ὀλοθρευτής
olothreutḗs
G3644 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who destroys; an agent or person who brings about ruin or destruction. In specific contexts, designates an entity that acts as a divine executioner or instrument of destruction, especially of judgment or mortality.
Semantic Range
destroyer, agent of destruction, executioner (of divine judgment), messenger who brings death or calamity
Root / Etymology
From the verb ὀλοθρεύω (to destroy, to bring to ruin) with the agentive suffix -τής, indicating one who performs the action. Related to the root ὄλεθρος (ruin, destruction).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ὀλοθρευτής is extremely rare; its usage is almost entirely post-classical, notably in Hellenistic Jewish literature and the New Testament. In the Septuagint, particularly in Exodus 12:23, the term refers to the destroying angel who strikes down the firstborn of Egypt, acting as a divine messenger of destruction. In this context, it does not refer to a mythological creature or abstract force but to a specific agent acting on behalf of God. In Greco-Roman contexts, the agentive -τής typically marks a person or sentient figure, rather than an impersonal force. English translations such as "destroyer" or "angel of death" often appear, but these can obscure the function as a messenger or executor rather than an independent being. Notably, the word is sometimes extended metaphorically for forces or agents of calamity, but in the extant biblical sources, its meaning is sharply defined by its usage in Exodus 12:23 and 1 Corinthians 10:10, both referring to a divinely authorized agent of punishment or destruction. The Strong's gloss 'venomous serpent' reflects rabbinic or later interpretive tradition but is not supported by direct usage in the Greek context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ὀλοθρεύω; a ruiner, i.e. (specially), a venomous serpent:--destroyer.
Root Family
ὀλοθρευ- (exolothreúō) — to destroy, to annihilate, to remove utterly
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1842 | ἐξολοθρεύω | will be utterly destroyed |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3644-01 |
ὀλοθρευτοῦ | olothreutou | N GEN M SG |
destroyer | of the destroyer | destroyer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3644-01 |
1 Corinthians 10:10 | ὀλοθρευτοῦ | olothreutou | N GEN M SG |
destroyer | of the destroyer | destroyer |