שָׁמַד90 H8045
To destroy or exterminate (Hifil); to be destroyed or perish (Nifal) -- total annihilation of peoples, nations, or things.
A verb of devastating finality in the Hebrew Bible, conveying utter annihilation. In its Hifil (causative) form, it describes deliberate destruction by a powerful agent -- God destroying nations (Deut 2:22-23), Israel commanded to annihilate Canaanite peoples (Deut 7:23-24), or Nebuchadnezzar ravaging kingdoms. In the Nifal (passive), the subject undergoes that same total ruin: 'you will surely be destroyed' echoes through Deuteronomy's covenant warnings (4:26, 28:20). French consistently uses detruire/exterminer while Spanish employs destruir, both capturing the word's uncompromising force.
Senses
1. destroy, exterminate — The Hifil causative sense: to actively destroy, annihilate, or exterminate a people, nation, or entity through deliberate action. The agent -- whether God, a king, or Israel -- causes total obliteration. Spanish destruir and French detruire/exterminer uniformly confirm a single core meaning across 69 occurrences. Key passages include Deut 2:22 (God destroying the Horites) and 2 Kgs 21:3 (Hezekiah's reforms reversed). 69×
AR["أَبادَهُم", "أَبَادَهَا", "أَبَادَهُمْ", "أَهْلَكَ", "لِ-الْإِبَادَةِ", "لِ-يُبِيدَ", "لِ-يُبِيدُوا", "لِـ-يُهْلِكَ", "لِيُبيدَ", "لِيُبِيدَكُمْ", "لِيُدَمِّرَ", "وَ-أُبِيدُهَا", "وَأُبِيدُ", "وَأُهْلِكُ", "يُبِيدُ", "يُهْلِكُ"]·ben["-ধ্বংস-করতে", "এবং-আমি-ধ্বংস-করব", "ও-আমি-ধ্বংস-করব", "ও-ধ্বংস-করব", "তিনি-ধ্বংস-করবেন", "ধ্বংস-করতে", "ধ্বংস-করবেন", "ধ্বংস-করল", "ধ্বংস-করেছিলেন"]·DE["[השמיד]", "[ישמיד]", "[להשמיד]", "[לשמד]", "er-vernichtet", "er-zerstoerte", "und-vernichten", "vernichten", "wird-zerstoeren", "zerstoerte", "zu-zerstoere", "zu-zerstoeren"]·EN["and-I-will-destroy", "destroyed", "he-destroyed", "he-destroys", "he-will-destroy", "to-be-destroyed", "to-destroy", "will-destroy"]·FR["détruire", "détruisit", "et-exterminer", "exterminer", "fera-détruire", "il-détruisit", "pour-exterminer", "à-détruire", "à-détruis"]·heb["השמיד", "ו-השמדתי", "ישמיד", "ל-השמיד"]·HI["और-नाश-करूँगा", "और-नाश-करूंगा", "और-मैं-नाश-करूंगा", "के-नाश-करने", "नाश-करने", "नाश-करने-के-लिए", "नाश-करने-को", "नाश-करेगा", "नाश-किए-जाने-को", "नाश-किया", "वह-नाश-करेगा"]·ID["Dia-membinasakan", "Ia-membinasakan", "dan-Aku-akan-membinasakan", "dan-membinasakan", "dibinasakan", "dimusnahkan", "memusnahkan", "untuk-dimusnahkan", "untuk-memusnahkan"]·IT["a-distruggere", "a-distruggi", "distruggere", "distrusse", "e-distruggere", "egli-distrusse", "fara-distruggere", "per-sterminare", "sterminare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-badhe-numpes", "Yéhuwah", "badhé-dipunsirnakaken", "dipun-sirnakaken", "dipuntumpes", "dosa", "kangge-ngrusak", "kangge-numpes", "kanggé-dipun-numpes", "kanggé-numpes", "lan-Kawula-badhé-nglebur", "lan-Kawula-numpes", "numpes", "supados-ngrisak", "supados-numpes"]·KO["그가-멸하시리라", "그리고-내가-멸망시키리라", "그리고-멸하리라", "멸망시켰다", "멸망시키도록", "멸망시키려고", "멸하기-위해", "멸하려고", "멸하려는", "멸하셨다", "멸하시려고", "멸하시리라", "멸하신", "에-멸하려고"]·PT["destruir", "destruirá", "destruiu", "e-destruirei", "para-destruir"]·RU["и-уничтожу", "истребил", "истребит", "уничтожил", "уничтожить", "чтобы-истребить", "чтобы-уничтожить"]·ES["destruir", "destruirá", "destruyó", "para-destruir", "para-destruiros", "y-destruiré", "y-lo-destruiré"]·SW["Yahwe-aliyaharibu", "aliwaangamiza", "atawaangamiza", "hishmiyd", "kuangamiza", "kuangamizwa", "kuharibu", "kuwaangamiza", "kuwaua", "na-nitaangamiza", "na-nitaharibu", "na-nitauangamiza"]·TR["le-yok-etmek", "ve-yok-edeceğim", "yok-edecek", "yok-edilmek-için-", "yok-etmek", "yok-etmek-için", "yok-etmek-için-", "yok-etti"]·urd["اور-مٹا-دوں-گا", "اور-نابود-کروں-گا", "اور-نیست-کروں-گا", "برباد-کرنے-کو", "برباد-کیا", "تباہ-کرنا", "تباہ-کرنے-کے-لیے", "تباہ-کرے-گا", "نابود-کرنے-کو", "نابود-کرےگا", "نابود-کیا", "نیست-کیا-تھا", "وہ-ہلاک-کرے-گا", "ہلاک-کرنا", "ہلاک-کرنے", "ہلاک-کرنے-کے-لیے"]
2. be destroyed, perish — The Nifal passive sense: to be destroyed, perish, or be exterminated -- the entity suffers annihilation rather than causing it. Arabic passive forms and Spanish reflexive constructions (fuimos destruidos) clearly distinguish this voice from the Hifil. Prominent in covenant-curse warnings (Deut 4:26, 'you shall surely be destroyed') and in narrative accounts of national ruin (Gen 34:30, Jacob fearing extermination). 21×
AR["أُبِيدَتِ", "أُبِيدْنَا", "إِبَادَةً", "إِهْلَاكِهِمْ", "تَهْلِكَكَ", "تُبَادُونَ", "لِيَهْلِكُوا", "وَ-أُهْلَكُ", "وَتُدَمَّرُ", "وَيُبَادُ", "وَيُهْلَكُ", "يُبَادُ", "يُهْدَمُ", "يُهْلَكونَ"]·ben["আমরা-ধ্বংস-হয়েছিলাম", "আর-ধ্বংস-হব", "আর-ধ্বংসস্থান-হবে", "এবং-ধ্বংস-হবে", "তাদের-ধ্বংস-হওয়ার", "তাদের-ধ্বংস-হতে", "তাদের-ধ্বংস-হয়", "তোমরা-ধ্বংস-হবে", "তোমার-ধ্বংস", "ধ্বংস", "ধ্বংস-হওয়ায়-তোমার", "ধ্বংস-হত", "ধ্বংস-হবে", "ধ্বংস-হয়েছে"]·DE["[ונשמד]", "[ישמד]", "destroying", "du-sind-zerstoerte", "du-wird-sein-zerstoerte", "es-ist-für-ihr-destruction", "sie-sind-zerstoerte", "sind-vernichtet", "und-vernichten", "und-vernichtet-werde", "vernichten", "wir-waren-zerstoerte", "zerstoerte"]·EN["and-I-will-be-destroyed", "and-shall-be-destroyed", "and-will-be-destroyed", "are-destroyed", "destroyed", "destroying", "it-is-for-their-destruction", "they-are-destroyed", "we-were-destroyed", "will-be-destroyed", "would-be-destroyed", "you-are-destroyed", "you-will-be-destroyed"]·FR["détruire", "détruisant", "détruisit", "et-Je---être-détruisit", "et-exterminer", "exterminer", "ils-sont-détruisit", "nous-furent-détruisit", "tu-fera-être-détruisit", "tu-sont-détruisit", "à-détruire", "ישמד"]·heb["הישמדך", "הישמדם", "השמד", "השמדך", "השמדם", "ו-נשמד", "ו-נשמדו", "ו-נשמדתי", "יישמד", "ישמד", "ל-הישמדם", "נשמדה", "נשמדו", "נשמדנו", "תישמדון"]·HI["उसकी-भीड़", "और-उजड़-जाएगा", "और-नष्ट-हो-जाऊँगा", "और-नष्ट-होगा", "और-नाश-होंगे", "नष्ट-होने-उनके", "नाश-किए-जाएँगे", "नाश-हुई", "नाश-हों-उनका", "नाश-होगा", "नाश-होता", "नाश-होने-के-लिए-उनका", "नाश-होने-तेरे", "नाश-होने-तेरे।", "हम-नाश-हुए"]·ID["akan-dimusnahkan", "dan-akan-dimusnahkan", "dan-aku-akan-dimusnahkan", "dan-dihancurkan", "dibinasakan", "dimusnahkan", "kami-dimusnahkan", "kamu-akan-dimusnahkan", "membinasakan-engkau", "mereka-dimusnahkan", "untuk-dibinasakan"]·IT["destroying", "distruggere", "distrusse", "e-distruggere", "e-io-will-essere-distrusse", "e-sterminare", "essi-sono-distrusse", "noi-erano-distrusse", "sterminare", "tu-fara-essere-distrusse", "tu-sono-distrusse"]·jav["badhe-dipun-sirnakaken", "binasa-piyambakipun", "dipun-tumpes", "dipunnumpes", "dirusak", "kalebur", "kita-dipun-sirnakaken", "lan-dipun-sirnaaken", "lan-dipuntumpes", "lan-kasirnakaken", "lan-kawula-badhé-dipuntumpes", "lan-tumpes", "panjenengan-sadaya-badhé-dipunnumpes", "panjenengan-sirna", "piyambakipun-dipun-tumpes", "supados-sami-kasirnakaken"]·KO["그들-이-멸망하기-위함이라", "그리고-멸망하겠다", "그리고-멸망할-것이다", "그리고-멸하리라", "그리고-파괴되겠다", "그리하여-멸망되리라", "네가-멸망할-때까지", "멸망당하리라", "멸망당하였도다", "멸망되었다", "멸망하기를", "멸망하기를-그들을", "멸하여졌으리라", "멸함-뒤에-그들이", "우리가-멸망당하도록", "파멸된다"]·PT["E-destruídos-serão", "E-será-destruído", "destruir", "e-serei-destruído", "e-será-destruída", "e-será-destruído", "foi-destruída", "fomos-destruídos", "sereis-destruídos", "serem-destruídas", "serem-destruídos", "seres-destruído", "seria-destruído", "será-destruída", "serão-destruídos", "é-para-serem-destruídos"]·RU["И-будет-уничтожен", "будет-уничтожен", "будете-истреблены", "будут-истреблены", "и-будет-уничтожена", "и-истребится", "и-истреблены", "и-истреблюсь", "истребится", "истреблена", "истребления-их", "истребления-твоего", "истребления-тебя", "истребляя", "уничтожения-их", "чтобы-быть-истреблёнными", "чтобы-мы-были-истреблены"]·ES["destruir", "fue-destruida", "fuimos-destruidos", "para-ser-destruidos", "que-sean-destruidos", "que-seas-destruido", "ser-destruidos", "será-destruida", "serán-destruidos", "seréis-destruidos", "sería-destruido", "y-será-destruida", "y-será-destruido", "y-serán-destruidos", "y-seré-destruido"]·SW["Na-itaangamizwa", "hakika-mtaangamizwa-", "haribika", "itaharibiwa", "kuangamizwa-kwako", "kuangamizwa-kwao", "mtaangamizwa", "na-kukamatia", "na-litaharibiwa", "na-utaangamizwa", "na-zitaangamizwa", "tuangamizwe", "wameangamizwa", "wataangamizwa"]·TR["ve-helak-olacak", "ve-yok-edilecek", "ve-yok-edileceğim", "yok-edildi", "yok-edildik", "yok-edilecek", "yok-edilirdi", "yok-edilirler", "yok-edilmeleri-içindir", "yok-edilmelerinden-sonra", "yok-edilmene", "yok-olacaksınız", "yok-olmak", "yok-olmalarına"]·urd["ان-کے-فنا-ہونے-کے", "اور-تباہ-ہو-جائیں-گی", "اور-تباہ-ہو-گا", "اور-فنا-ہوںگا-میں", "اور-نابود-ہو-جائے-گی", "تاکہ-وہ-نیست-کِیے-جائیں", "تباہ-ہو-جائے-گا", "فنا-کیا-گیا", "مٹایا-جائے-گا", "ہلاک-", "ہلاک-کرنے-تیرے", "ہلاک-کرے-تجھے", "ہلاک-ہوں-انہیں", "ہلاک-ہوں-گے", "ہم-تباہ-ہوں", "ہو-جاؤ-گے"]
Gen 34:30, Deut 4:26, Deut 4:26, Deut 7:23, Deut 12:30, Deut 28:20, Deut 28:24, Deut 28:45, Deut 28:51, Deut 28:61, Judg 21:16, 2 Sam 21:5 (+9 more)
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)G2190 1. enemy / hostile one (32×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
[שָׁמַד90] vb. Niph. be exterminated, destroyed (NH der. spec.; Aramaic שְׁמַד Pa. cause to apostatize (Jastr); Syriac ܫܰܡܶܕ seems disputed (in Lexx.); NöEut. Nab. 32 curse; BAES 10 cites Assyrian ašmud, I destroyed; Gerber112 thinks vb. denom.);—Pf. 3 ms. consec. וְנִשְׁמַד Ez 32:12 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשָּׁמֵד Is 48:19; Pr 14:11; 2 mpl. תִּשָּׁמֵד֑וּן Dt 4:26; Inf. abs. הִשָּׁמֵד v 26; cstr.…