G4969: σφάζω (spházō)

G4969 σφάζω (spházō)

Greek

Quick Definition

σφάζω v. I slay

Strong's Definition

a primary verb; to butcher (especially an animal for food or in sacrifice) or (generally) to slaughter, or (specially), to maim (violently)

KJV Usage: kill, slay, wound

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

σφάζω (G4969)

verb | κατασφάζω · σφαγή · σφάγιον

20.72 · Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill · Kill

to slaughter, to kill to slaughter, either animals or persons; in contexts referring to persons, the implication is of violence and mercilessness

1JN 3:12 · 1JN 3:12 · REV 5:6 · REV 5:9 · REV 5:12 · REV 6:4 · REV 6:9 · REV 13:3 · REV 13:8 · REV 18:24

¹ It is possible that κατασφάζω is somewhat more emphatic in connotation than σφάζω.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

σφάζω, Attic opdrrw: fut. σφάξω, Rev. vi. 41, T Tr WH; 1 aor. ἔσφαξα; Pass., pf. ptep. ἐσφαγμένος ; 2 aor. ἐσφάγην ; fr. Hom. down; Sept. very often for um, to slay, slaughter, butcher: prop., ἀρνίον, Rev. v. 6, 12; xiii. 8; τινά, to put to death by violence (often so in Grk. writ. fr. Hdt. down), 1 Jn. iii. 12; Rev. v. 9; vi. 4, 9; xvili. 24. κεφαλὴ ἐσφαγμένη εἰς θάνατον, mortally wounded [R.V. smitien unto death], Rev. xiii. 3. [Comr.: κατα-σφάζω. |

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

σφάζω sphazō 10x

also spelled σφάττω, to slaughter, kill, slay; pr. used of animals killed in sacrifice, etc., Rev. 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8; of persons, etc., 1 Jn. 3:12; Rev. 6:4, 9; 18:24; to wound mortally, Rev. 13:3*

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

σφάζω

[in LXX chiefly for שׁחט ;]

to slay, slaughter (esp. of victims for sacrifice): ἀρνίον, Re 5:6, 12 13:8; of persons, I Jo 3:12, Re 5:9 6:4, 9 18:24; ἐσφαγμένη εἰς θάνατον (RV, smitten unto death), Re 13:3 (cf. κατα-σφάζω).†

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

σφάζω, “slay, slaughter” : bre ἐσημάνθη, ὅτι ἐσφάγη [Σ]εμπρώνιος, and OG/S 697° ἐσφαγμένοι ἐν ὅρμῳ Ilovxews. See also the magic P Osl I. 15 (iv/A.D.) ὃ τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν σφάξας (with the editor’s note). For the form σφάττω (cf. Wackernagel Hed/enzstica, p. 24) see Sy/Z 615 (= *1024)*> (B.c. 200) πρὸς tat β[ωμ]ῶι σ[φά]ττετίαι] (sc. &pvos). The verb is used hyperbolically in P Oxy II. 25938 (A.D. 23) βλέπε pe πῶς pe ἡ μήτηρ ἡμῶν [E]odate χάριν Tov χειρογράφου : the editors compare the similar use of φονεύω in P Lond 113. 12(d)** (vi/vii A.p.) (=I. p. 227) ὃ χρεώστης ἐφ[ὀ]νευσέν pe. In Pontic and certain other dialects σπάζω takes the place of σφάζω: Thumb Hazadbook, p. 18. For σφαγιάζω cf. Syd/ 920 (=*685)*? (B.c. 139) σφαγιασθέντος ἱερείου. »» ἐς

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

σφάζω (sphazō) — to slaughter. σφάζω, [Refs 8th c.BC+] downwards, σφάττω, compare Σφαττόμενος title of play by [Refs 4th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect σφάδδω [Refs]: future σφάξω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔσφαξα [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect ἔσφᾰκα, known from pluperfect ἐσφάκειν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, future σφᾰγήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἐσφάγην [ᾰ] Trag. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; less frequently ἐσφάχθην, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔσφαγμαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—slay, slaughter, properly by cutting the throat (see. σφαγή 11)[Refs 8th c.BC+] always of cattle, μῆλ᾽ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς [Refs 8th c.BC+]

II. especially slaughter victims for sacrifice, [Refs], etc.; ἔσφαζ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὤμων μόσχον cut its throat, as it hung from the servant's shoulders, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [NT+8th c.BC+]

II.2. generally, slay, kill, of human victims, as Iphigeneia, Menoeceus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. τινὰ ἐς τὸν κρητῆρα so that the blood ran into the bowl, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— passive, σφάζεται ἐς τὸν τάφον [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.3. of any slaughter by knife or sword, [NT+5th c.BC+]

II.4. of animals, tear by the throat, σ. ὥσπερ οἱ λύκοι τὰ πρόβατα [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.5. of any killing, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

II.6. metaphorically, torment, τινα [Refs 1st c.AD+]