נְקָמָה (ne.qa.mah)
ne.qa.mah
vengeance
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun neqamah denotes the act of taking vengeance or securing retribution. It appears eighteen times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in Jeremiah and Psalms. The term is not limited to human retaliation; it frequently describes divine justice executed by God against oppressors, but also covers vengeance carried out by Israel or its enemies.
This word carries significant theological weight because it frames retribution as a restoration of moral order rather than mere personal revenge. In the Psalms, believers often appeal for neqamah against those who persecute them unjustly, trusting that God will right the scales. Conversely, in prophetic texts like Jeremiah, it signals God’s judgment on nations that have violated covenant boundaries or inflicted suffering on His people.
Translators usually render neqamah as "vengeance," which can sound harsh in modern English. However, the biblical context often presents it as a necessary counterbalance to injustice. The sources highlight that this concept is deeply embedded in the narrative of Israel’s history, where divine intervention is seen as the ultimate form of vindication for the wronged.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for vengeance in Hebrew carries a heavy weight, often misunderstood as simple personal retaliation. In Scripture, it points to God’s commitment to restore moral order when justice has been violated. This is not about human revenge but about the ultimate correction of wrongs that we cannot fix ourselves.
When we face injustice, it is natural to feel anger or a desire for payback. The biblical view invites us to trust that God sees these things and will handle them with perfect righteousness. We are called to leave room for His judgment, finding peace in the knowledge that He is the true judge of all the earth.
This truth offers comfort to those who have been wronged. It assures us that no injustice is hidden from God’s sight. We can rest in the hope that He will right every wrong, allowing us to focus on living faithfully rather than seeking our own satisfaction.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] vengeance of6×
- vengeance<s>5×
- vengeance/ your3×
- vengeance3×
- [is] [the] vengeance of2×
- vengeance/ their1×
- vengeance/ our1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִקְמָֽתְ/ךָ֙2×
- נִקְמַת֙2×
- נִקְמַ֖ת2×
- נִקְמָתָ֔/ם1×
- נִקְמָתֵ֖/נוּ1×
- נִקְמָתֵ֑/ךְ1×
- נִקְמַת\־1×
- נִקְמַ֨ת1×
- נִקְמַ֤ת1×
- נִ֝קְמַ֗ת1×
- נְקָמוֹת֙1×
- נְקָמֹ֖ת1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 94:1
Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
This verse establishes the foundational principle that vengeance belongs exclusively to God, reminding believers to trust His timing rather than taking matters into their own hands.
-
Jeremiah 11:20
But, Yahweh of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.
Jeremiah uses this term to express his confidence that God will vindicate him against false accusations, showing how the word applies to personal protection from evil.
-
Psalms 79:10
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.
Here the psalmists ask for vengeance not out of malice, but so that God’s name is honored among the nations when He acts on behalf of His servants.
-
Jeremiah 51:6
“Flee out of the middle of Babylon! Everyone save his own life! Don’t be cut off in her iniquity, for it is the time of Yahweh’s vengeance. He will give to her a recompense.
This occurrence links vengeance with divine recompense, illustrating how God holds nations accountable for their iniquity and restores justice on a global scale.