The Hebrew word יָסַף, סֶפֶת, yacaph, occurs 212 times in the Old Testament.   It has a wide variety of meanings:  add (27), added (12),  adds (4), again, (62), also (2), another (2), answered (1), anymore (5), became (1), bore (1), can (2), come (1), continue (5), continued (3), do (2), done (1), else (1), exceed (1), exult (1), farther (1), further (2), give (1), hated (2), have (1), hear (1), increase (7), increased (6), increases (3), increasing (2), intensify (1), join (1), longer (11), made (1), more (19), never (3), once (1), prolong (1), prolongs (1), prophesy (1), punish (1), repeated (1), return (1), sent (1), spare (2), surpass (1), touch (1), will grow stronger (1), worse (1), yet more and more (1). The only one that relates to our topic of annihilationism is Lev. 26:18 where the punishment is said to be an ongoing experience.  This does not support the idea within annihilationism, that the final judgment is where punishment means nonexistence. The pattern, at least of this word, is that punishment is something experienced over a period of time.

 

1. Ongoing experience of punishment
   1. Lev. 26:18

 

• Hebrew word:  יָסַף, סֶפֶת, yacaph
• Meaning:   Punishment
• Strong’s #: H3254
• Frequency:  212 occurrences

 

TABLE OF ALL OLD TESTAMENT USAGES OF YACAPH, סֶפֶת
Address	Verse	Meaning
Lev. 26:18	‘If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.	Ongoing Experience

 

• ” יָסַף (yā·sǎp̄): v.; ≡ Str 3254; TWOT 876—1. LN 59.72–59.76 (qal) add, i.e., increase a quantity by adding to the collection, mass, or events (Lev 27:15; Isa 30:1); (nif) added to, gained more (Nu 36:3, 4; Pr 11:24; Isa 15:9; Jer 36:32+); (hif) increase, to cause to add to (Ge 25:1; 30:24); 2. LN 42.7–42.28 (qal) do again, do more, i.e., repeat an action of any kind, as an extension of adding to a quantity (Ge 8:12); (hif) once again (Jdg 3:12); 3. LN 34.42–34.49 (nif) be joined, formally, added, i.e., pertaining to being in an association with another person or people (Ex 1:10); 4. LN 67.118–67.135 unit: (hif) לֹא יָסַף (lō(ʾ) yā·sǎp̄) no longer, i.e., the extension of time to a point but no further (Ge 4:12); 5. LN 78.28–78.39 unit: (hif) יָסַף עוֹד (yā·sǎp̄ ʿôḏ) all the more, formally, still to add, i.e., pertaining to a great degree (Ge 37:8), note: further study may yield more domains.”
  • Swanson, James. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.