אָבַד

ʼâbad · Hebrew · Strong's H6 · 184 occurrences

The KJV renders 36 different Hebrew and Greek words as “destroy”

What it means

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

a primitive root;

How the KJV renders it

break, destroy, fail, lose, cause to, make perish, spend, take, be undone, be void of, have no way to flee

Where that flattens a distinction

The same English word is also used for these other originals, so the distinction between them disappears in translation.

“destroy”

also renders phtheírō (G5351), exolothreúō (G1842), kathairéō (G2507), phthorá (G5356), porthéō (G4199), olothreúō (G3645), katalýō (G2647), lýō (G3089), katargéō (G2673), apóllymi (G622), diaphtheírō (G1311), ʼăbad (H7), bâlaʻ (H1104), gârar (H1641), dâbar (H1696), dâmâh (H1820), hârag (H2026), chăbal (H2255), chârab (H2717), chărab (H2718), châram (H2763), mᵉgar (H4049), nâqaph (H5362), nâsham (H5395), nâthats (H5422), çâphâh (H5595), çᵉthar (H5642), tsâdâh (H6658), tsâmath (H6789), qûwr (H6979), rûwaʻ (H7321), shâbar (H7665), shâdad (H7703), shôwʼ (H7722), shâkôl (H7921)

“take”

also renders epiphérō (G2018), déchomai (G1209), proslambánō (G4355), apolambánō (G618), poiéō (G4160), aporphanízō (G642), syllambánō (G4815), piázō (G4084), katéchō (G2722), dídōmi (G1325), apaírō (G522), ekbállō (G1544), harpázō (G726), drássomai (G1405), synaírō (G4868), metalambánō (G3335), kratéō (G2902), prosdéchomai (G4327), gâzâh (H1491), dâbaq (H1692), châzaq (H2388), châsaph (H2834), yâhab (H3051), yâshab (H3427), nâçag (H5253), nâtsal (H5337), nᵉsâʼ (H5376), ʻâbar (H5674), ʻădâʼ (H5709), ʻâsâh (H6213), tsûwd (H6679), qᵉbal (H6902), râbâh (H7235), tâmak (H8551), tâphas (H8610)

“fail”

also renders hysteréō (G5302), ekpíptō (G1601), píptō (G4098), epileípō (G1952), katargéō (G2673), ekleípō (G1587), ʼâphêç (H656), bâqaq (H1238), gâmar (H1584), gâʻal (H1602), dâlal (H1809), châçêr (H2637), châçêr (H2638), kâzab (H3576), kâshal (H3782), nâshath (H5405), ʻâbar (H5674), ʻădar (H5737), ʻâzab (H5800), ʻâṭaph (H5848), râphâh (H7503), shâqar (H8266), tâmam (H8552)

“break”

also renders schízō (G4977), synthrýptō (G4919), syntríbō (G4937), katágnymi (G2608), rhḗgnymi (G4486), katakláō (G2622), kláō (G2806), lýō (G3089), synthláō (G4917), diarrhḗssō (G1284), gâram (H1633), hâlam (H1986), nûwʼ (H5106), nâthaʻ (H5421), nâthaq (H5423), pûwr (H6331), pâtsam (H6480), pâraq (H6561), râgaʻ (H7280), rᵉʻaʻ (H7490), shûwph (H7779)

“cause to”

also renders yâchal (H3176), yâshab (H3427), mâshal (H4910), nûwach (H5117), nâchal (H5157), ʻâbar (H5674), tsâmach (H6779), râkab (H7392), shâbaʻ (H7650), shâkan (H7931), sâmach (H8055), shâmaʻ (H8085), sâraph (H8313), tâʻâh (H8582)

“spend”

also renders dapanáō (G1159), poiéō (G4160), prosanalískō (G4321), ekdapanáō (G1550), bâlâh (H1086), ʻâsâh (H6213)

“lose”

also renders zēmióō (G2210), apóllymi (G622)

“be undone”

also renders dâmâh (H1820)

Answers that weigh this word

Where it appears

184 occurrences in the Hebrew text, first 60 verses shown.

1 Samuel 9:3 · HC/Vqw3fp

The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”

1 Samuel 9:20 · HTd/Vqrfpa

As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them, for they have been found. For whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you and all your father’s house?”

2 Kings 9:8 · HC/Vqq3ms

For the whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, both him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.

2 Kings 10:19 · HVhc

Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.

2 Kings 11:1 · HC/Vpw3fs

Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring.

2 Kings 13:7 · HVpp3ms/Sp3mp

For he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like the dust in threshing.

2 Kings 19:18 HC/Vpw3mp/Sp3mp2 Kings 21:3 HVpp3ms2 Kings 24:2 HR/Vhc/Sp3ms2 Samuel 1:27 HC/Vqw3mpAmos 1:8 HC/Vqq3cpAmos 2:14 HC/Vqq3msAmos 3:15 HC/Vqq3cpDeuteronomy 4:26 HVqaDeuteronomy 7:10 HR/Vhc/Sp3msDeuteronomy 7:20 HVqcDeuteronomy 7:24 HC/Vhq2msDeuteronomy 8:19 HVqaDeuteronomy 8:20 HVhrmsaDeuteronomy 9:3 HC/Vhq2ms/Sp3mpDeuteronomy 11:4 HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mpDeuteronomy 11:17 HC/Vqq2mpDeuteronomy 12:2 HVpaDeuteronomy 12:3 HC/Vpq2mpDeuteronomy 22:3 HVqi3fsDeuteronomy 26:5 HVqrmsaDeuteronomy 28:20 HVqc/Sp2msDeuteronomy 28:22 HVqc/Sp2msDeuteronomy 28:51 HVhc/Sp3msDeuteronomy 28:63 HR/VhcDeuteronomy 30:18 HVqaDeuteronomy 32:28 HVqrmscEcclesiastes 3:6 HR/VpcEcclesiastes 5:14 HC/Vqp3msEcclesiastes 7:7 HC/Vpi3msEcclesiastes 7:15 HVqrmsaEcclesiastes 9:6 HVqp3fsEcclesiastes 9:18 HVpi3msEsther 3:9 HR/Vpc/Sp3mpEsther 3:13 HC/R/VpcEsther 4:7 HR/Vpc/Sp3mpEsther 4:14 HVqi2mpEsther 4:16 HVqp1csEsther 7:4 HC/R/VpcEsther 8:5 HR/VpcEsther 8:11 HC/R/VpcEsther 9:6 HC/VpaEsther 9:12 HC/VpaEsther 9:24 HC/R/Vpc/Sp3mpExodus 10:7 HVqp3fsEzekiel 6:3 HC/Vpq1csEzekiel 7:26 HVqi3fsEzekiel 12:22 HC/Vqq3msEzekiel 19:5 HVqp3fsEzekiel 22:27 HR/VpcEzekiel 25:7 HC/Vhq1cs/Sp2msEzekiel 25:16 HC/Vhq1csEzekiel 26:17 HVqp2fsEzekiel 28:16 HC/Vpw1cs/Sp2msEzekiel 30:13 HC/Vhq1cs

Occurrences and morphology are taken from the primary Hebrew text, never from an English translation. Strong's Hebrew lexicon and Westminster Leningrad Codex morphology used under CC BY-SA 4.0 / CC BY 4.0 (OpenScriptures). Strong's Greek lexicon is public domain.