Lexical Summary qephadah: Shrinking, contraction Original Word: קְפָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance destruction From qaphad; shrinking, i.e., terror -- destruction. see HEBREW qaphad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qaphad Definition a shuddering NASB Translation anguish (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [קְפָדָה] noun [feminine, AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 116 compare Sta§ 308 a] shuddering (compare ![]() קפז (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Immediate Context קְפָדָה appears once, in Ezekiel 7:25: “Destruction is coming! They will seek peace, but there will be none.”. Spoken to the exiles in Babylon circa 592 BC, the oracle announces the irreversible collapse of Jerusalem. קְפָדָה encapsulates the terror of divine judgment—swift, exact, and unstoppable—underscoring that peace cannot be manufactured when God Himself opposes a nation’s unrepentant sin. Historical Setting Ezekiel ministered during the final throes of the Judahite monarchy. Nebuchadnezzar had already deported the first wave of captives (including Ezekiel, 597 BC), yet many in Jerusalem clung to false assurances of security (Ezekiel 13:10–16). קְפָדָה functions as a prophetic wake-up call: Babylon’s armies are not merely geopolitical threats but instruments of covenant discipline promised in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Theological Significance 1. Visitation Motif: Derived from the broader biblical idea of “visiting” in judgment, קְפָדָה stresses God’s personal engagement with human rebellion (compare Isaiah 10:3; Jeremiah 11:23). Relationship to the Day of the Lord קְפָדָה previews the eschatological “day of wrath” motif (Joel 2:1–11; Zephaniah 1:14–18). Just as Judah’s fall vindicated God’s word through Ezekiel, so the final judgment will vindicate Christ’s promises (Matthew 24:29–31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9). Ministry Application • Preaching: Ezekiel 7:25 challenges contemporary proclamation to balance promises of peace with sober warnings of judgment (Acts 20:26–27). Cross-References on Divine Destruction Isaiah 13:6; Jeremiah 4:6; Hosea 10:8; Revelation 6:15–17. Each passage echoes the inevitability and terror encapsulated in קְפָדָה. Christological Perspective The judgment embodied by קְפָדָה fell on Jerusalem, yet ultimate wrath was borne by Christ on the cross (Romans 3:25–26). Those united to Him through faith escape final destruction (John 5:24), while those who reject Him face the greater fulfillment of Ezekiel’s warning (Hebrews 10:26–27). Forms and Transliterations קְפָ֖דָה־ קפדה־ keFadah qə·p̄ā·ḏāh- qəp̄āḏāh-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 7:25 HEB: קְפָ֖דָה־ בָ֑א וּבִקְשׁ֥וּ NAS: When anguish comes, they will seek KJV: Destruction cometh; INT: anguish comes will seek 1 Occurrence |