Word Study for H5487 (סוּף) | Strong's Concordance

çûwph /soof/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to סוּף

Meaningto come to an end

KJV usageconsume, fulfill.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çûwph — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word çûwph, represented by H5487, means to come to an end, consume, or fulfill. It appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, but its usage points to the definitive conclusion of events, whether through divine judgment or the completion of a prophecy.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H5487 is used in two distinct but related contexts within the book of Daniel. First, it is used prophetically to describe the ultimate fate of earthly kingdoms, which God's eternal kingdom will consume Daniel 2:44. Second, it describes the precise timing of a divine judgment, noting the moment a prophecy was fulfilled upon King Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4:33. Both instances highlight a finality and completion brought about by divine action.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide context for the finality expressed by H5487:

H1855 dᵉqaq (to crumble or (trans.) crush; break to pieces.): This word appears alongside H5487 to describe how God's kingdom will both "break in pieces and consume" all other kingdoms Daniel 2:44.
H2255 chăbal (to ruin; destroy, hurt.): This term is used to state that God's kingdom will never be destroyed Daniel 2:44, creating a direct contrast with the consuming end of earthly powers.
H2957 ṭᵉrad (to expel; drive.): This action is part of the prophecy that was fulfilled H5487 upon Nebuchadnezzar, as he was driven from men Daniel 4:33.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5487 is centered on God's absolute sovereignty and the certainty of His declarations.

Divine Judgment on Nations: Its use in the context of consuming earthly kingdoms establishes a clear theological point: all human empires are temporary and will ultimately be brought to an end by God's eternal kingdom Daniel 2:44.
Fulfillment of God's Word: The term underscores the reliability of divine prophecy. When the judgment on Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled, it demonstrated that God's spoken word is precise and inescapable Daniel 4:33.
Bringing to a Close: Whether through consumption or fulfillment, the word signifies a decisive conclusion orchestrated by God, marking the end of an era or the completion of a divine decree.

Summary

In summary, H5487 çûwph, though rare, carries significant weight in its two appearances. It encapsulates the dual concepts of final destruction and prophetic completion. Used exclusively in Daniel, it illustrates God's ultimate authority to both consume the kingdoms of men and to ensure His word is fulfilled with perfect timing. This word demonstrates that God is the one who brings all things to their decreed and final end.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

תָסֵיף
סָפַת

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.