σφάζω, Od. 4.320, Hdt. 2.39, E. Tr. 134 (lyr.); in Com. (Cratin. 361) and Prose, from Pl. (Grg. 468c) downwards, σφάττω, cf. Σφαττόμενος title of play by Diph., IG 22.2363.34, and ς[φά]ττετ[αι ] SIG 1024.36 (Myconus, iii/ii B.C.); Boeot. σφάδδω An.Ox. 4.325: fut. σφάξω E. Heracl. 493: aor. ἔσφαξα Il. 2.422: pf. ἔσφᾰκα, known from plpf. ἐσφάκειν D.C. 73.6, (ἀπο-) 78.7: - Pass., fut. σφᾰγήσομαι E. Andr. 315, Heracl. 583, (ἀπο-) X. HG 3.1.27: aor. ἐσφάγην [ᾰ ] Trag. (A. Eu. 305, etc.) and late Prose, Plu. Publ. 4, etc.; less freq. ἐσφάχθην, Pi. P. 11.23, Hdt. 5.5, E. IT 177 (lyr., nowhere else in Trag.): pf. ἔσφαγμαι Od. 10.532, D. 23.68: -
slay, slaughter, properly by cutting the throat (v. σφαγή 11), in Hom. always of cattle, μῆλ’ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς Od. 1.92, cf. 9.46, 23.305, Il. 9.467.
II esp. slaughter victims for sacrifice, 1.459, etc.; ἔσφαζ’ ἐπ’ ὤμων μόσχον cut its throat, as it hung from the servant’s shoulders, E. El. 813; ς. παρθένου δέρην Id. Or. 1199: - Pass., Od. 10.532; ἀρνίον ἐσφαγμένον [Rev 5:6].
2. generally, slay, kill, of human victims, as Iphigeneia, Menoeceus, Pi. P. 11.23, E. Ph. 913, cf. A. Ag. 1433, Ch. 904; ς. τινὰ ἐς τὸν κρητῆρα so that the blood ran into the bowl, Hdt. 3.11: - Pass., σφάζεται ἐς τὸν τάφον Id. 5.5; πρὸς βωμῷ σφαγείς A. Eu. 305.
3. of any slaughter by knife or sword, Hdt. 5.25, 7.107; ς. ἑαυτόν Th. 2.92; ς. καὶ ἐκδέρειν Pl. Euthd. 301c; τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφόν PMag.Osl. 1.5, cf. [1Jn 3:12].
4. of animals, tear by the throat, ς. ὥσπερ οἱ λύκοι τὰ πρόβατα Arist. HA 612b2.
5. of any killing, BGU 388 ii 21 (ii A.D.), OGI 697 (Egypt), Sammelb. 7436.7 (vi A.D.), Gloss.
6. metaph., torment, τινα POxy. 259.33 (i A.D.).
σφάζω sphazō 10x
also spelled σφάττω,
to slaughter, kill, slay;
pr. used of animals killed in sacrifice, etc., [Rev 5:6]; [Rev 5:9]; [Rev 5:12]; [Rev 13:8];
of persons, etc., [1Jn 3:12]; [Rev 6:4]; [Rev 6:9]; [Rev 18:24];
to wound mortally, [Rev 13:3]* slay.
G4969 — σφάζω
Attic σφάττω: future σφάξω, [Rev 6:4] L T Tr WH; 1 aorist ἐσφαξα; passive, perfect participle ἐσφαγμένος; 2 aorist ἐσφαγην; from Homer down; the Sept. very often for שָׁחַט, to slay, slaughter, butcher: properly, ἀρνίον, [Rev 5:6], [Rev 5:12]; [Rev 13:8]; τινα, to put to death by violence (often so in Greek writings from Herodotus down), [1Jo 3:12]; [Rev 5:9]; [Rev 6:4], [Rev 6:9]; [Rev 18:24]. κεφαλή ἐσφαγμενη εἰς θάνατον, mortally wounded (R. V. smitten unto death), [Rev 13:3]. (Compare: κατασφάζω.)