েছিলে,", "বধ-হওয়াদের", "বধ-হয়েছে,", "হত", "হতদের", "হত্যা-করেছিল"]·DE["schlachten"]·EN["having-been-slain", "he-slew", "slew", "they-will-slaughter", "you-were-slain"]·FR["schlachten"]·heb["הַשְּׁחוּטִים", "הַשָּׁחוּט", "יִשְׁחֲטוּ", "נִשְׁחַטְתָּ", "נִשְׁחָט", "נִשְׁחָטִים", "שָׁחַט", "שָׁחוּט"]·HI["उसने-मार-डाला", "घात-किए-गए", "घात-किए-हुए", "घात-किए-हुओं", "घात-किया-हुआ,", "घायल-किया-हुआ", "तू-घात-किया-गया,", "वे-घात-करें;"]·ID["Engkau-disembelih,", "dibunuh", "membunuh", "mereka-akan-menyembelih;", "tersembelih", "tersembelih,", "yang-disembelih", "yang-tersembelih,"]·IT["uccidere"]·jav["Panjenengan-dipunsembelih", "dipun-pejahi", "dipun-sembeleh", "dipunsembelih", "ingkang-dipunsembelih", "nyembelih", "piyambakipun-sedaya-mejahi"]·KO["죽였느냐", "죽였다", "죽이도록", "죽임-당한-자들의", "죽임-을-당한", "죽임당하셨고", "죽임당한", "죽임당한-자들-의"]·PT["foste-imolado", "imolado", "imolados", "matem", "matou", "morto", "mortos", "o-matou", "tendo-sido-morta"]·RU["был-заклан,", "закланная", "закланного,", "закланный,", "закланных", "убивали;", "убил", "убитых"]·ES["degollada", "degollado", "degollados", "fuiste-inmolado", "inmolado", "inmolados", "lo-mató", "mató", "se-maten"]·SW["alimuua", "aliyechinjwa", "aliyechinjwa,", "kilichochinjwa", "ulichinjwa,", "waliochinjwa", "wauwane;"]·TR["-o", "boğazlanmış", "boğazlanmışların", "kesilmiş", "kesti", "ve-", "öldürsünler", "öldürülmüşlerin"]·urd["ذبح-کریں", "ذبح-کیا-گیا", "ذبح-کیا-ہوا", "ذبح-کیے-ہوؤں-کا", "ذبح-کیے-ہوئوں-کی", "ذبح-ہوا", "قتل-کیا"]

1 John 3:12, 1 John 3:12, Rev 5:6, Rev 5:9, Rev 5:12, Rev 6:4, Rev 6:9, Rev 13:3, Rev 13:8, Rev 18:24

BDB / Lexicon Reference

σφάζω, Refs 8th c.BC+ downwards, σφάττω, compare Σφαττόμενος title of play by Refs 4th c.BC+; Boeotian dialect σφάδδω Refs: future σφάξω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἔσφαξα Refs 8th c.BC+perfect ἔσφᾰκα, known from pluperfect ἐσφάκειν Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, future σφᾰγήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+aorist ἐσφάγην [ᾰ] Trag. Refs 4th c.BC+; less frequently ἐσφάχθην, Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἔσφαγμαι Refs 8th…