נָקַם
to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָקַם (nâqam) fundamentally means to avenge, take vengeance, or punish. It carries the sense of executing just retribution, often for a wrong committed, and is frequently used in contexts where God or a designated authority acts as the avenger. In some passages, it describes personal vengeance, as in the warning against taking revenge in Leviticus 19:18, while in others, it portrays God's righteous judgment, such as His vengeance on Israel's enemies in Numbers 31:2. The action implies a restoration of justice, whether through human agency under divine law or directly by God Himself.
Biblical Usage
נָקַם is used 31 times in the Old Testament, primarily in the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Psalms. It appears in legal contexts prescribing punishment (Exodus 21:20-21), in warnings against personal vendettas (Leviticus 19:18), and most prominently in declarations of God's vengeance on behalf of His people or against sin (Deuteronomy 32:43; Isaiah 1:24). A key pattern is its association with divine justice, where God is the subject avenging bloodshed (Genesis 4:15, 24) or covenant unfaithfulness (Leviticus 26:25).
Etymology
A primitive root, נָקַם is related to the noun נָקָם (nāqām, H5359) meaning 'vengeance.' Cognates appear in other Semitic languages like Akkadian (naqāmu) and Arabic (naqama), all carrying the sense of vengeance or punishment. The root concept involves the idea of breathing passionately, which developed into the meaning of harboring a grudge or pursuing retribution.
Semantic Range
This word is central to the biblical concept of divine justice. It shows that vengeance properly belongs to God (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19), who executes it righteously, not out of passion but as Judge. Understanding נָקַמ enriches reading by highlighting the seriousness of sin requiring satisfaction and God's commitment to uphold justice, which finds its ultimate resolution in Christ's atonement. It contrasts human vengeance, which is forbidden, with God's holy retribution.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, vengeance was often a personal or tribal duty to restore honor and balance after a wrong, particularly blood feuds (as seen in Genesis 4:24). Israel's law sought to regulate this by instituting judicial punishment and cities of refuge, redirecting vengeance from personal retaliation to divinely ordained justice. God's vengeance was understood as protecting the covenant community and punishing idolatry and oppression.
שָׁפַט (shāp̄aṭ, H8199) — to judge, decide; focuses on judicial process rather than retributive action. נָתַן (nāṯan, H5414) — to give; used in phrases like 'give recompense' but broader. גָּמַל (gāmal, H1580) — to deal, requite; can mean repay good or evil, more general.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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