### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qôṭeb**, represented by `{{H6987}}`, means **destruction** or **extermination**. Its significance is highlighted by its rarity; it appears only **1 time** across **1 unique verse** in the Bible. This singular usage lends it a specific and powerful theological weight, focusing on a divine act of ultimate victory.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H6987}}` is in a climactic declaration by God in [[Hosea 13:14]]. In this passage, God promises to ransom and redeem His people from the power of the grave and death. He directly addresses the personified grave, or Sheol, stating, "O grave, I will be thy **destruction**." Here, **qôṭeb** is not merely an event but an active role God Himself assumes to dismantle the finality of the grave.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H6987}}` is enriched by several related terms used in the same verse and elsewhere:
* `{{H1698}}` **deber** (pestilence): This word is used in direct parallel to **qôṭeb** in [[Hosea 13:14]], where God declares, "O death, I will be thy plagues." It often refers to a divine judgment, such as the pestilence sent against disobedient kingdoms [[Jeremiah 29:18]].
* `{{H4194}}` **mâveth** (death): As the fundamental force from which God redeems, **mâveth** is the target of God's power. The Bible speaks of God's ultimate plan to "swallow up **death** in victory" [[Isaiah 25:8]].
* `{{H7585}}` **shᵉʼôwl** (grave, hell): This term refers to the world of the dead, described as a place from which God can deliver the soul [[Psalms 86:13]]. In [[Hosea 13:14]], it is the entity that God promises to become the **destruction** of.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6987}}` is concentrated in its single, powerful use. It provides a unique insight into God's redemptive plan.
* **Divine Sovereignty over Death:** The use of **qôṭeb** demonstrates God's ultimate authority, not just over life, but over the very institutions of death and the grave. He doesn't just empty the grave; He declares He will be its very **destruction** [[Hosea 13:14]].
* **Destruction as a Redemptive Weapon:** In its biblical context, **destruction** is not presented as a negative force of chaos but as God's specific instrument for salvation. It is the means by which He will ransom His people from the power of the grave.
* **The Defeat of Finality:** By becoming the **destruction** of the grave, God declares a complete and irreversible victory over the forces that hold humanity captive, promising a future where death no longer has the final say [[Hosea 13:14]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6987}}` is a term whose profound meaning is amplified by its solitary appearance. Though it simply means **destruction**, its context in [[Hosea 13:14]] transforms it into a statement of hope and divine power. It powerfully illustrates the biblical theme of redemption, where God Himself becomes the agent of destruction against death and the grave to bring about ultimate life for His people.
TRV