Lexical Summary suph: come to an end, remove, completely remove Original Word: סוּף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance consume, have an end, perish, be utterly A primitive root; to snatch away, i.e. Terminate -- consume, have an end, perish, X be utterly. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to come to an end, cease NASB Translation come to an end (2), completely remove (1), fade (1), remove (2), surely snatch (1), surely snatch away (1), swept away (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [סוּף] verb come to an end, cease (ᵑ7, סוּף Syriac ( )  , cease, stop (often), ᵑ7 סוֺפָא, Syriac  , Late Hebrew סוֺף end); — Qal Perfect3plural סָ֑פוּ Psalm 73:19, וְסָפ֫וּ consecutive Amos 3:15; Imperfect3masculine singular יֶסוּף Esther 9:28; 3masculine plural יָסֻ֫פוּ Isaiah 66:17; — come to an end Amos 3:15; Isaiah 66:17; Psalm 73:19 (+ תַּמּוּ), וְזִכְרָם לֹאיָֿסוּף מִזַּרְעָם Esther 9:28. Hiph`il make an end of, only (if text correct) Imperfect1singular (+Infinitive absolute אָסֹף, chosen for assonance, see אסף), cohortative = jussive In form, אָסֹף אָסֵף Zephaniah 1:2, אָסֵף Zephaniah 1:3; Zephaniah 1:3, אָסֹף אֲסִיפֵם Jeremiah 8:13 (on these forms see Gf Bö§ 988, 1 Köi.445, 466); but read perhaps, for אָסֵף, אֶאֱסֹף, We BuhlLex 13, or אֹסֵף, Ges§§ 72aa, 113w n.3 NowZephaniah 1:2, and in Jeremiah אָסֹף אֹסְפֵם Gesl.c. (against Gie see Hi). Topical Lexicon Core Idea סוּף (Strong’s 5486) conveys the notion of final removal—an ending so decisive that what is “ended” is no longer recoverable. Whether the subject is wicked men, harvest produce, lavish houses, or communal memory, the term pictures a complete wiping-out, executed either by God’s direct hand or under His providential ordering of events. Literary Distribution Five passages display the word’s range: Divine Judgment and Moral Accountability In four of the five occurrences, סוּף underscores judgment. The rich exploiters of Psalm 73, the syncretistic worshipers in Isaiah 66, Judah’s fruitless nation in Jeremiah 8, and Samaria’s self-indulgent elite in Amos 3 all meet identical destiny: decisive obliteration. The term therefore reinforces Scripture’s morality of cause and effect—persistent rebellion invites total termination. Covenant Preservation and Memory (Esther 9:28) Paradoxically, the same word is used negatively (“should never fail”). The Spirit highlights God’s power not only to erase but also to preserve. Human festivities ordinarily fade, yet Purim remains because the LORD reverses extermination plots and guarantees Israel’s continuity. The “never failing” feast stands as a living contrast to the “perishing” enemies. Historical Texture 1. Post-exilic Judah (Esther) treasured liturgical memory amid Persian rule; the vocabulary of ceasing would resonate with a people keenly aware that exile had nearly erased them. Theological Motifs • Finality of divine verdict: סוּף never denotes a partial setback. Implications for Gospel Ministry 1. Preaching: underscore that temporal security apart from righteousness is illusory (“How suddenly they are laid waste,” Psalm 73:19). Eschatological Glimpse Isaiah 66 places סוּף within the final separation of the righteous from the impure, anticipating Revelation’s lake of fire where the unrepentant “come to an end.” Conversely, the feast that “shall not fail” anticipates the marriage supper of the Lamb, an everlasting celebration immune to cessation. Summary סוּף functions as Scripture’s solemn reminder of God’s authority to terminate or to sustain. For the rebellious it forecasts irreversible loss; for the covenant-bound it guarantees enduring remembrance. Rightly received, it stirs holy fear, joyful gratitude, and missional faithfulness. Forms and Transliterations אֲסִיפֵ֖ם אסיפם וְסָפ֛וּ וספו יָס֥וּף יָסֻ֖פוּ יסוף יספו סָ֥פוּ ספו ’ă·sî·p̄êm ’ăsîp̄êm asiFem sā·p̄ū Safu sāp̄ū vesaFu wə·sā·p̄ū wəsāp̄ū yā·su·p̄ū yā·sūp̄ yaSuf yaSufu yāsūp̄ yāsup̄ūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 9:28 HEB: וְזִכְרָ֖ם לֹא־ יָס֥וּף מִזַּרְעָֽם׃ ס NAS: or their memory fade from their descendants. KJV: nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. INT: their memory not fade their descendants Psalm 73:19 Isaiah 66:17 Jeremiah 8:13 Amos 3:15 5 Occurrences |
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