H5359 H5359
Vengeance, retribution — the act of requiting wrongs, especially God's decisive judicial punishment against covenant-breakers and oppressors.
A masculine noun carrying the weight of retributive justice, naqam denotes the act of avenging wrongs or executing punishment — overwhelmingly attributed to God in the Hebrew Bible. Deuteronomy 32:35 declares 'vengeance is mine,' establishing Yahweh's sole prerogative to repay. Isaiah uses the word in phrases like 'day of vengeance' (34:8; 61:2) and 'garments of vengeance' (59:17), portraying God as a warrior-judge. In rare human usage — Samson's final act in Judges 16:28 and the Edomites' spite in Ezekiel 25:12 — the term underscores how deeply personal the concept of requital was in Israelite thought.
Senses
1. vengeance, retribution — Vengeance or retribution as a theological and juridical concept, most often describing God's decisive punishment against enemies and covenant violators. The phrase 'vengeance of the covenant' in Leviticus 26:25 ties it explicitly to covenantal enforcement. Spanish 'venganza' and French 'vengeance' mirror the English precisely, while German 'Rache' adds the nuance of fierce, personal recompense. Passages like Isaiah 34:8 and Jeremiah 50:15 cast it in eschatological terms as a 'day' of cosmic reckoning. 17×
AR["-الانْتِقَامِ", "الانْتِقَامِ", "النَّقْمَةُ", "انتِقامًا", "انْتِقَامًا", "انْتِقَامٌ", "انْتِقَامٍ", "انْتِقَامَ-", "نَقْمَةً", "نَقْمَةٍ", "وَنَقْمَةً"]·ben["এবং-প্রতিশোধ", "প্রতিশোধ", "প্রতিশোধ-", "প্রতিশোধের"]·DE["Rache", "[נקם]", "und-vengeance", "vengeance", "vengeance-von-"]·EN["and-vengeance", "of-vengeance", "vengeance", "vengeance-of-", "with-vengeance"]·FR["et-vengeance", "vengeance", "vengeance-de-", "נקם"]·heb["ו-נקם", "נקם", "נקמה"]·HI["और-बदला", "प्रतिशोध", "प्रतिशोध-का", "बदला", "बदला-", "बदला-का", "बदला-के", "बदले-का", "बदलेके"]·ID["Pembalasan", "dan-pembalasan", "dendam", "pembalasan", "pembalasan-"]·IT["[נקם]", "e-vengeance", "vendetta", "vengeance", "vengeance-di-"]·jav["Pangwales", "eri", "lan-piwales", "males", "pemales-", "piwales", "piwales-", "rawuh"]·KO["그리고-복수", "보복의", "복수", "복수-를", "복수-의", "복수가", "복수를", "복수와", "복수의"]·PT["a-vingança", "e-vingança", "vingança", "vingança-", "vingança-de"]·RU["и-мщение", "мести.", "месть", "месть-", "местью", "местью-", "мстя", "мщение", "мщения", "отмщение"]·ES["de-venganza", "es-la-venganza", "la-venganza", "venganza", "venganza-de", "y-venganza"]·SW["kisasi", "kisasi-cha-", "na-kisasi", "ya-kisasi"]·TR["intikam", "intikam-", "intikamin", "intikamı", "intikamı-", "intikamın", "ve-intikam", "öç"]·urd["انتقام", "انتقام-کا", "اور-انتقام", "اِنتقام", "بدلہ", "بدلے-کا", "بدلے-کے"]
Lev 26:25, Deut 32:35, Deut 32:41, Deut 32:43, Judg 16:28, Ps 58:10, Prov 6:34, Isa 34:8, Isa 35:4, Isa 47:3, Isa 59:17, Isa 61:2 (+5 more)
Related Senses
H4941 1. justice, righteousness (134×)H4941 2. judgment, judicial decision (119×)H4941 3. ordinances, statutes (plural) (110×)H8199 1. to judge, adjudicate (98×)G2919 1. judge, pass judgment (76×)H8199 2. judge (person, office-holder) (61×)G2920 1. judgment / condemnation (48×)H7378 1. Qal: quarrel, contend, strive (42×)H4941 4. prescribed ordinance, regulation (34×)G1832 1. it is lawful, it is permitted (32×)G2917 1. judgment, condemnation (27×)G2919 2. be judged, stand trial (27×)H5360 1. vengeance, retribution (27×)H7378 2. Qal: plead, defend, litigate (22×)G2723 1. accuse, bring charges against (20×)G2923 1. judge (one who judges/decides) (19×)G2632 1. condemn, pass judgment against (18×)H1777 1. judge, adjudicate (18×)H1576 1. recompense, retribution (17×)H7561 1. condemn, declare guilty (Hifil) (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† נָקָם n.m. vengeance;—נ׳ Dt 32:35 + 14 times; cstr. נְקַם Lv 26:25; Ju 16:28;— 1. taken by God, abs. Ez 24:8 ψ 58:11; נ׳ בְּרִית vengeance of the covenant Lv 26:25 (H); יוֹם נקם Is 34:8; 61:2; 63:4; בִּגְדֵי נ׳ Is 59:17; לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם Dt 32:35; לקח נ׳ Is 47:3; נ׳ יבוא Is 35:4; c. acc. adversary עשׂה נ׳ Mi 5:14; c. לְ advers. חשׁיב נ׳ Dt 32:41, 43. 2. Samson against Philistines, נקם נ׳ Ju 16:28. 3. enemies against Judah, abs. Ez 25:12, 15; individual enemy יום נ׳ Pr 6:34.