שְׁמַד (she.mad)
she.mad
to destroy
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Aramaic verb shamad, found in Daniel 7:26, carries the forceful meaning of destruction or annihilation. It appears exclusively in the Aphel stem, a causative form that emphasizes bringing about a state of ruin rather than simply describing it. In this specific context, it describes the fate of the arrogant horn that speaks against the Most High, marking its complete removal from power.
This term is the Aramaic counterpart to the Hebrew shamad (H8045), sharing the same root and semantic range. While the Hebrew version appears more frequently across the Old Testament to describe various forms of devastation, this single Aramaic instance anchors the concept in the apocalyptic vision of Daniel. The word underscores the finality of divine judgment, indicating that the enemy’s reign is not merely interrupted but utterly wiped out.
Translators typically render shamad as "destroy" or "annihilate," reflecting its absolute nature. The usage here highlights a key theme in Daniel: earthly powers may rise with great pride, but they are subject to a decisive end. The verb serves as a stark reminder that authority derived from opposition to God is inherently unstable and destined for total collapse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In the book of Daniel, we see a powerful vision where earthly powers rise with great pride, only to face a decisive end. The word shamad describes this final removal, emphasizing that any authority opposing God is not merely interrupted but completely wiped out. This offers profound comfort: no matter how strong an enemy seems, their reign is temporary and subject to divine judgment.
This certainty allows us to rest in the stability of God’s kingdom. While human empires may crumble or appear unstoppable for a time, they are ultimately consumed by the end that God has set. We do not need to fear the instability of this world because the final word belongs to the Most High, who establishes justice and peace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ annihilate1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/הַשְׁמָדָ֥ה1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:26
“‘But the judgment will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
This verse uses the term to describe the complete annihilation of the arrogant horn's dominion, highlighting that divine judgment results in total removal rather than simple defeat.