What does נְקָמָה (nĕqāmāh) mean in the Bible?
נְקָמָה (nĕqāmāh): Divine prerogative to repay covenant violation; human vengeance poses theological danger when usurping God's exclusive right
Hebrew · H5360
נְקָמָה
Avengement , whether the act or the passion
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נְקָמָהH5360
Pronunciationnĕqāmāh
What does נְקָמָה (nĕqāmāh) mean in the Bible?
נְקָמָה (nĕqāmāh): Divine prerogative to repay covenant violation; human vengeance poses theological danger when usurping God's exclusive right
Full entry for נְקָמָה (H5360) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5360?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include vengeance (6), . . . (3), My vengeance (3), of vengeance (3), Your vengeance (3).
Where does נְקָמָה (nĕqāmāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 31:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (11), Ezekiel (5), Psalms (5), 2 Samuel (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itvengeance6×Numbers 31:3, 2 Samuel 4:8, Psalms 149:7, Jeremiah 51:6
. . .3×Numbers 31:2, 2 Samuel 22:48, Psalms 18:47
My vengeance3×Ezekiel 25:14, Ezekiel 25:17
of vengeance3×Psalms 94:1, Jeremiah 46:10
Your vengeance3×Psalms 79:10, Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 20:12
the vengeance2×Jeremiah 50:28
[is] the vengeance1×Jeremiah 51:11
avenged1×Judges 11:36
in vengeance1×Ezekiel 25:15
is the vengeance1×Jeremiah 50:15
on your behalf1×Jeremiah 51:36
our vengeance1×Jeremiah 20:10
their malice1×Lamentations 3:60
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 31:2נִקְמַת֙to. . .Noun - feminine singular constructNumbers 31:3נִקְמַת־tovengeanceNoun - feminine singular constructJudges 11:36נְקָמ֛וֹתtoavengedNoun - feminine plural2 Samuel 4:8נְקָמוֹת֙tovengeanceNoun - feminine plural2 Samuel 22:48נְקָמֹ֖תto. . .Noun - feminine pluralPsalms 18:47נְקָמ֣וֹתto. . .Noun - feminine pluralPsalms 79:10נִ֝קְמַ֗תtoYour vengeanceNoun - feminine singular constructPsalms 94:1נְקָמ֥וֹתtoof vengeanceNoun - feminine pluralPsalms 94:1נְקָמ֣וֹתtoof vengeanceNoun - feminine pluralPsalms 149:7נְ֭קָמָהtovengeanceNoun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowNumbers 31:2
Aligned rows27
Books represented7
Numbers2Judges12 Samuel2Psalms5Jeremiah11Lamentations1Ezekiel5
Source forms
נְקָמ֣וֹת3xnə·qā·mō·wṯPsalms 18:47, Psalms 94:1, Ezekiel 25:17
נִקְמַת֙2xniq·maṯNumbers 31:2, Jeremiah 50:28
נִקְמַ֖ת2xniq·maṯJeremiah 50:28, Jeremiah 51:11
נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙2xniq·mā·ṯə·ḵāJeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 20:12
בִּנְקָמָ֑ה1xbin·qā·māhEzekiel 25:15
נְ֭קָמָה1xnə·qā·māhPsalms 149:7
נְקָמָה֙1xnə·qā·māhJeremiah 46:10
נְקָמָ֥ה1xnə·qā·māhJeremiah 51:6
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular construct8xNumbers 31:2, Numbers 31:3, Psalms 79:10, Jeremiah 50:15
Noun - feminine plural7xJudges 11:36, 2 Samuel 4:8, 2 Samuel 22:48, Psalms 18:47
Noun - feminine singular3xPsalms 149:7, Jeremiah 46:10, Jeremiah 51:6
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular3xEzekiel 25:14, Ezekiel 25:17
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular2xJeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 20:12
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural1xJeremiah 20:10
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular1xJeremiah 51:36
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xLamentations 3:60
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Divine prerogative to repay covenant violation; human vengeance poses theological danger when usurping God's exclusive right
Source Gloss
avengement , whether the act or the passion
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Divine prerogative to repay covenant violation; human vengeance poses theological danger when usurping God's exclusive right
avengement, whether the act or the passion BDB: vengeance Usage: avenge, revenge(-ing), vengeance.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
נְקָמָה is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.