2195. zaam
Lexical Summary
zaam: Indignation, wrath, anger

Original Word: זַעַם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: za`am
Pronunciation: zah-am
Phonetic Spelling: (zah'-am)
KJV: angry, indignation, rage
NASB: indignation, insolence
Word Origin: [from H2194 (זָעַם - cursed)]

1. strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God's displeasure with sin)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
angry, indignation, rage

From za'am; strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God's displeasure with sin) -- angry, indignation, rage.

see HEBREW za'am

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from zaam
Definition
indignation
NASB Translation
indignation (21), insolence (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
זַ֫עַם noun masculineIsaiah 10:25 indignation; — ׳ז Isaiah 10:25 7t.; זָעַ֑ם Isaiah 26:20 2t.; suffix זַעְמִי Isaiah 10:5 3t.; זַעַמְךָ Psalm 102:11; זַעְמֶ֑ךָ Psalm 38:4; Psalm 69:25; זַעְמוֺ Isaiah 13:5 3t.; — indignation of men Hosea 7:16; Jeremiah 15:17; elsewhere of ׳י Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 30:27; Nahum 1:6; Habakkuk 3:12; Psalm 38:4; Psalm 102:11; Daniel 11:36; "" חרון אף Psalm 69:25; Zephaniah 3:8; "" עברה Psalm 78:49; Ezekiel 21:36; Ezekiel 22:31; "" קצף Jeremiah 10:10; Psalm 102:11; "" אף Isaiah 10:5,25; Isaiah 30:27; compare בזעם אפו Lamentations 2:6; על ׳שׁפך ז Psalm 69:25; Ezekiel 21:36; Ezekiel 22:31; Zephaniah 3:8; כְּלֵי זַעַם Isaiah 13:5; Jeremiah 50:25; יום זעם Ezekiel 22:24; אחרית הזעם Daniel 8:19.

Topical Lexicon
Concept and Scope

זַעַם depicts intense divine indignation that breaks forth against covenant violation, idolatry, social injustice, and arrogant world-powers. The word focuses on God’s settled, righteous anger rather than momentary irritation; it is the fury of holiness offended and justice awakened.

Literary Distribution

The twenty-one Old Testament appearances stretch from Davidic laments (Psalm 38:3; 69:24) to exilic prophecy (Ezekiel 22:31) and apocalyptic vision (Daniel 8:19; 11:36). Most occur in prophetic books, underscoring a preacher’s burden to announce judgment and a shepherd’s call to lead toward repentance.

Covenant Framework

1. Personal discipline within the covenant community (Psalm 38:3; 102:10; Hosea 7:16).
2. National chastisement for collective sin (Psalm 78:49; Isaiah 10:5; Lamentations 2:6).
3. Universal judgment that brings history to its climax (Isaiah 13:5; Zephaniah 3:8).

God’s wrath functions as the reverse side of covenant love: the same faithfulness that blesses obedience also confronts rebellion.

Representative Passages

Psalm 69:24 – “Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.” David appeals to the Lord as righteous Judge when human courts fail.

Isaiah 10:25 – “For in just a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will turn to their destruction.” Wrath is neither capricious nor endless; it is purposeful, measured, and ultimately exhausted.

Nahum 1:6 – “Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger?” The prophet magnifies the awesome force of wrath against Nineveh, warning every empire that presumes invincibility.

Daniel 8:19 – “I am about to tell you what will happen later, in the time of wrath…” The word anchors eschatological expectation: a future season when God’s fury will expose and remove evil on a global scale.

Zephaniah 3:8 – “For My decision is to gather nations… to pour out upon them My indignation—all My burning anger.” Indignation climaxes in a gathered judgment leading to the purification of the earth.

Agents and Instruments

God may unleash wrath directly (Habakkuk 3:12) or through secondary means—Assyria as “the rod of My anger” (Isaiah 10:5), Babylon as the hammer that turns to be broken (Jeremiah 50:25), natural calamity (Psalm 78:49), warfare (Isaiah 13:5), and consuming fire (Ezekiel 22:31). These agents never operate autonomously; they execute the divine decree and are afterward held accountable for excess or pride.

Eschatological Trajectory

Daniel and Zephaniah broaden the term from historical judgments to the “time of wrath” at the end of days. Wrath and redemption interlock: indignation removes wickedness so the kingdom of righteousness can flourish (Zephaniah 3:9-20).

Pastoral and Homiletical Implications

• Preaching that ignores wrath undermines the gospel’s gravity; preaching that dwells on wrath without mercy distorts God’s character.
• Discipline, whether personal or corporate, should be interpreted through a biblical lens of loving correction (Psalm 38:3).
• Prayer may invoke indignation against persistent evil (Psalm 69:24) while simultaneously pleading for mercy (Isaiah 10:25).

Christological Fulfillment

The New Testament reveals that wrath is not dismissed but borne by the Messiah (Romans 3:25). The cross satisfies זַעַם for all who trust in Christ, while Revelation portrays wrath still awaiting unrepentant humanity. Thus the term drives both evangelism—“flee from the coming wrath”—and doxology—“saved from wrath through Him.”

Summary

זַעַם is the fierce, holy indignation of God that opposes sin, purifies His people, topples arrogant nations, and prepares creation for final renewal. It is as much a testament to divine faithfulness as are love and compassion, compelling reverence, repentance, and confident hope in the completed work of Christ and the coming day when righteousness will dwell on earth.

Forms and Transliterations
בְּזַ֖עַם בְּזַֽעַם־ בזעם בזעם־ הַזָּ֑עַם הזעם וָזַ֣עַם וזעם זַ֔עַם זַ֖עַם זַֽעַמְךָ֥ זַעְמ֑וֹ זַעְמ֔וֹ זַעְמִ֔י זַעְמִֽי׃ זַעְמִי֙ זַעְמֶ֑ךָ זַעְמֽוֹ׃ זַעְמוֹ֙ זָֽעַם׃ זעם זעם׃ זעמו זעמו׃ זעמי זעמי׃ זעמך מִזַּ֣עַם מזעם bə·za·‘am bə·za·‘am- bəza‘am bəza‘am- bezaam haz·zā·‘am hazzā‘am hazZaam miz·za·‘am mizza‘am mizZaam vaZaam wā·za·‘am wāza‘am za‘·me·ḵā za‘·mî za‘·mōw za‘am zā‘am za‘amḵā za‘meḵā za‘mî za‘mōw za·‘am zā·‘am za·‘am·ḵā Zaam zaamCha zaMecha zaMi zaMo
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 38:3
HEB: בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵ֣י זַעְמֶ֑ךָ אֵין־ שָׁל֥וֹם
NAS: because of Your indignation; There is no
KJV: because of thine anger; neither [is there any] rest
INT: my flesh because of your indignation is no health

Psalm 69:24
HEB: שְׁפָךְ־ עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם זַעְמֶ֑ךָ וַחֲר֥וֹן אַ֝פְּךָ֗
NAS: Pour out Your indignation on them, And may Your burning
KJV: Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful
INT: Pour out your indignation and may your burning anger

Psalm 78:49
HEB: אַפּ֗וֹ עֶבְרָ֣ה וָזַ֣עַם וְצָרָ֑ה מִ֝שְׁלַ֗חַת
NAS: Fury and indignation and trouble,
KJV: wrath, and indignation, and trouble,
INT: anger Fury and indignation and trouble A band

Psalm 102:10
HEB: מִפְּנֵֽי־ זַֽעַמְךָ֥ וְקִצְפֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י
NAS: Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,
KJV: Because of thine indignation and thy wrath:
INT: Because of your indignation and your wrath for

Isaiah 10:5
HEB: ה֥וּא בְיָדָ֖ם זַעְמִֽי׃
NAS: in whose hands is My indignation,
KJV: in their hand is mine indignation.
INT: whose hands is my indignation

Isaiah 10:25
HEB: מִזְעָ֑ר וְכָ֣לָה זַ֔עַם וְאַפִּ֖י עַל־
NAS: while My indignation [against you] will be spent
KJV: little while, and the indignation shall cease,
INT: A very will be spent my indignation and my anger to

Isaiah 13:5
HEB: יְהוָה֙ וּכְלֵ֣י זַעְמ֔וֹ לְחַבֵּ֖ל כָּל־
NAS: and His instruments of indignation, To destroy
KJV: and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy
INT: the LORD and his instruments of indignation to destroy the whole

Isaiah 30:27
HEB: שְׂפָתָיו֙ מָ֣לְאוּ זַ֔עַם וּלְשׁוֹנ֖וֹ כְּאֵ֥שׁ
NAS: are filled with indignation And His tongue
KJV: are full of indignation, and his tongue
INT: his lips are filled indignation and his tongue fire

Jeremiah 10:10
HEB: יָכִ֥לוּ גוֹיִ֖ם זַעְמֽוֹ׃ ס
NAS: cannot endure His indignation.
KJV: shall not be able to abide his indignation.
INT: endure and the nations his indignation

Jeremiah 15:17
HEB: יָשַׁ֔בְתִּי כִּֽי־ זַ֖עַם מִלֵּאתָֽנִי׃ ס
NAS: For You filled me with indignation.
KJV: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
INT: sat with indignation filled

Jeremiah 50:25
HEB: אֶת־ כְּלֵ֣י זַעְמ֑וֹ כִּי־ מְלָאכָ֣ה
NAS: the weapons of His indignation, For it is a work
KJV: the weapons of his indignation: for this [is] the work
INT: brought the weapons of his indignation is a work

Lamentations 2:6
HEB: וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם־ אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ
NAS: and priest In the indignation of His anger.
KJV: and hath despised in the indignation of his anger
INT: and sabbath has despised the indignation of his anger king

Ezekiel 21:31
HEB: וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֤י עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ זַעְמִ֔י בְּאֵ֥שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֖י
NAS: I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow
KJV: And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow
INT: will pour out my indignation the fire of my wrath

Ezekiel 22:24
HEB: גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ בְּי֥וֹם זָֽעַם׃
NAS: on in the day of indignation.'
KJV: upon in the day of indignation.
INT: rained the day of indignation

Ezekiel 22:31
HEB: וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ זַעְמִ֔י בְּאֵ֥שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֖י
NAS: Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed
KJV: Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed
INT: have poured out my indignation the fire of my wrath

Daniel 8:19
HEB: יִהְיֶ֖ה בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַזָּ֑עַם כִּ֖י לְמוֹעֵ֥ד
NAS: at the final period of the indignation, for [it] pertains to the appointed time
KJV: what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed
INT: will occur the final of the indignation for pertains to the appointed

Daniel 11:36
HEB: עַד־ כָּ֣לָה זַ֔עַם כִּ֥י נֶחֱרָצָ֖ה
NAS: until the indignation is finished,
KJV: and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished:
INT: until is finished the indignation which is decreed

Hosea 7:16
HEB: בַחֶ֛רֶב שָׂרֵיהֶ֖ם מִזַּ֣עַם לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם ז֥וֹ
NAS: Because of the insolence of their tongue.
KJV: by the sword for the rage of their tongue:
INT: the sword their princes of the insolence of their tongue This

Nahum 1:6
HEB: לִפְנֵ֤י זַעְמוֹ֙ מִ֣י יַֽעֲמ֔וֹד
NAS: before His indignation? Who
KJV: before his indignation? and who can abide
INT: before angry Who stand

Habakkuk 3:12
HEB: בְּזַ֖עַם תִּצְעַד־ אָ֑רֶץ
NAS: In indignation You marched
KJV: the land in indignation, thou didst thresh
INT: indignation marched the earth

Zephaniah 3:8
HEB: לִשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם זַעְמִי֙ כֹּ֚ל חֲר֣וֹן
NAS: To pour out on them My indignation, All
KJV: to pour upon them mine indignation, [even] all my fierce
INT: to pour on my indignation All my burning

21 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2195
21 Occurrences


bə·za·‘am- — 2 Occ.
haz·zā·‘am — 1 Occ.
miz·za·‘am — 1 Occ.
wā·za·‘am — 1 Occ.
za·‘am — 5 Occ.
za·‘am·ḵā — 1 Occ.
za‘·me·ḵā — 2 Occ.
za‘·mî — 4 Occ.
za‘·mōw — 4 Occ.

2194
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