H5358 H5358
To avenge, take vengeance; in Nifal, to avenge oneself; as participle, an avenger; in Piel, to execute full vengeance.
Naqam is the Hebrew Bible's primary verb for retributive justice — the act of redressing a wrong through punitive action. Unlike modern connotations of blind revenge, biblical naqam is typically ordered, sanctioned, or restrained by God. The stem system carries the theology: the Qal describes straightforward vengeance-taking, the Nifal shifts the focus to the injured party avenging themselves, the Piel intensifies the thoroughness of divine retribution, and the Hofal marks the passive victim of avenged blood. Nahum 1:2 stacks three forms in one verse — naqam, noqem, noter — portraying God as the supreme Avenger. The multilingual evidence is remarkably unified: Spanish vengar, French venger, German raechen, and Arabic intaqama all preserve a single root for the concept, reflecting the universality of retributive justice as a moral category.
5. Piel: execute vengeance — Piel intensive: to execute vengeance thoroughly and deliberately — only 2 occurrences, at 2 Kings 9:7 (Jehu is anointed to 'avenge' the blood of the prophets on Jezebel's house) and Jeremiah 51:36 (God will 'avenge' Israel against Babylon). The Piel intensification signals comprehensive, divinely mandated retribution — not partial or personal, but the full settling of accounts. Spanish vengaré and French je ferai venger both use causative or emphatic future forms, matching the deliberate, thorough quality of the Piel. 2×
AR["وَأَنْتَقِمُ"]·ben["আর-আমি-প্রতিশোধ-নেব","এবং-আমি-প্রতিশোধ-নেব"]·DE["und-ich-wird-avenge","und-raechen"]·EN["and-I-will-avenge","and-I-will-take-vengeance"]·FR["et-je-fera-venge","et-venger"]·heb["ו-נקמתי"]·HI["और-लूँगा","वनिक्कम्ती"]·ID["dan-Aku-akan-membalas","dan-Aku-akan-membalaskan"]·IT["e-io-vorrà-vendica","e-vendicare"]·jav["lan-Ingsun-badhé-males","lan-kawula-badhé-males"]·KO["그리고-내가-복수하리라","그리고-복수하리라"]·PT["e-vingarei"]·RU["и-отомщу"]·ES["y-vengaré"]·SW["na-nitakulipiza","na-nitalipiza-kisasi"]·TR["ve-alacağım","ve-öç-alacağım"]·urd["اور-بدلہ-لوں-گا-میں","اور-لوں-گا"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. Nifal: avenge oneself — Nifal reflexive: to avenge oneself or be avenged — the largest cluster at 13 occurrences, covering middle-voice constructions where the subject both suffers the wrong and enacts the retribution. The slave-owner's punishment 'shall be avenged' (Exod 21:20-21), Samson cries 'let me be avenged on the Philistines' (Judg 16:28), and Saul's rash oath binds Israel until 'I am avenged on my enemies' (1 Sam 14:24). Spanish vengarse and German sich raechen both select reflexive forms, confirming the middle-voice semantics. The Nifal here is not mere passivity but self-interested agency in justice. 13×
AR["انْتَقَمْتُ","انْتَقِمُوا","لِ-يَنْتَقِمُوا","لِـ-الانْتِقَامِ","لِيَنْتَقِمَ","وَ-أَنتَقِمُ","وَ-أَنْتَقِمُ","وَ-انْتَقِمْ","وَانْتَقَمُوا","يُنتَقَمُ"]·ben["-প্রতিশোধ-নিতে","আর-প্রতিশোধ-নাও","আর-প্রতিশোধ-নিল","আর-প্রতিশোধ-নেব-আমি","এবং-প্রতিশোধ-নেব","ও-প্রতিশোধ-নেব","প্রতিশোধ-করি","প্রতিশোধ-নাও","প্রতিশোধ-নেওয়া-হবে","প্রতিশোধ-নেওয়া-হবে।","প্রতিশোধ-নেওয়ার-জন্য"]·DE["[וינקמו]","[ונקמו]","er-soll-sein-raechte","ich-bin-raechte","raechen","raechte","und-der-Rache","und-ich-wird-sein-avenged","und-lass-mich-raechen","und-raechen","zu-sein-avenged"]·EN["I-am-avenged","and-I-will-avenge-myself","and-I-will-be-avenged","and-avenge-me","and-let-me-avenge","and-they-avenged-themselves","and-they-took-vengeance","he-shall-be-avenged","take-vengeance","to-avenge-himself","to-be-avenged"]·FR["[להנקם]","et-je-fera-être-vengea","et-le-vengeance","et-que-moi-venger","et-venger","il---être-vengea","je-suis-vengea","venger","à-être-vengea"]·heb["הנקמו","ו-אינקמה","ו-אנקמה","ו-הינקם","ו-יינקמו","ו-ניקמו","ו-נקמתי","יוקם","יינקם","ל-הינקם","ל-הנקם","נקמתי"]·HI["और-बदला-लूँगा","और-बदला-लूंगा","और-बदला-ले","और-मैं-बदला-लूँ","बदल-लेन","बदला-लिया-जाएगा","बदला-लेने-को","बदला-लो","मैंने-बदला-लिया"]·ID["balaslah","dan-aku-membalas-dendam","dan-balaslah-dendamku","dan-biarlah-aku-membalas-dendam","dan-membalas-dendam","dan-mereka-membalas-dendam","ia dibalas","ia harus dibalas","membalas-dendam","untuk-membalas","untuk-membalas-dendam"]·IT["[להנקם]","a-essere-vendicò","e-io-vorrà-essere-vendicò","e-lasciare-me-vendicare","e-vendicare","egli-shall-essere-vendicò","io-am-vendicò","vendicare"]·jav["dipunwales,","dipunwales.","kangge-males","kanggé-males","kawula-males","lan-Kawula-badhé-males-dendam","lan-kawula-males","lan-kula-males","lan-males","lan-sami-males","sami-malesa"]·KO["그리고-내가-복수하게-해주소서","그리고-내가-복수하기까지","그리고-복수하소서","그리고-복수하였다","그리고-복수하였다-그들이","내가-복수한다면","보복하리라","복수하기-위해","복수하다","복수하도록","복수하라","복수하리라"]·PT["Vingai-vos","e-vinga-me","e-vingar-me-ei","e-vingaram-se","e-vingarei","e-vingarei-me","me-vinguei","para-vingar-se","será-vingado"]·RU["Отомстите","будет-отомщен","да-отмстится","и-мстили","и-отмщал","и-отомсти","и-отомщу","отомстить","отомщу","чтобы-отомстить"]·ES["me-vengo","para-vengarse","será-vengado","vénguense","y-me-vengaré","y-se-vengaron","y-véngame"]·SW["atalipwa-kisasi","kulipiza-kisasi","lipizeni-kisasi","na-kujipatia-kisasi","na-nijilipize","na-nikalipiza-kisasi","na-unilipie","na-wakalipiza","na-wakalipiza-kisasi","nitajilipiza-kisasi"]·TR["intikam-aldım","intikam-almak-için","intikam-almak-için-","intikam-alın","intikam-alınacak","ve-intikam-al","ve-intikam-alayım","ve-intikam-aldılar","ve-oc-alacagım","ve-öç-alacağım","öç-almak-için"]·urd["انتقام-لو","انتقام-لیا-جائے","انتقام-لیا-جائے-گا","انتقام-لینے-کو","اور-بدلہ-لوں-میں","اور-بدلہ-لے","اور-لیا-انہوں-نے","اور-میں-بدلہ-لوں","اور-میں-بدلہ-لوں-گا","بدلہ-لوں-گا-میں","بدلہ-لینا","بدلہ-لینے-کو"]
Exod 21:20, Exod 21:21, Judg 15:7, Judg 16:28, 1 Sam 14:24, 1 Sam 18:25, Esth 8:13, Isa 1:24, Jer 15:15, Jer 46:10, Jer 50:15, Ezek 25:12 (+1 more)
2. Qal: take vengeance — Qal active: to take vengeance upon an enemy or wrongdoer — 8 occurrences of finite verbs and infinitives in the basic active stem. Moses is commanded 'avenge the Israelites on the Midianites' (Num 31:2); the sun stands still 'until the nation avenged itself' (Josh 10:13); and the great Song of Moses declares God 'will avenge the blood of his servants' (Deut 32:43). The Leviticus prohibition 'you shall not take vengeance' (Lev 19:18) uses this same form, showing that naqam in Qal is the unmarked, basic act of retribution — forbidden between Israelites but enacted by God on behalf of his people. 8×
AR["انتَقَمَ","انتِقاماً","انْتَقِمْ","بِانْتِقَامِ","تَنْتَقِمُونَ","لِيَنْتَقِمَ","وَيَنتَقِمُ-لي","يَنْتَقِمُ"]·ben["এবং-প্রতিশোধ-নেবেন-আমাকে","প্রতিশোধ-নাও","প্রতিশোধ-নিতে","প্রতিশোধ-নিতে-","প্রতিশোধ-নিল","প্রতিশোধ-নেওয়া-হবে","প্রতিশোধ-নেবে","প্রতিশোধ-নেবেন"]·DE["[בנקם]","[לנקם]","avenging","er-wird-raechen","nahm-vengeance","raechen","und-moege-avenge-mich"]·EN["and-may-avenge-me","avenge","avenging","he-will-avenge","in-taking-","to-avenge","took-vengeance"]·FR["et-peut-venge-moi","il-fera-venger","prit-vengeance","vengeant","venger"]·heb["ב-נקום","ו-נקמנ-י","ייקום","יקום","ל-נקום","נקום","נקם","תקם"]·HI["और-बदला-ले","बदला-ले","बदला-लेगा","बदला-लोगे","बदले-लेते-हुए","ले"]·ID["Dia-membalas","balaskanlah","dan-biarlah-membalaskan-aku","dengan-membalas-","kamu-membalas-dendam","membalas","untuk-membalaskan"]·IT["a-vendetta","avenging","e-possa-vendica-me","egli-fara-vendicare","in-vendetta","prese-vengeance","vendicare"]·jav["Panjenengan-males","ing-males","lan-mugi-males","males","supados-males"]·KO["갚으시리라","그리고-복수하시기를","복수로-","복수하고","복수하기","복수하기까지","복수하라","복수할-것이다-너는"]·PT["Vinga","ao-vingar","e-vingue-me","para-vingar","te-vingarás","vingar","vingar-se","vingará"]·RU["в-мщении","для-мщения","и-отомстит-за-меня","мсти","отмстит","отмщением","отомсти","отомстил"]·ES["Venga","al-vengarse","para-vengar","que-se-vengó","te-vengarás","vengar","vengará","y-me-vengue"]·SW["atalipiza","ilipolipiza","kulipa-kisasi","kulipiza","kwa-kulipiza","lipiza","na-akinilipiza","utalipiza-kisasi"]·TR["almak-için","intikam-alacak","intikam-almakla","ve-öcümü-alsın","öç-al","öç-alacak","öç-alacaksın","öç-alarak"]·urd["انتقام-لیتے-ہوئے","انتقام-لےگا","اور-بدلہ-لے-مجھ-سے","بدلہ-لو","بدلہ-لے","بَ-لینے","لینے-کو","لے"]
3. Hitpael: avenge oneself repeatedly — Hitpael reflexive-intensive: to avenge oneself with emphatic or repeated force — 5 occurrences, all in prophetic rhetoric. Jeremiah's thrice-repeated question 'Shall I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?' (Jer 5:9, 29; 9:9) uses the Hitpael to convey God's sustained, searching deliberation before judgment. The intensifying-reflexive morphology suggests not a single act but an ongoing posture of vindicating justice. German and Spanish both use emphatic reflexive constructions here, while French venger appears without further intensification, suggesting the iterative nuance is harder to capture outside Semitic stem systems. 5×
AR["تَنْتَقِمُ","وَ-المُنْتَقِمَ","وَالمُنْتَقِمِ"]·ben["এবং-প্রতিশোধকে","ও-প্রতিশোধকারীর","প্রতিশোধ-নেবে"]·DE["raechen","und-avenger","und-der-avenger"]·EN["and-avenger","and-the-avenger","avenge-itself","shall-avenge-itself"]·FR["et-de-venger","venger"]·heb["ו-מתנקם","תתנקם"]·HI["और-बदला-लेनेवाले-के","और-बदला-लेनेवाले-को","वह-बदला-लेगी"]·ID["dan-pembalas-dendam","membalas-dendam"]·IT["e-vendico'","vendicare"]·jav["lan-ingkang-males-dendam","males","saha-males-dendham"]·KO["그리고-보복하는-자-를","그리고-보복하는-자-의","복수하리오","복수하지"]·PT["e-o-vingador","e-vingador","vingar-se-á"]·RU["и-мстителя","и-мстящего","отомстит"]·ES["se-vengará","y-al-vengador","y-el-que-se-venga"]·SW["lipiza-kisasi","na-mjilipiza-kisasi","na-mlipiza-kisasi"]·TR["intikam-alsın-mı","ve-intikam-alanı","ve-intikam-alanın","öç-alır"]·urd["اور-انتقام-لینے-والے-کو","اور-بدلہ-لینے-والے","بدلہ-لے-گی"]
4. Qal participle: avenger — Qal participle: the avenger, one who takes vengeance — 5 occurrences, concentrated in the theologically dense Nahum 1:2, where three participial forms pile up: God is noqem ('an avenger'), noqem again (for emphasis), and ba'al chemah. Also in Leviticus 26:25 ('a sword avenging the covenant') and Psalm 99:8 ('an avenging God'). The participle crystallizes the verbal action into a character attribute — God is not merely someone who occasionally avenges but is by nature 'the Avenger.' Spanish vengador and German Raecher both use agent nouns, confirming the substantival force. 5×
AR["مُنْتَقِمًا","مُنْتَقِمٌ","وَ-مُنْتَقِمًا","وَمُنْتَقِمٌ"]·ben["এবং-প্রতিশোধকারী","প্রতিশোধকারী"]·DE["aber-avenging","avenging","raechte","und-raechte"]·EN["and-avenging","avenging","but-avenging"]·FR["avenging","et-venger","venger"]·heb["ו-נוקם","נוקם","נקמת"]·HI["और-बदला-लेने-वाला","बदला लेने-वाली","बदला-लेने-वाला"]·ID["dan-pembalas","pembalas","yang-membalas"]·IT["avenging","e-vendetta","e-vendico'","vendetta"]·jav["ingkang-males","lan-males","males","nanging-ugi-ngukum"]·KO["그리고-보복하시는","보복하시는","복수하는"]·PT["e-vingador","vingador","vingando"]·RU["и-мстящий","и-отмщающий","мстящий"]·ES["vengador","vengadora-de","y-vengador"]·SW["mlipiza-kisasi","na-mlipiza-kisasi","na-mwenye-kulipiza-kisasi","unaopatiliza"]·TR["intikam-alan","ve-intikam-alan","ve-öç-alan","öç-alan"]·urd["انتقام-لینے-والی","اور-انتقام-لینے-والا","اور-بدلہ-لینے-والا","بدلہ-لینے-والا"]
6. Hofal: be avenged — Hofal passive: to be avenged (of blood or the victim) — 2 occurrences, both in Genesis 4, establishing the principle of blood-avengement at the dawn of human history. Cain is told that whoever kills him 'shall be avenged sevenfold' (Gen 4:15), and Lamech boasts of seventy-sevenfold vengeance (Gen 4:24). The Hofal passive places the victim's blood as subject — it is the blood that 'is avenged,' not the avenger who acts. Spanish será vengado and German wird gerächt both use passive voice, confirming the genuine passivization of the root. 2×
AR["يُنْتَقَمُ","يُنْتَقَمُ-"]·ben["প্রতিশোধ-নেওয়া-হবে"]·DE["soll-gerächt-werden","wird-gerächt-"]·EN["is-avenged-","shall-be-avenged"]·FR["--être-vengea","est-vengea-"]·heb["יקם"]·HI["बदला-लिया-जाएगा","बदला-लिया-जाएगा-"]·ID["akan-dibalaskan","dibalaskan"]·IT["shall-essere-vendicò","è-vendicò-"]·jav["badhe-dipun-males"]·KO["보복받을-것이다","복수된다"]·PT["será-vingado","será-vingado-"]·RU["отмщено-будет","отмщено-будет-"]·ES["será-vengado","será-vengado-"]·SW["atalipizwa","atalipizwa-"]·TR["öç-alınacak","öç-alınacak-"]·urd["بدلہ-لیا-جائے-گا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [נָקַם] vb. avenge, take vengeance (Ecclus 461 e להנקם נקמי אויב (Niph. + acc. cogn.); נקם n. also 12:6 (cf. Dt 32:41), 39:30; 48:7; NH נָקַם especially in deriv.; Aramaic נ��קַם (rare), ܢܩܰܡ in der. species; Arabic نَقَمَ take vengeance (عَلَ upon), Lane3037; cf. Ethiopic ቂም Di458 vindictae studium, ultionis cupido; Assyrian iḳḳimu, vengeance, requital, is poss. from √ אקם JägerBAS ii. 279);—…