נָהָה (na.hah)
na.hah
to wail
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nahah means to wail or lament, expressing deep sorrow through vocal outcry. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in contexts of profound grief. In 1 Samuel 4:12, a messenger runs from the battlefield to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head, crying out with this word as he reports the loss of Israel’s sons and the capture of the ark. The sound is not a quiet sigh but a piercing cry of disaster.
In Micah 1:8, the prophet himself adopts this posture, saying he will wail and howl because of the destruction coming upon Samaria and Jerusalem. Here, nahah describes a public, visible mourning that matches the severity of the judgment. The word captures the raw, unfiltered expression of pain when good things are shattered.
Though rare, its usage highlights how biblical Hebrew distinguishes between general sadness and this specific, loud lamentation for tragedy. It is the voice of shock and loss, reserved for moments when the community or the individual faces irreversible harm.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word nahah describes a raw, piercing cry of grief that goes beyond quiet sadness. It is the sound of shock when disaster strikes unexpectedly. In the Old Testament, this verb appears only twice, always marking moments of profound loss or impending judgment. It reminds us that honest lament is a valid part of our spiritual life.
When tragedy shatters our expectations, we do not need to hide our pain behind a mask of calm. Scripture shows us figures like the prophet Micah who openly wailed at the coming destruction. This vocal expression honors the reality of sorrow without denying God’s sovereignty. It invites us to bring our deepest hurts directly into His presence.
Knowing that biblical heroes also cried out in distress can be a comfort. You are not alone in your grief when you feel overwhelmed by loss. The Bible validates these loud expressions of pain as a way to process trauma and seek hope. We can find peace in knowing that God hears even the loudest cries of the heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they mourned1×
- and/ he will wail1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּנָּה֛וּ1×
- וְ/נָהָ֨ה1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 7:2
From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
This verse uses a related noun form to describe the collective mourning of Israel after the ark was captured, showing how nahah reflects communal grief over spiritual loss.
-
Micah 2:4
In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”
Here the prophet adopts a posture of wailing to express the severity of judgment coming upon Samaria and Jerusalem, highlighting the public nature of this lament.