H2194 H2194
To be indignant, denounce, or curse; expressing fierce divine or human anger, often as formal prophetic condemnation.
A verb of fierce displeasure, za'am captures both the smoldering indignation of God and the formal act of cursing or denouncing. When Balak summoned Balaam to denounce Israel (Num 23:7-8), the word carries the force of an official, prophetic malediction. Yet in Psalm 7:11, it describes God as 'indignant every day'—a constant moral outrage against wickedness. The passive participle (Prov 22:14, Mic 6:10) marks persons or things as standing under the weight of that divine displeasure, accursed and condemned.
Senses
1. be indignant, enraged — To burn with indignation or fierce anger, typically of God's settled wrath. Spanish 'indignados' and French 'être indigné' both capture the emotional intensity. Psalm 7:11 portrays God as an 'indignant' judge daily, while Daniel 11:30 extends it to a hostile king enraged against the holy covenant (Isa 66:14, Zech 1:12). 6×
AR["سَخِطَ", "سَخِطْتَ-عَلَيْهَا", "غاضِبَةٌ", "وَ-يَغْضَبُ", "وَسَخَطُهُ", "يَسْخَطُ"]·ben["-এবং-তিনি-ক্রুদ্ধ-হবেন", "ও-ক্রুদ্ধ-হবে", "ক্রুদ্ধ-হন", "ক্রোধ-করেছেন", "রাগ-করেছ", "রাগান্বিত"]·DE["[וזעם]", "[זעם]", "[זעמתה]", "[נזעמים]", "indignant", "und-Zorn"]·EN["and-be-enraged", "and-indignation", "indignant", "was-indignant", "you-have-been-angry"]·FR["et-indignation", "et-être-indigné", "être-indigné", "נזעמים"]·heb["ו-זעם", "זועם", "זעם", "זעמת", "נזעמים"]·HI["और-क्रोध", "और-क्रोधित-होगा", "क्रोधित", "क्रोधित-रहा", "क्रोधित-होता-है", "तूने-क्रोध-किया-है"]·ID["Engkau-murkai", "dan-Ia-akan-murka", "dan-dia-akan-marah", "dimurkai", "yang-marah", "yang-murka"]·IT["[וזעם]", "e-indignazione", "indignant", "indignazione"]·jav["dipun-bebendu", "duka", "kang-nesu", "lan-duka"]·KO["그리고-분노하리라", "그리고-진노할-것이다", "노하는", "노하셨다", "당신이-분노하셨도다", "분노하시는"]·PT["amaldiçoou", "e-indignar-se-á", "e-terá-indinão", "indignaste-te", "irado", "que-se-indigna"]·RU["гневался-Ты", "гневные", "и-вознегодует", "и-разгневается", "негодующий", "разгневан"]·ES["indignados", "maldijo", "que-se-indigna", "te-has-indignado", "y-se-enfurecerá", "y-su-indignación"]·SW["amewaghadhibikia", "mwenye-hasira", "na-atakasirika", "na-ghadhabu", "umeikasirikia", "za-hasira"]·TR["kızdı", "kızgın", "ve-öfke", "ve-öfkelenecek", "öfkelendin", "öfkeli"]·urd["اور-غضب", "اور-غضبناک-ہو-گا", "تُو-ناراض-رہا", "غضب-کرتا-ہے", "غضبناک-ہے", "ناراض"]
2. denounce, curse openly — To denounce or curse formally, especially in prophetic or judicial speech. Balaam's commission to 'denounce' Israel (Num 23:7-8) uses this word for an official malediction backed by spiritual authority. Spanish 'denuncia/denunciaré' and English 'denounce' reflect the public, declarative nature. Proverbs 24:24 applies it to those who pronounce the wicked innocent—they will themselves be denounced by the peoples. 4×
AR["أَسَبُّ", "تَسْخَطُهُ", "سَبَّ", "يَسْخَطْ"]·ben["তাকে-ঘৃণা-করবে", "ধিক্কার-দাও", "ধিক্কার-দেননি", "ধিক্কার-দেব"]·DE["[יזעמוהו]", "denounce", "denounced", "kann-ich-denounce"]·EN["can-I-denounce", "denounce", "denounced", "will-denounce-him"]·FR["denounce", "denounced", "peut-je-denounce", "יזעמוהו-lui"]·heb["אזעם", "זעם", "זעמה", "יזעמוהו"]·HI["घृणा-करेंगे-उसे", "धिक्कार", "धिक्कारा", "धिक्कारूँ"]·ID["akan-kumarahi", "akan-membencinya", "marah", "marahilah"]·IT["denounce", "denounced", "puo-io-denounce", "will-denounce-lui-suo"]·jav["badé-dipunsengiti", "dipun-bendoni", "kula-badhe-ngalungsuraken-bebendu", "ngalungsuraken-bebendu"]·KO["내가-노하리요", "노하셨다", "분하리라-그를", "저주하라"]·PT["abominarão-o", "amaldicoar", "execrarei", "execrou"]·RU["гневается", "гнушаются-им", "изреки-гнев", "изреку-гнев"]·ES["denuncia", "denunciaré", "denunció", "lo-aborrecerán"]·SW["kukasirikia", "kumkasirikia", "mkasirike-juu-ya", "watakasirikia"]·TR["kınar-onu", "öfkel-ile-bağır-", "öfkelendi", "öfkeyle-bağırayım"]·urd["بد-دعاء-دیں-گی-اُسے", "غضب-کروں", "غضب-کیا", "لعنت-کر"]
3. accursed, under a curse — The passive state of being accursed or under divine denunciation. The passive participle in Proverbs 22:14 describes the mouth of forbidden women as a pit for the one 'cursed' by the LORD, while Micah 6:10 asks whether the 'accursed' scant measure still persists. Spanish 'el maldito por' and German forms confirm this resultant-state reading—one upon whom indignation has already fallen. 2×
AR["الْمَلْعُونَةُ", "مَغْضُوبٌ"]·ben["অভিশপ্ত"]·DE["[זעום]", "[זעומה]"]·EN["accursed", "cursed-of"]·FR["être-indigné", "זעום"]·heb["זעום", "זעומה"]·HI["क्रोधित", "शापित"]·ID["dikutuk", "yang-terkutuk"]·IT["cursed-di", "indignazione"]·jav["ingkang-dipunsumpahi", "tiyang-kang-dipundukai"]·KO["저주받은", "저주받은-자는"]·PT["abominável-a", "maldita"]·RU["проклятая", "проклятый"]·ES["el-maldito-por", "maldita?"]·SW["achukizaye", "kilaaniwa"]·TR["lanetlenen", "lanetli"]·urd["ملعون"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)G2309 1. want, desire (166×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† זָעַם vb. be indignant (cf. Aramaic (rare) ܙܥܰܡ blame, & n. ܙܽܘܥܳܡܳܐ; Arabic تَزَغَّمَ onomatop., of roar of camel, angry speech, v. Frey, De on ψ 7:12)—Pf. ז׳ Nu 23:8 + 3 times; זָעַמְתָּה Zc 1:12; Impf. אֶזְעֹם Nu 23:8; 3 pl. sf. יִזְעָמוּהוּ Pr 24:24; Imv. זֹעֲמָה Nu 23:7 (for זָֽעָמֳה Ges§ 64, (2)); Pt. act. זֹעֵם ψ 7:12; pass. cstr. זְעוּם Pr 22:14; f. זְעוּמָה Mi 6:10;— Qal 1. be…