Lexical Summary neqamah: vengeance, full vengeance, revenge Original Word: נְקָמָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance avenge, revenge, vengeance Feminine of naqam; avengement, whether the act of the passion -- + avenge, revenge(-ing), vengeance. see HEBREW naqam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of naqam Definition vengeance NASB Translation avenged (1), full vengeance (2), revenge (2), vengeance (22). Brown-Driver-Briggs נְקָמָה noun feminine vengeance (on formation compare LagBN 143); — ׳נ Jeremiah 46:10 3t.; construct נִקְמַת Numbers 31:2 7t.; suffix נִקְמָתִי Ezekiel 25:14 7t. suffixes; plural נְקָמוֺת Judges 11:36 5t.; נְקָמֹת 2 Samuel 22:48; — 1 vengeance of God, absolute Ezekiel 25:14; ׳נקם נ Jeremiah 51:36; דַּם נִקְמַת Psalm 79:10; אֵל נְקָמוֺת Psalm 94:1 (twice in verse); ׳עֵת נ Jeremiah 51:6; ׳יוֺם נ Jeremiah 46:10; יהוה ׳נ Jeremiah 50:15,28; Jeremiah 51:11; הֵיכָלוֺ ׳נ Jeremiah 50:28; Jeremiah 51:11; with בְּ of adversary, ׳נתן נ Ezekiel 25:14,17; ׳עשׂה נ Ezekiel 25:17; with מִן of adversary ׳נתן נ 2 Samuel 4:8 ׳עשׂה נ Judges 11:36; נִקְמָֽתְךָ מֵהֶם Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 20:12; with לְ whom ׳נתן נ 2 Samuel 22:48 = Psalm 18:48. 2 of Israel and its chiefs מן ׳נקם נ Numbers 31:2 (P); with ׳בְ, ׳נתן ני Numbers 31:3 (P); ׳עשׂה נ Psalm 149:7. 3 enemies of Israel absolute Lamentations 3:60; עשׂה בנקמה; Ezekiel 25:15; of Jeremiah מן ׳לקח מ Jeremiah 20:10. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope נְקָמָה (neqamah) denotes vengeance, recompense, or avenging justice. Scripture applies it almost exclusively to God’s righteous response to sin, occasionally authorizing human agents under His command, while forbidding private retaliation. Occurrences in the Old Testament The form appears about twenty-seven times, spread across the Torah, Historical Books, Wisdom literature, and, most prominently, the Prophets. Representative texts include: Theological Themes 1. Divine Vengeance as Righteous Justice Vengeance belongs intrinsically to God’s holiness. Deuteronomy 32:35 affirms both His exclusive right and His perfect timing: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay”. Far from capricious anger, neqamah serves covenant faithfulness by upholding moral order, vindicating the oppressed, and displaying God’s glory. 2. Human Prohibition from Personal Vengeance Leviticus 19:18 forbids private revenge, preparing the ethical ground later reiterated in Proverbs 20:22 and Romans 12:19. Where men are commanded to execute vengeance (Numbers 31; 1 Samuel 24:12 speaks of trusting God for it), they act only as ordained instruments, never as autonomous avengers. 3. Covenantal and Prophetic Contexts Prophets employ נְקָמָה to announce judgment on nations that violated Israel or God’s sanctuary (Jeremiah 50–51; Ezekiel 25). The language vindicates His covenant promises: He will not allow injustice or idolatry to stand unpunished. 4. Eschatological Horizon Isaiah 61:2 looks ahead to “the day of vengeance of our God,” an age-consummating event linked to the Messiah. Luke 4:19 records Jesus stopping short of that clause in His Nazareth reading, highlighting a present age of grace that precedes the final administration of vengeance at His second coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 19:11-16). 5. Liturgical and Pastoral Implications Psalms that invoke vengeance (for example, Psalm 149:7) teach believers to bring grievance to God rather than retaliate. Such prayers entrust justice to Him, nurturing humility and hope. 6. Christological Fulfillment At the cross, divine vengeance against sin falls upon the Substitute (Isaiah 53:5, 10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus the believer’s penalty is satisfied, while unrepentant evil still awaits “the day of vengeance.” The Gospel therefore both reveals the depth of neqamah and offers shelter from it. Practical Ministry Applications • Justice and Mercy: Ministry balances proclamation of God’s sure vengeance against sin with the offer of mercy in Christ. In sum, נְקָמָה highlights the unwavering consistency of God’s moral governance, satisfied either in the atoning work of Christ or in final judgment, and calls the faithful to wait upon the LORD who says, “I will repay.” Forms and Transliterations בִּנְקָמָ֑ה בנקמה נְ֭קָמָה נְקָמ֛וֹת נְקָמ֣וֹת נְקָמ֥וֹת נְקָמָ֥ה נְקָמָה֙ נְקָמֹ֖ת נְקָמוֹת֙ נִ֝קְמַ֗ת נִקְמַ֖ת נִקְמַ֤ת נִקְמַ֨ת נִקְמַת֙ נִקְמַת־ נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ נִקְמָתִ֔י נִקְמָתִ֖י נִקְמָתִ֜י נִקְמָתֵ֑ךְ נִקְמָתֵ֖נוּ נִקְמָתָ֔ם נקמה נקמות נקמת נקמת־ נקמתי נקמתך נקמתם נקמתנו bin·qā·māh binkaMah binqāmāh nə·qā·māh nə·qā·mō·wṯ nə·qā·mōṯ Nekamah nekaMot nəqāmāh nəqāmōṯ nəqāmōwṯ nikMat nikmaTam nikmaTech nikmateCha nikmaTenu nikmaTi niq·mā·ṯām niq·mā·ṯə·ḵā niq·mā·ṯê·nū niq·mā·ṯêḵ niq·mā·ṯî niq·maṯ niq·maṯ- niqmaṯ niqmaṯ- niqmāṯām niqmāṯêḵ niqmāṯəḵā niqmāṯênū niqmāṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 31:2 HEB: נְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל NAS: Take full vengeance for the sons INT: Take full the sons of Israel Numbers 31:3 Judges 11:36 2 Samuel 4:8 2 Samuel 22:48 Psalm 18:47 Psalm 79:10 Psalm 94:1 Psalm 94:1 Psalm 149:7 Jeremiah 11:20 Jeremiah 20:10 Jeremiah 20:12 Jeremiah 46:10 Jeremiah 50:15 Jeremiah 50:28 Jeremiah 50:28 Jeremiah 51:6 Jeremiah 51:11 Jeremiah 51:11 Jeremiah 51:36 Lamentations 3:60 Ezekiel 25:14 Ezekiel 25:14 Ezekiel 25:15 27 Occurrences |
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