Lexical Definition

‎אָבַד‎ ʼâbad (aw-bad') to perish ^H:V
a primitive root

break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.

• properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself
• by implication to perish (causative, destroy)

1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) perish, die, be exterminated
1a2) perish, vanish (fig.)
1a3) be lost, strayed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate
1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.)
1b3) cause to stray, lose
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to destroy, put to death
1c1a) of divine judgment
1c2) object name of kings (fig.)

See Greek: λύπη

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (‎א‎ֲ‎ב‎ַ‎ד‎ "to destroy" אֲבַד)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: אֲבַד
Also see: אֹבֵד

‎אָבַד‎ verb perish (MI ‎אבד‎, Assyrian abâtu Dl^{W 184} Aramaic ‎אֲבַד‎, ). —

Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎א‎ Num 21:30 +; ‎אָֽבְדוּ‎ Ps 10:16 + (+ Ezek 6:3 ᵐ5 Co) etc.; Imperfect ‎יאֹבַד‎ Job 3:3; Jer 4:9 ‎יאֹבֵ֑דּ‎ Job 20:7 + 2 t.; 3 feminine singular ‎תּאֹבַד‎ Deut 22:3 + 4 t.; ‎תּאֹבֵ֑ד‎ Job 8:13 + 3 t.; ‎יאֹבְדוּ‎ Judg 5:31 + 3 t.; ‎יאֹבֵ֑דוּ‎ Job 4:9 +; 3 feminine plural ‎וַתּאֹבַדְנָה‎ 1Sam 9:3 ‎תּאֹבֵדוּן‎ Deut 4:26 +; ‎נאֹבֵ֑ד‎ Jonah 1:6; Jonah 3:9 ‎נאֹבְדָה‎ Jonah 1:14, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎אָבדֹ‎ Deut 4:26 + 2 t.; construct ‎אֲבדֹ‎ Deut 7:20; Prov 11:10 ‎אֲבָדְךָ‎ Deut 28:20 ‎אָבְדֶ֑ךָ‎ Deut 28:22 ‎אֲבָדְכֶם‎ Josh 23:13 ‎אָבְדָם‎ Obad 1:12; Prov 28:28 Participle ‎אוֺבֵד‎ Deut 26:5 + 7:t.; construct ‎אֹבַד‎ Deut 32:28 (before ‎ע‎ ? see Di. Bö^{§ 378}); etc.

1. perish, die, of individuals (mostly late) Num 17:27* (|| ‎נוע‎ & (v.Num 17:28*) ‎מות‎, (also Deut 26:5 ? compare below) Jonah 1:6; Jonah 1:14; Job 31:19 compare Job 29:13; Prov 31:6; Esth 4:14; Esth 4:16 (twice in verse); Mic 4:9; Jer 40:15 compare Isa 57:1; Prov 11:10; Prov 28:28; Eccl 7:15; Ps 119:92 emphasis on mortality Job 4:20; Ps 146:4; Eccl 9:6 Saul & Jonathan, under figure of weapons 2Sam 1:27 lion Job 4:11 caravan Job 6:18 (compare Di); compare ‎מִןהָֿאָרֶץ‎ ‎חָסִיד‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Mic 7:2, ‎מֶלֶח מֵעַזָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎וא‎ Zech 9:5 perish, be exterminated (judgment for sin), of Israel Lev 26:38; Deut 8:19 (twice in verse); Deut 8:20; Deut 28:20; Deut 20:22; Deut 30:18 (twice in verse); Jer 27:10; Jer 27:15 compare Jer 6:21; Obad 1:12 compare Ps 80:17*; Isa 27:13 other nations Deut 7:20; Jer 10:15; Jer 51:18; Ps 2:12; Ps 10:16; Ps 83:18* compare Ps 9:4*; Amos 1:8; Isa 41:11; Isa 60:12 compare Jonah 3:9 see also Exod 10:7; Num 21:29; Num 21:30 (JE) Jer 48:46 house of Ahab 2Kgs 9:8 wicked in general Judg 5:31; Job 4:9 compare vJob 4:7, Ps 37:20; Ps 49:11*; Ps 68:3* (|| simile of melting wax), Ps 73:27; Ps 92:10* also Prov 19:9; Prov 21:18 ‎׳‎‎לָנֶצַח א‎ Job 20:7 compare ‎׳‎‎דֶּרֶח רְשָׁעִים א‎ Ps 1:6 followed by ‎מֵעַל הָאָ֑רֶץ‎ (of annihilation of Israel) Deut 4:26 (twice in verse); Deut 11:17; Josh 23:13; Josh 23:16 (D); followed by ‎מִתּוֺח הַקָּהָל‎ (of Korah's company) Num 16:33 (JE); perish, be ruined, destroyed, of inanimate things, e.g. land Jer 9:11* (|| ‎נִצְּתָה כַמִּדְבָּר‎ compare Jer 48:8 harvest Joel 1:11 Jonah's gourd Jonah 4:10 riches Jer 48:36; Eccl 5:13* vessel Ps 31:13* houses Amos 3:15 (so often Assyrian Dl^w); city Ezek 26:17 (but strike out ᵐ5 Co); compare bamôth Ezek 6:3 ᵐ5 Co; heavens & earth Ps 102:27*.

2. figurative perish, vanish, subject memory Job 18:17; Ps 9:7* name Ps 41:6* (i.e. be forgotten); vigour Job 30:2 wisdom Isa 29:14 compare ‎אֹבַד עֵצוֺת‎ Deut 32:28 ‎אֱמוּנָה‎ Jer 7:28 (|| ‎נִכְרְתָה‎); ‎חָזוֺן‎ Ezek 12:22 ‎יוֺם‎ Job 3:3 (i.e. be blotted out); ‎לֵב‎ Jer 4:9 (i.e. courage fail); ‎תִּקְוָה‎ Ps 9:19*; Prov 10:28; Prov 11:7; Ezek 19:5; Ezek 37:11; Job 8:13 so ‎תַּאֲוָה‎ Ps 112:10 (i.e. comes to naught); ‎תּוֺחֶלֶת‎ Prov 11:7, followed by ‎מִן‎ + agent Lam 3:18 ‎עֵצָה‎ + ‎תּוֺרָה‎ followed by ‎מן‎ + persons negligent Jer 18:18; Ezek 7:26, compare Jer 49:7 especially ‎מָנוֺס מִןֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ (i.e. they could not escape) Amos 2:14; Jer 25:35; Job 11:20; Ps 142:5*.

3. be lost, strayed, asses 1Sam 9:3; 1Sam 9:20 sheep Jer 50:6; Ezek 34:4; Ezek 34:16; Ps 119:176 (figurative of erring men); perhaps Deut 26:5. Pi`el causative of Qal. — Perfect ‎אִבַּד‎ 2Kgs 21:3 + 2 t.; suffix ‎וְאִבֶּדְךָ‎ Co Ezek 28:16 compare below; ‎אִבַּדְתִּי‎ Jer 15:7 ‎וְאִבַּדְתִּ֫י‎ Ezek 6:3 (ᵐ5 Co ‎וְאָֽבְּדוּ‎) etc.; Imperfect ‎יְאַבֵּד‎ Eccl 9:18 ‎וִיאַבֵּד‎ Eccl 7:7; Zeph 2:13 1 singular suffix ‎וָאַבֶּדְךָ‎ Ezek 28:16 (for ‎׳‎‎וָאֲאַבּ‎ Ew^{§ 72 c} Ol^{§ 79 a} Kö I:338 Ges^{«GKC:68»§ 68} fin; but Co 3 masculine singular; see also Co Ezek 38:14); ‎תְּאַבְּדוּן‎ Deut 12:2 etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎אַבֵּד‎ Deut 12:2 + 3 t.; construct id. Ezek 22:27 + etc.; Participle ‎מְאַבְּדִים‎ Jer 23:1.

1. cause to perish, destroy, kill, object person (mostly late) 2Kgs 11:1; Esth 3:9; Esth 4:7; Esth 8:5; Esth 9:24 || ‎הרג‎ Esth 9:6; Esth 9:12 || ‎הרג‎ + ‎השׁמיד‎ Esth 3:13; Esth 7:4; Esth 8:11 || ‎המם‎ Esth 9:24 compare Ps 119:95 object ‎נְפָשׁוֺת‎ Ezek 22:17 (strike out ᵐ5 Co); in judgment, subject ‎׳‎‎י‎ Ps 5:7* compare Prov 1:32 followed by ‎מִתּוֺח‎ Ezek 28:16 object a people 2Kgs 13:7; 2Kgs 19:18 = Isa 37:19; Job 12:13 in judgment Deut 11:4; Jer 12:17; Jer 15:7; Zeph 2:13; Ps 9:6* compare Ps 21:11* object inanimate things especially idols, bamôth etc., Num 33:52 (twice in verse); (J) Deut 12:2 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 21:3; Ezek 6:3 (but compare ᵐ5 Co above); bars of Zion Lam 2:9 (|| ‎שִׁבַּר‎).

2. figurative cause to vanish, blot out, do away with names of idols Deut 12:3 voice of Babylon Jer 51:55 memory of dead Isa 26:14 substance Prov 29:3 understanding Eccl 7:7 good ( ‎טוֺבָה‎ q. v.) Eccl 9:18.

3. cause to stray, lose; object Israel under figure of flock Jer 23:1 (|| ‎הֵפִיץ‎); absolute Eccl 3:6 (|| ‎בִּקֵּשׁ‎). Hiph`il Perfect ‎וְהֶאֱבִּיד‎ Num 24:19 ‎הֶאֱבַ֑דְתָּ‎ Job 14:19 etc.; Imperfect ‎אֹבִידָה‎ Jer 46:8 (Ges^{«GKC:68»§ 68}, 2 R. 1). Infinitive construct ‎הַאֲבִיד‎ 2Kgs 10:19 + etc.; Participle ‎מַאֲבִיד‎ Deut 8:20.

1. destroy, put to death, in judgment, (subject ‎׳‎‎י‎) object person Lev 23:30 (followed by ‎מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּהּ‎; || ‎כָּרַת‎ vLev 23:29); Jer 49:38 (followed by ‎מִשָּׁם‎); Obad 1:8 (followed by ‎מֵאֱדוֺם‎); object nation, Ammon Ezek 25:7 (followed by ‎מןהֿארצות‎; || ‎כָּרַת‎), compare vEzek 25:16 Canaanites Deut 8:20 (followed by ‎מִפְּנֵיכֶם‎); Canaan = Philistines Zeph 2:5 (|| ‎כָּרַת‎); especially Israel Deut 28:51; Deut 28:63 (|| ‎הִשְׁמִיד‎), compare Josh 7:7 also absolute Jer 18:7 (|| ‎לִנְתוֺשׁ‎ ‎וְלִנְתוֺץ‎); = Jer 1:10 (+ ‎וְלַהֲרוֺס‎) = Jer 31:28 (+ ‎וּלְהָרֵעַ‎); animals Ezek 32:13 (followed by ‎מֵעַל מַיִם רַבִּים‎); compare Deut 7:10; Ps 143:12 (|| ‎הִצְמִית‎); (human subject), object servants of Baal 2Kgs 10:19, object nation Deut 9:3, compare Num 24:19 (E; followed by ‎מֵעִיר‎); 2Kgs 24:2 compare Jer 46:8 object inanimate, chariots Mic 5:9* idols Ezek 30:13 (strike out B Co).

2. figurative, object name of kings Deut 7:24 (followed by ‎מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם‎); hope Job 14:19 voice of mirth etc. Jer 25:10 (compare Jer 51:55 Pi`el above)

Brown-Driver-Briggs References