Original Word: שָׁמַד
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shamad
Pronunciation: shah-MAD
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mad')
KJV: destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, X utterly
NASB: destroyed, destroy, demolish, destruction, exterminate, completely, eradicated
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to desolate

destruction, bring to nothing, overthrow, perish, pluck down, utterly

A primitive root; to desolate -- destory(- uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, X utterly.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be exterminated or destroyed
NASB Translation
completely (1), demolish (2), destroy (36), destroyed (41), destruction (2), eradicated (1), exterminate (2), totally destroy (1), utterly destroyed (1), wipe (1).

[שָׁמַד]₉₀ verb Niph`al be exterminated, destroyed (Late Hebrew derived species; Aramaic שְׁמַד Pa`el cause to apostatize (Jastr); Syriac seems disputed (in Lexicons); Nö^{Eut. Nab. 32} curse; Ba^{ES 10} cites Assyrian ašmud, I destroyed; Gerber¹¹² thinks verb denominative); — Perfect 3 masculine singular consecutive וְנִשְׁמַד Ezekiel 32:12 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשָּׁמֵ Isaiah 48:19; Proverbs 14:11; 2masculine plural תִּשָּׁמֵד֑וּן Deuteronomy 4:26; Infinitiveabsolute הִשָּׁמֵד Deuteronomy 4:26; construct suffix הִשָּׁמֶדְךָ Deuteronomy 28:20, etc.; —

1 of person be annihilated, exterminated, Genesis 34:30 (J), Judges 21:16; 2 Samuel 21:5 (+ מֵהִתְיַצֵּב בְּ; — but read לְהַשְׁמִידֵגוּ ᵐ5 Ew We Dr and others), Psalm 37:38 ("" נִכְדָת), Psalm 83:11; of people Deuteronomy 4:26 (׳הִשָּׁמֵד תּשּׁ), Deuteronomy 7:23; Deuteronomy 12:30(+ מִמָּנֶתךָ Deuteronomy 28:20 ("" אָבַד Deuteronomy 28:24; Deuteronomy 28:45; Deuteronomy 28:51; Deuteronomy 28:61, Jeremiah 48:42 (+מֵעִם. Ezekiel 33:12; Psalm 92:8 (+ עֲדֵיעַֿד, compare also וְלֹא יִשָּׁמֵד שְׁמוֺ מִלְּפָנָי֑ Isaiah 48:19 (+ יִכָרֵת; וַרְעֶ֑ךָ etc., in "" clause).

2 be destroyed, of bamoth, Hosea 10:8, compare (בֵּית רְשָׁעִים) Proverbs 14:11; be devastated, of land, Jeremiah 48:8 ("" אבר).

Hiph`il₆₉ Perfect3masculine singular הִשְׁמִיד Deuteronomy 2:22 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יַשְׁמִיד Isaiah 13:9 +, וַיַּשְׁמֵד 1 Kings 16:12; 2 Kings 10:28, etc.; Imperative masculine singular הַשְׁמֵד Deuteronomy 33:27; Infinitive absolute הַשְׁמֵד Isaiah 14:28, יֵ֯ד Amos 9:8; construct לְהַשְׁמִיר Joshua 9:24 +, also עַד הִשְׁמִידְךָ Deuteronomy 7:24, וֺ- Deuteronomy 28:48, ָ֯ ם - Joshua 11:14 (but read in all ׳הַשׁ, as Joshua 23:15, see Dr^{Deuteronomy 7:24}), לַשְׁמִד Isaiah 23:11, etc.; —

1 annihilate, exterminate: accusative of person or a people, subject ׳י or human person, Deuteronomy 1:27; Deuteronomy 2:22 (+ מִמְּנֵי person), Deuteronomy 6:15 (+ מֵעַלמְּֿנֵי הָאֲרָמָה), Deuteronomy 9:20 16t. Deuteronomy; Joshua 7:12 (accusative הַחֵרֶם; + מִקִּרְבְּכֶם), Joshua 9:24 4t. Joshua (all R^D), 2 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 13:34; Amos 9:8; Isaiah 13:9; Isaiah 26:14; Esther 3:6,13 23t.; accusative מִּרְיוֺ וְשָׁרָשָׁיו (figurative) Amos 2:9, compare Ezekiel 34:16 (but Vrss Co Toy and others [not Hi Krae] אֶשְׁמֹר); אֶתשְֿׁמִי ׳הִשׁ 1 Samuel 24:22 (Gi v.1 Samuel 24:21), 2 Samuel 22:38; 1 Kings 16:12; Psalm 145:20; הַשְׁמֵד as substantive, Isaiah 14:23 besom of extermination; accusative אֶתהַֿבַּעַל 2 Kings 10:28, of extirpating Baal-worship מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.

2 destroy, cities Micah 5:13, fortresses Isaiah 23:11, bamoth Leviticus 26:30 (H), Numbers 33:52 (P; "" אִבֵּד), חֹזֶק מַמְלְכוֺת הַגּוֺיִם Haggai 2:22.

Overview of Meaning and Scope

שָׁמַד appears about ninety times in the Old Testament and portrays complete removal—whether of people, places, idols, or nations. The verb often sits alongside imagery of cutting off, sweeping away, blotting out, and consuming, underscoring finality. Usage clusters in the Pentateuch, the historical books, the Psalms, and the Prophets, giving the word a covenant-wide resonance.

Destruction as Divine Judgment

1. Corporate sin. “You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God delivers over to you” (Deuteronomy 7:16). Here שָׁמַד enforces holy separation.
2. Personal rebellion. “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone shall be utterly destroyed” (Exodus 22:20).
3. Boasting nations. “The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers” (Isaiah 14:5)—an oracle announcing that arrogant empires will be destroyed.

Idolatry Purged

Shrines, pillars, and images receive repeated commands to be “destroyed” (Deuteronomy 12:2–3; 2 Kings 23:24). The verb therefore guards Israel’s worship and links purity of doctrine with national survival.

Covenant Blessings and Curses

If Israel obeys, enemies are destroyed (Leviticus 26:7–8). If Israel rebels, the land “will be utterly desolate” (Leviticus 26:31), and the people “shall quickly perish” (Deuteronomy 28:63). שָׁמַד thus acts as a hinge in covenant theology—either falling upon foes or upon the covenant community itself.

Holy War and the Ban (ḥērem)

In conquest narratives the verb punctuates decisive victories: “Joshua struck all the land… he left no survivor” (Joshua 10:40). שָׁמַד marks the theological difference between warfare for plunder and warfare as sacred judgment.

Historical Fulfillments

1. Northern Kingdom. Hosea laments, “You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against Me” (Hosea 13:9).
2. Jerusalem and the Temple. “I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish” (2 Kings 21:13), a chilling instance of impending total ruin.
3. Edom, Moab, Philistia, Babylon. Prophetic passages (Jeremiah 25:9; Ezekiel 25:7; Isaiah 13:9) show God’s sovereignty over all nations, not merely Israel.

Assurance of Protection

For the faithful, שָׁמַד turns from threat to promise. “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed” (Psalm 9:9), while just prior, “You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked” (Psalm 9:5). Destruction of enemies secures rest for God’s people.

Wisdom and Prophetic Warnings

Proverbs 13:13 ties contempt for the word to destruction, anticipating Jeremiah 1:10, where the prophet is commissioned “to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.” The dual mandate shows that destruction sometimes clears the ground for renewal.

Messianic and Eschatological Horizon

Isaiah 11 anticipates a reign where the Messiah “will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth” (Isaiah 11:4). Final judgment is total in scope, yet it ushers in everlasting peace. Revelation 11:18 echoes the theme, promising that God “will destroy those who destroy the earth,” completing the moral symmetry begun with שָׁמַד.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons

1. Sin is never trivial; unchecked it invites annihilation.
2. God’s judgments, though severe, are measured and purposeful—either purging idolatry or vindicating righteousness.
3. Destruction is not God’s last word; mercy remains available to repentant hearts (Deuteronomy 4:30–31).

Pastoral and Ministry Significance

• Preaching: Shamad passages warn complacent congregations yet comfort the oppressed with divine justice.
• Counseling: They encourage personal holiness—“flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14)—lest sin destroy.
• Missions: God’s resolve to eliminate false worship fuels evangelistic urgency.
• Eschatology: Present calamities foreshadow the ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked, motivating readiness for Christ’s return.

Key References

Exodus 22:20; Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 4:25–31; Deuteronomy 7:2–26; Deuteronomy 28:63; Joshua 10:40; 1 Samuel 26:9; 2 Kings 21:13; 2 Chronicles 32:14; Psalm 54:5; Proverbs 13:13; Isaiah 14:5; Jeremiah 1:10; Ezekiel 25:7; Hosea 13:9; Nahum 1:9.

אַשְׁמִ֖יד אַשְׁמִ֛יד אַשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ אשמיד אשמידך הִ֭שְׁמִידוּ הִשְׁמִ֖יד הִשְׁמִ֣יד הִשְׁמִ֤יד הִשְׁמִ֥יד הִשְׁמִֽדְךָ֖ הִשְׁמִד֑וֹ הִשְׁמִדָם֙ הִשְׁמִיד֑וֹ הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ הִשְׁמִיד֛וֹ הִשְׁמִידֻ֖ם הִשְׁמִידֽוּם׃ הִשְׁמַ֤דְתִּי הִשָּֽׁמְדָ֑ךְ הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ֒ הִשָּֽׁמֶדְךָ֤ הִשָּׁמְדָ֣ם הִשָּׁמְדָֽךְ׃ הִשָּׁמְדָֽם׃ הִשָּׁמֵ֖ד הַשְׁמִיד֣וֹ הַשְׁמִידָ֔ם הַשְׁמֵ֔ד הַשְׁמֵ֥יד הַשְׁמֵֽד׃ השמד השמד׃ השמדו השמדך השמדך׃ השמדם השמדם׃ השמדתי השמיד השמידו השמידום׃ השמידם וְאַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔יו וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ֖ וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֞י וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֣י וְנִשְׁמְד֞וּ וְנִשְׁמַ֖ד וְנִשְׁמַ֣ד וְנִשְׁמַ֥ד וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י וְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָה וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם וַיַּשְׁמִידֵ֤ם וַיַּשְׁמִידוּם֙ וַיַּשְׁמֵ֣ד וַיַּשְׁמֵ֥ד וַתַּשְׁמִידֵ֔ם וָאַשְׁמִ֤יד וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֖ם וּלְהַשְׁמִ֑יד וּלְהַשְׁמִ֔יד וּלְהַשְׁמִ֛יד וּלְהַשְׁמִ֣יד ואשמיד ואשמידם והשמדתי והשמדתיו והשמידך וישמד וישמידום וישמידם ולהשמיד ונשמד ונשמדו ונשמדתי ונשמידה ותשמידם יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד יִשָּׁמֵ֛ד יַשְׁמִ֖ידוּ יַשְׁמִ֞יד יַשְׁמִ֥יד יַשְׁמִֽיד׃ יַשְׁמִידֵ֛ם ישמד ישמיד ישמיד׃ ישמידו ישמידם לְֽהַשְׁמִ֫ידָ֥ם לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם לְהַשְׁמִ֖יד לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לְהַשְׁמִ֣יד לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד לְהַשְׁמִ֨יד לְהַשְׁמִיד֑וֹ לְהַשְׁמִיד֙ לְהַשְׁמִיד֩ לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ׃ לְהַשְׁמִידָם֙ לַשְׁמִ֖ד להשמדם להשמיד להשמידו להשמידם להשמידנו׃ לשמד נִשְׁמְד֣וּ נִשְׁמְד֥וּ נִשְׁמְדָ֥ה נִשְׁמַ֕דְנוּ נשמדה נשמדו נשמדנו תִּשָּׁמֵדֽוּן׃ תַּשְׁמִ֥יד תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ׃ תַשְׁמִ֛ידוּ תשמדון׃ תשמיד תשמידו תשמידו׃ ’aš·mî·ḏə·ḵā ’aš·mîḏ ’ašmîḏ ’ašmîḏəḵā ashMid ashMidecha haš·mêḏ haš·mî·ḏām haš·mî·ḏōw hashMed hashMeid hashmiDam hashmiDo hašmêḏ hašmîḏām hašmîḏōw hiš·maḏ·tî hiš·mi·ḏām hiš·mi·ḏōw hiš·mî·ḏōw hiš·mî·ḏū hiš·mî·ḏum hiš·mî·ḏūm hiš·mîḏ hiš·miḏ·ḵā hiš·šā·mə·ḏāḵ hiš·šā·mə·ḏām hiš·šā·mêḏ hiš·šā·meḏ·ḵā hishMadti hishMid hishmiDam hishmidCha hishmiDo Hishmidu hishmiDum hishshaMed hishshameDach hishshameDam hishshamedCha hishshamedoCh hišmaḏtî hišmîḏ hišmiḏām hišmiḏḵā hišmiḏōw hišmîḏōw hišmîḏū hišmîḏum hišmîḏūm hiššāmêḏ hiššāməḏāḵ hiššāməḏām hiššāmeḏḵā laš·miḏ lashMid lašmiḏ lə·haš·mî·ḏām lə·haš·mî·ḏê·nū lə·haš·mî·ḏōw lə·haš·mîḏ lə·hiš·šā·mə·ḏām lehashMid lehashmiDam lehashmiDenu lehashmiDo ləhašmîḏ ləhašmîḏām ləhašmîḏênū ləhašmîḏōw lehishshameDam ləhiššāməḏām niš·maḏ·nū niš·mə·ḏāh niš·mə·ḏū nishMadnu nishmeDah nishmeDu nišmaḏnū nišməḏāh nišməḏū taš·mî·ḏū ṯaš·mî·ḏū taš·mîḏ tashMid tashMidu tašmîḏ tašmîḏū ṯašmîḏū tiš·šā·mê·ḏūn tishshameDun tiššāmêḏūn ū·lə·haš·mîḏ ulehashMid ūləhašmîḏ vaashMid vaashmiDem vaiyashMed vaiyashmiDem vaiyashmiDum vattashmiDem veashmiDem vehishmadTi veHishmadTiv vehishMidecha venashMidah venishMad venishmadTi venishmeDu vetashmiDem wā’ašmîḏ wā’ašmîḏêm wā·’aš·mî·ḏêm wā·’aš·mîḏ wat·taš·mî·ḏêm wattašmîḏêm way·yaš·mêḏ way·yaš·mî·ḏêm way·yaš·mî·ḏūm wayyašmêḏ wayyašmîḏêm wayyašmîḏūm wə’ašmîḏêm wə·’aš·mî·ḏêm wə·hiš·maḏ·tî wə·hiš·maḏ·tîw wə·hiš·mî·ḏə·ḵā wə·naš·mî·ḏāh wə·niš·maḏ wə·niš·maḏ·tî wə·niš·mə·ḏū wə·ṯaš·mî·ḏêm wəhišmaḏtî wəhišmaḏtîw wəhišmîḏəḵā wənašmîḏāh wənišmaḏ wənišmaḏtî wənišməḏū wəṯašmîḏêm yaš·mî·ḏêm yaš·mî·ḏū yaš·mîḏ yashMid yashmiDem yashMidu yašmîḏ yašmîḏêm yašmîḏū yiš·šā·mêḏ yishshaMed yiššāmêḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts