Biblical Lexicon

אבה H0007

V-Hifil-Imperf-2ms | 7× in 2 senses

To perish or destroy — Aramaic verb meaning to be lost or ruined (intransitive) or to cause destruction (Hiphil causative).

This Aramaic cognate of Hebrew abad (H0006) appears exclusively in Daniel and once in Jeremiah's Aramaic verse. In its Hiphil (causative) form, it carries the forceful sense of royal or divine annihilation — Nebuchadnezzar decrees to destroy the wise men of Babylon (Dan 2:12, 18, 24), and the Ancient of Days strips dominion to destroy it utterly (Dan 7:26). In its intransitive forms, the word describes the fate of those who face such power: the gods who did not make heaven and earth 'shall perish' (Jer 10:11), and the terrifying beast 'was destroyed' (Dan 7:11). The consistent Aramaic court setting gives this word a flavor of imperial decree and apocalyptic judgment.

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Senses

1. destroy (Hiphil causative) — To destroy, cause to perish (Hiphil causative). The transitive sense dominates in Daniel's court narratives: the king commands 'to destroy' (lehobadah) the sages in Dan 2:12, and Daniel urgently seeks mercy 'lest they destroy' in 2:18. Spanish 'destruyas' and 'para-destruir' capture the active, causative force. In Dan 7:26, the divine court acts to destroy dominion — shifting the agent from human king to heavenly authority. 5×

VIOLENCE_CONFLICT › Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill › Loss and Destruction

AR["تُهْلِكْ","لِ-يُهْلِكَ","وَ-لِلْإِبَادَةِ","يَهْلِكُوا"]·ben["এবং-নাশ-করতে","ধ্বংস","ধ্বংস-করতে","ধ্বংস-হন"]·DE["[ולהובדה]","[יהבדון]","[להובדה]","[תהובד]"]·EN["and-to-destroy","destroy","to-destroy","would-perish"]·FR["[ולהובדה]","[יהבדון]","[להובדה]","[תהובד]"]·heb["ו-ל-השמד","יאבדו","ל-השמיד","תשמיד"]·HI["और-मिटाने-के-लिए","नाश-कर","नाश-करने-के-लिए","नाश-हो-जाएं"]·ID["binasakan","dan-untuk-dibinasakan","mereka-binasa","untuk-membinasakan"]·IT["[ולהובדה]","[יהבדון]","[להובדה]","[תהובד]"]·jav["kangge-nyirnakaken","lan-dipunsirnaaken","nyirnakaken","sami-dipun-sirnakaken"]·KO["그리고-멸망시키기에","머리도록","머리지","멸망하지"]·PT["destruas","e-para-fazer-perecer","para-destruir","perecessem"]·RU["губи","и-на-погибель","погибли","погубить"]·ES["destruyas","para-destruir","perecieran","y-para-hacer-perecer"]·SW["kuwaangamiza","na-kuuharibu","waangamize","waangamizwe"]·TR["ve-mahvetmek-için","yok-edilsinler","yok-etme","yok-etmeye"]·urd["اور-نابود-کرنے-کے-لیے","ہلاک-کر","ہلاک-کرنے-کو","ہلاک-کیے-جائیں"]

Dan 2:12, Dan 2:18, Dan 2:24, Dan 2:24, Dan 7:26

2. perish, be destroyed (Qal/Hofal intransitive) — To perish, be destroyed (Qal intransitive / Hofal passive). The subject suffers rather than inflicts destruction. Jeremiah 10:11, the only Aramaic verse in Jeremiah, declares that gods who did not create heaven and earth 'shall perish' (ye'abdu) — a prophetic curse using the jussive form. In Dan 7:11, the beast 'was destroyed' (wehubad, Hofal passive), receiving the judgment decreed in the previous sense. Spanish distinguishes these nicely: 'perecerán' (they shall perish) versus 'fue-destruido' (was destroyed). 2×

VIOLENCE_CONFLICT › Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill › Loss and Destruction

AR["وَ-أُهْلِكَ","يَهْلِكُونَ"]·ben["এবং-ধ্বংস-হল","বিনষ্ট-হবে"]·DE["[והובד]","[יאבדו]"]·EN["and-was-destroyed","shall-perish"]·FR["[והובד]","[יאבדו]"]·heb["ו-הושמד","יאבדו"]·HI["और-नष्ट-हुआ","नष्ट-होंगे"]·ID["akan-binasa","dan-dibinasakan"]·IT["[והובד]","[יאבדו]"]·jav["badhé-tiwas","lan-dipunbinasaaken"]·KO["그들이-멸망하리라","그리고-멸망당했다"]·PT["e-foi-destruído","perecerão"]·RU["и-уничтожено","погибнут"]·ES["perecerán","y-fue-destruido"]·SW["itaangamia","na-uliharibiwa"]·TR["ve-yok-edildi","yok-olacaklar"]·urd["اور-نابود-ہوا","فنا-ہوں-گے"]

Jer 10:11, Dan 7:11

BDB / Lexicon Reference

אבה (assumed as √ of foll.; v. p. 3).